An investigation of the continuity hypothesis : indices of structure, descriptive elaboration and organization from mentation reports across states
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study |
|---|---|
| Population | Male and female low and high frequency dream recallers |
| Key findings | Results were unexpected and favoured high frequency dream recallers as showing more continuity across states than low frequency dream recallers, with few sex differences found. |
Abstract
This study investigated a view of dreaming known as the Continuity Hypothesis. The continuity hypothesis postulates a relationship - a continuity between nocturnal dreaming and day dreaming as a continuous fantasy process. The continuity hypothesis is constrained by individual differences in reports of experience and by the fantasy situation. The continuity hypothesis can be examined through various measures. The specific measures used were structure, descriptive elaboration and organization. To test the hypothesis male and female low and high frequency dream recallers gave verbal reports of experience from a variety of daytime fantasy tasks and two different types of dream reports. Results were unexpected and favoured the high frequency dream recallers as being more continuous across state than the low frequency dream recallers. Few sex differences were found.