Dement and Kleitman (1957) REM and dreams The relation of eye movements during sleep to dream activity: An objective method for the study of dreaming Journal of Experimental Psychology 53 pp339 - 46

Aim… Interested in the idea that…. …the physical response of REM during sleep was connected to dreaming

The study: starting points D&K noticed rapid eye movement (REM) ~ apparent connection with dreaming Previous ~ Aserinsky and Kleitman (1955): Participants report more dream activity in REM sleep Objectively measure REM sleep by EEG

Research Questions: Does dream recall correlate to REM? Is there a correlation between REM duration and estimates of dream length Is REM connected to content of dreams?

Design Sleep lab EEG machine to measure brain activity Participants: 9 adults: 7M 2F 5 studied intensively 4 minimal data to confirm data on 5

Procedure: P report to lab before bedtime asked to eat normally BUT avoid caffeine / alcohol on day of study 2 electrodes near eye (record muscle activity) 2 or 3 others record brain activity electroencephalograph (EEG)

Procedure woken at various times to test dream recall bell woke P - they recorded dream recall on tape [why?] (to avoid experimenter effects) waking times: 2 Pp x random; 1 Pp x at whim of experimenter (!); 1 Pp x 3xREM + 3xnREM; 1 Pp x random (told only during REM- but in both)

Procedure 2: Woken either 5/ 15 mins after entering REM Asked to estimate duration- 5/15 mins Relate dream content

Procedure 'dream' only counted if recall clear return to sleep <5 mins 9 P studied over 61 nights: 351 awakenings (av 5.7 per night) Participants awakened as soon as four predominant pattern of movement had persisted for at least 1 minute What were they dreaming about??!

Brain Waves Four types of brain waves: delta, theta, alpha and beta. Each type of brain wave represents a different speed of oscillating electrical voltages in the brain. Delta is the slowest (zero to four cycles per second) and is present in deep sleep. Theta (four to seven cycles per second) is present in stage one when we're in light sleep Alpha waves, operating at eight to 13 cycles per second, occur during REM sleep (as well as when we are awake) Beta waves, which represent the fastest cycles at 13 to 40 per second, are usually only seen in very stressful situations or situations that require very strong mental concentration and focus. These four brain waves make up the electroencephalogram (EEG).

Just to clarify…..Sleep Stages A typical night ~ pass through different levels of sleep in a repeated fashion between 5 and 7 times. Level 1 and 2 are light sleep characterised by irregular EEG patterns Level 3 and 4 are deeper levels and are characterised by regular wave patterns. Stage 4 is called slow wave sleep or deep sleep. After stage 4 the sleeper goes back up the ‘sleep staircase’ to stage 2 and there is a period of REM sleep lasting for about 15 to 20 minutes These sleep states alternate during the night starting with a rapid descent into deep sleep, followed by progressively increased episodes of lighter sleep and REM sleep.

Results: 1. REM patterns all subjects showed REM every night REM had regular pattern pattern varied per individual av gap 90 mins - norm 70-104 mins duration of REM 3 - 50 mins

Results results: REM–EEG patterns results: REM–dream reports REM correlates to EEG patterns REM EEG - low voltage fast pattern results: REM–dream reports reports of dreams correlates strongly to REM sleep few dreams reported in non-REM sleep

Task!! Transfer this bar chart data into a table

Results cont… results: deep sleep - dream reports in deep sleep (indicated by EEG) Ps reported confusion reported thinking that they had been dreaming … but could not describe dreams often reported strong emotions

Results: 2. REM: Dream duration woken 5 or 15 mins in REM and asked to estimate duration of dream strong correlation between estimates and REM times i.e. most subjects could usually estimate times accurately

Results: 2. REM: Dream duration 51 tests 60 test Woken after 5 minuets of REM Woken after 15 minuets of REM Correct Incorrect 45 6 47 13 Task!! Transfer this table data into a bar chart

Results: 3. REM: Dream content results: eye movement - dream content a) vertical eye movement > b) Horizontal > c) Both vertical & horizontal > d) Very little or no movement > In pairs try to guess what types of things the participants might have been dreaming about for each eye movement

Results cont… results: eye movement - dream content a) vertical eye movement > operating a hoist b) Horizontal > throwing tomatoes c) Both vertical & horizontal > talking to people close to them (friends) d) Very little or no movement > staring at fixed objects.

Discussion well controlled lab experiment small sample ~ (may be less important because study of physiological condition rather than psychological???) breakthrough in dream research close correlation REM - dreams nature of relationship remains unclear

Discussion – later studies Goodenough et al self reported hi/lo dreamers hi dreamers - many REM-dream links lo dreamers - much lower REM-dream link rates  highly variable

Task… Changes and implications to the study?? Complete workbooks