Partial memory reinstatement while (lucid) dreaming to change the dream environment.
Consciousness and Cognition August 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.102974 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Lucid dreamers |
| Intervention | brief exposure to an experimental scene |
| Topics | Dreaming Lucid dreaming |
| Keywords | Context reinstatement Dream control Episodic memory Lucid dreams Memory retrieval Sleep |
| Citations | 14 |
| Key findings | Successful dream scene reinstatements were overwhelmingly inaccurate relative to the original experimental scene, even when the dreamer was aware of the inaccuracy during the dream. |
Abstract
Lucid dreams often coincide with having control over dream events in real-time, although the limitations of dream control are not completely understood. The current study probed the ability of lucid dreamers to reinstate waking scene memories while dreaming. After brief exposure to an experimental scene, participants were asked to reinstate the scene while lucid dreaming (i.e., change dream scenery to match real-world scene). Qualitative analysis revealed that successful dream scene reinstatements were overwhelmingly inaccurate with respect to the original experimental scene. Importantly, reinstatement inaccuracies held even when the dreamer was aware of them during the dream, suggesting a dissociation between memory access while dreaming and dream imagery. The ability to change the environment of a dream speaks to the high amount of lucid dream control, yet the inaccuracies speak to a lack of detailed control. Reinstating context during lucid sleep offers an experimental method to investigate sleep, dreams, and memory.