A Novel Approach to Dream Content Analysis Reveals Links Between Learning-Related Dream Incorporation and Cognitive Abilities
Stuart Fogel, L. Bryan Ray, Valya Sergeeva, Joseph De Koninck, Adrian M. Owen
Frontiers in Psychology August 6, 2018 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01398 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 24 |
| Population | Healthy adults |
| Duration | Single daytime nap opportunity |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Dream Content measure theory Cognition Cognitive psychology Neurocognitive Similarity geometry Developmental psychology Psychotherapist Artificial intelligence |
| Citations | 37 |
| Key findings | Learning-related dream incorporation is directly related to inter-individual differences in reasoning and verbal abilities. |
Abstract
Can dreams reveal insight into our cognitive abilities and aptitudes (i.e., “human intelligence”)? The relationship between dream production and trait-like cognitive abilities is the foundation of several long-standing theories on the neurocognitive and cognitive-psychological basis of dreaming. However, direct experimental evidence is sparse and remains contentious. On the other hand, recent research has provided compelling evidence demonstrating a link between dream content and new learning, suggesting that dreams reflect memory processing during sleep. It remains to be investigated whether the extent of learning-related dream incorporation (i.e., the semantic similarity between waking experiences and dream content) is related to inter-individual differences in cognitive abilities. The relationship between pre-post sleep memory performance improvements and learning-related dream incorporation was investigated (N=24) to determine if this relationship could be explained by inter-individual differences in intellectual abilities (e.g., Reasoning, Short Term Memory and Verbal abilities). The extent of dream incorporation using a novel and objective method of dream content analysis, employing a computational linguistic approach was used to measure the semantic relatedness between verbal reports describing the experience on a spatial (e.g., maze navigation) or a motor memory task (e.g., tennis simulator) with subsequent hypnagogic reverie dream reports and waking “daydream” reports, obtained during a daytime nap opportunity. Consistent with previous studies, the extent to which something new was learned was related (r=0.47) to how richly these novel experiences were incorporated into the content of dreams. This was significant for early (the first 4 dream reports) but not late dreams (the last 4 dream reports). Notably, here, we show for the first time that the extent of this incorporation for early dreams was related (r=0.41) to inter-individual differences in Reasoning abilities. On the other hand, late dream incorporation was related (r=0.46) to inter-individual differences in verbal abilities. There was no relationship between performance improvements and intellectual abilities, and thus, inter-individual differences in cognitive abilities did not mediate the relationship between performance improvements and dream incorporation; suggesting a direct relationship between Reasoning abilities and dream incorporation. This study provides the first evidence that learning-related dream production is related to inter-individual differences in cognitive abilities.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 24
- Real-time dialogue between experimenters and dreamers during REM sleep. Current Biology April 12, 2021
- Targeted dream incubation at sleep onset increases post-sleep creative performance Scientific Reports May 15, 2023
- The Language of Dreams: Application of Linguistics-Based Approaches for the Automated Analysis of Dream Experiences Clocks & Sleep September 19, 2021
- Flying dreams stimulated by an immersive virtual reality task. Consciousness and Cognition August 1, 2020
- Topographic-dynamic reorganisation model of dreams (TRoD) - A spatiotemporal approach. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews May 1, 2023
and 19 more in the library
Cites 27
- Detecting Awareness in the Vegetative State Science September 7, 2006
- Dreaming as mind wandering: evidence from functional neuroimaging and first-person content reports. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2013
- REM Dreaming and Cognitive Skills at Ages 5-8: A Cross-sectional Study International Journal of Behavioral Development December 1, 1990
- Dreaming During Non-rapid Eye Movement Sleep in the Absence of Prior Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Sleep December 1, 2004
- Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors Imagination, Cognition and Personality October 1, 1996
and 22 more in the library