Lucid dreaming: Evidence and methodology

Lucid dreaming shows that loss of self-reflective awareness is not necessary for dreaming, challenging some theories. Because lucid dreamers can remember to perform predetermined actions and signal to the laboratory, they can mark the exact time of particular dream events. This allows experiments to establish precise correlations between physiology and subjective reports and enables methodical testing of hypotheses.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Lucid dreaming provides a test case for theories of dreaming. For example, whether or not “loss of self-reflective awareness” is characteristic of dreaming, it is not necessary to dreaming. The fact that lucid dreamers can remember to perform predetermined actions and signal to the laboratory allows them to mark the exact time of particular dream events, allowing experiments to establish precise correlations between physiology and subjective reports, and enabling the methodical testing of hypotheses. [Hobson et al.; Solms]