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"Dream Deprivation": Effects on Dream Content

Terry Pivik, David Foulkes

Science September 9, 1966 DOI: 10.1126/science.153.3741.1282 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Experimental study Peer reviewed
Population Repressers and sensitizers
Intervention selective deprivation of rapid-eye-movement sleep
Topics Dreaming
Key findings Dream content intensified after REM sleep deprivation, significantly only for repressers.

Abstract

Dream content elicited following the selective deprivation of rapid-eye-movement sleep was intensified compared to that elicited under nondeprivation conditions. This effect was observed both for repressers and for sensitizers, but was significant only for repressers. On nondeprivation nights, the dream periods of sensitizers were shorter and their dreams more intense than those of repressers.