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Representation of Self in SWS and REM Dreams
Miranda Occhionero, M.D., Ph.D., PierCarla Cicogna, Ph.D., Vincenzo Natale, M.D., Ph.D., Maria José Esposito, Ph.D., and Marino Bosinelli, M.D.
The aim of this study was to compare the representation of self in REM and SWS
dreams. Ninety volunteers slept two non-consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory
under electropolygraphic control. They were awakened for one report per night.
Awakenings were made, in counterbalanced order, from Slow Wave Sleep and Rapid
Eye Movements sleep. Dream reports (90 SWS and 90 REM) were scored by
independent judges as regards: a) length (according to temporal units); b)
representation of self (according to a nominal eight-point scale). Results showed that:
a) REM dream reports were significantly longer than SWS dream reports; b) the
representation of Self in REM dream reports is quite similar to the waking experience
of Self; c) the representation of Self in SWS dream reports presented a wide variety
of characteristics (from a thinking agent or passive observer, to a waking-like Self
experience); d) the differences between REM and SWS dream reports in
representation of Self persisted independently of report length. Results are discussed
referring to a cognitive model of dream production.
| Keywords: cognitive processing, dreaming, REM sleep, Slow Wave Sleep, representation of Self |
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