An exploratory study of creative problem solving in lucid dreams: Preliminary findings and methodological considerations
Tadas Stumbrys, Michael Daniels
heiDOK (Heidelberg University) 2010 DOI: 10.11588/ijodr.2010.2.6167 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Exploratory study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 18 |
| Population | Lucid dreamers and non-lucid dreamers |
| Duration | Ten consecutive nights |
| Topics | Lucid dreaming |
| Keywords | Creativity Exploratory research Metaphor Creative problem-solving Creative thinking Psychotherapist Social science |
| Citations | 53 |
| Key points | Lucid dreams can contribute to problem solving for creative tasks more than logical ones, and dream characters can provide plausible creative advice. |
Abstract
Both historical accounts and modern research suggest that dreams may contribute to creativity and problem solving, however no research has been done to investigate creative problem solving in lucid dreams – in which the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming. This pilot and exploratory study explored the feasibility of such research. It was also hypothesised that dream characters might help the dreamer. Nine lucid dreamers (the experimental group) and nine non-lucid dreamers (the control group), for ten consecutive nights, had either to solve a logical puzzle or to create a metaphor. The preliminary findings suggest that lucid dreams can contribute to problem solving when dealing with more creative rather than logical tasks and that dream characters can provide plausible creative advice to the dreamer. Several methodological considerations were revealed that should be addressed in future studies.