Inclusive versus exclusive approaches to sleep and dream research

By assuming that REM sleep either plays a critical role in all memory conso lidation or no role in ally, Vertes & Eastman have chosen to reject, rather than explain, robust experimental findings of a role for sleep in memory a nd learning. In contrast, Nielsen has attempted to integrate conflicting fi ndings in the dispute over REM versus NREM mentation. Researchers must trus t the data more and the theories less, and build integrative rather than ex clusionary models if they hope to resolve these knotty problems effectively .