To Catch A Dream: Explorations of Dreaming

by David Koulack

Overview

Preface
Acknowledgments

1. Sleeping and Dreaming

Rosette's Dream
Rosette's First Analysis
The Story of Rosette's Mother
Rosette's Answer
Early Thoughts on Sleep and Dreams
Common Notions About Sleep and Dreams
Research on Dreams

2. Freud and Dreaming

Exploring Dreams
Freud's Notions of Dream Function

3. Sleep and Dream Research

The Discovery of REM Sleep
REM Sleep and Dreaming
The Sleep Cycle
Dream Time and Real Time

4. Explorations of Dreaming

REM and Non-REM Dreaming
Dreaming and REM-Sleep Activity

5. Daytime Events, Sleep and Dreaming

Studies of Presleep Experience
Vagaries of Our Lives

6. Our Bodies, Our Dreams

Thirst
Exercise
Sleeping Pills and Alcohol
The Mentrual Cycle
Illness

7. Things That Go Bump In The Night

Environmental Effects on Dream Content
Learning While Asleep

8. Dream Recall and Dream Recall Failure

Investigations of Repression
Salience
Interference
Arousal
Retrieving Dreams

9. Dream Deprivation

REM Deprivation
Dream Substitution

10. The Adaptive Function of Dreams

Dreams and the Mastery of Stress
Dreams and Compensation
Dreams and Avoidance
Disruption and Avoidance
A Summing Up

Notes
Index

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780791405024
Publisher:	State University of New York Press
Publication date:	01/22/1991
Series:	SUNY series in Dream Studies
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

David Koulack is Professor of Psychology at the University of Manitoba. He has been actively engaged in dream research for over twenty-five years.

Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments

1. Sleeping and Dreaming

Rosette's Dream
Rosette's First Analysis
The Story of Rosette's Mother
Rosette's Answer
Early Thoughts on Sleep and Dreams
Common Notions About Sleep and Dreams
Research on Dreams

2. Freud and Dreaming

Exploring Dreams
Freud's Notions of Dream Function

3. Sleep and Dream Research

The Discovery of REM Sleep
REM Sleep and Dreaming
The Sleep Cycle
Dream Time and Real Time

4. Explorations of Dreaming

REM and Non-REM Dreaming
Dreaming and REM-Sleep Activity

5. Daytime Events, Sleep and Dreaming

Studies of Presleep Experience
Vagaries of Our Lives

6. Our Bodies, Our Dreams

Thirst
Exercise
Sleeping Pills and Alcohol
The Mentrual Cycle
Illness

7. Things That Go Bump In The Night

Environmental Effects on Dream Content
Learning While Asleep

8. Dream Recall and Dream Recall Failure

Investigations of Repression
Salience
Interference
Arousal
Retrieving Dreams

9. Dream Deprivation

REM Deprivation
Dream Substitution

10. The Adaptive Function of Dreams

Dreams and the Mastery of Stress
Dreams and Compensation
Dreams and Avoidance
Disruption and Avoidance
A Summing Up

Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

"This is a very readable book on dreams which is solidly based from beginning to end on the best theoretical and laboratory evidence on dreams available today. As Koulack says, dreams are recollections of past events which are encapsulated in the sleeping state. As such, they are very difficult to study scientifically; Koulack has developed a solid reputation as a dream researcher and theoretician during the course of his work which now spans more than two decades. He has a perspective and depth of knowledge in this field which allowed him to synthesize Freud, Jung, and laboratory dream research very effectively. He offers explanations, understanding, and plausible hypotheses rather than the groundless 'interpretations' which have plagued the works of most writers since Freud. He is not afraid to distinguish between what we know and what remains a mystery to be solved by further study.

"The topic is fascinating. It is significant in that the book integrates the effects of presleep and external stimuli upon the dream process more thoroughly than any book has before. The chapter on dream salience and recall/recall failure is excellent. The REM deprivation studies are again well summarized, and the final chapter on the compensation and avoidance of dreams is an insightful and fair description of the state of the art." — Robert D. Ogilvie, Professor and Chair, Department of Psychology, Brock University

"This book covers a large portion of the research on dreams and its implications on everyday life. It is very well and simply written. It combines scholarly standards with exceptional readability. The scientific approach is pervasive but with constant attention to everyday applications. " — Joseph De Koninck, Professor, School of Psychology, University of Ottawa

"This book provides scientifically based conclusions from the best experimental data this field has to offer. It is not based on the author's personal dream experiences as many 'dream' books are. The level of speculation is very careful and reasonable." — Carlyle T. Smith, Department of Psychology, Trent University

From the Publisher