Sleep - AST study Williams et al (1992)

The aim of the study was...

• The aim of this study was to assess the latent content in dreams and fantasies as a way of showing support for the activation-synthesis hypothesis

  of dreaming.

• The aim of this study was to assess the bizarreness in dreams and fantasies as a way of showing support for the activation-synthesis hypothesis

  of dreaming.

• The aim of this study was to assess the facts occurring in dreams and memories as a way of showing support for the activation-synthesis hypothesis

  of dreaming.

• The aim of this study was to assess the neuro activity occurring in dreams and memories as a way of showing support for the activation-synthesis hypothesis

  of dreaming.

The hypothesis of the study was...

• No actual hypothesis is stated for this study but a possible one could be:

  - Nightmares are more prevalent in dreams reports than in wake-state fantasy reports made by the same participants.

• The actual hypothesis is stated for this study:

  - Happiness is more prevalent in dreams reports than in wake-state fantasy reports made by the same participants.

• The actual hypothesis is stated for this study:

  - Laziness is more prevalent in dreams reports than in wake-state fantasy reports made by the same participants.

• No actual hypothesis is stated for this study but a possible one could be:

  - Bizarreness is more prevalent in dreams reports than in wake-state fantasy reports made by the same participants.

The research method/design was...

• This study used the self-report method to gather data about the bizarreness of dreams and fantasies. The self reports were recorded at home by

  participants in the form of a written journal.

• This study used the case study method to gather data about the bizarreness of dreams and fantasies. The self reports were recorded at home by

  participants in the form of a written journal.

• This study used the interview method to gather data about the bizarreness of dreams and fantasies. The self reports were recorded at home by

  participants in the form of a written journal.

• This study used the observation method to gather data about the bizarreness of dreams and fantasies. The self reports were recorded at home by

  participants in the form of a written journal.

The sample were made out of...

• 12 students (2 male, 10 female) enrolled in a biopsychology course at Harvard University Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

  Age range was 23-45 years of age.

• 12 students (2 male, 10 female) enrolled in a biopsychology course at Harvard University Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

  Age range was 20-55 years of age.

• 17 students (7 male, 10 female) enrolled in a biopsychology course at Sussex University Extension School in Sussex, UK.

  Age range was 23-49 years of age.

• 12 students (2 male, 10 female) enrolled in a biopsychology course at Harvard University Extension School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.

  Age range was 17-45 years of age.

The apparatus/material used were...

• Personal diaries for recording dream and fantasy reports.

  • Hobson et al.’s (1987) Bizarreness Scale

• Microphone equipment and interviews for recording dream and fantasy reports.

  • Hobson et al.’s (1987) Bizarreness Scale

• Writing equipment and paper for recording dream and fantasy reports.

  Hobson et al.’s (1987) Bizarreness Scale

• Dream interpretations as a mean of recording dream and fantasy reports.

  • Hobson et al.’s (1987) Bizarreness Scale

Select one wrong key finding from the study

• Judges were also able to blindly assess a random sample of dream and fantasy

  reports with 88.7% accuracy.

• Judges agreed about 80% of the time on both bizarreness and non-bizarre items but as the definition of bizarreness was somewhat ambiguous,

  analysis focused on items on which two or more judges agreed.

• Dream reports were significantly shorter than fantasy reports.

• Bizarreness was more than twice as prevalent in dream reports than fantasy reports.

Select one wrong conclusion from the study

• Dreams contain more bizarreness as well as other ‘dreamy’ features such as remoteness of time and place than fantasies.

• Findings support the physiological model of dreaming/the activation-synthesis hypothesis which predicts a difference between REM sleep

  dreams and waking fantasies

• Dreams and fantasies are two quite different modes of information processing

• Dreams do not differ from fantasies in relation to the number of people involved/the remoteness of time/the remoteness of place.