The Pötzl Effect: Corroboration of a Cybernetic Hypothesis

The deferred-updating cybernetic theory of the mind/brain information-processing system was devised to explain the purpose of sleep [2]. This theory predicts the existence of an intermediate memory, the circadian memory [14]. This is different from, and auxiliary to, both short-term and long-term mem⊙ry. One of the prime functions of circadian memory, according to the theory, is to store incoming information until it can be integrated into long-term memory. This takes place during sleep, the purpose of which, from an information-processing point of view, is to allow the system to go off-line to accomplish the integration.