Studies of dreaming consciousness have considered cognition in dreaming as an aspect of consciousness from two different approaches: 1) The state dependent approach or deficiency view assumes that during dreaming, both consciousness and cognition are highly state-dependent phenomena. This line of thought centers on isomorphism of physiology and subjective experience and advocates resultant changes in the thought processes based on theories and findings from neuroimaging studies. 2) The continuity approach focuses on similarities and differences of consciousness and cognition during dreaming and investigates the correspondence between cognitive possibilities of waking and dreaming mind that could be discernable from the reports of subjective experiences.

This presentation focuses on familiarizing the audience with phenomenologically-based approaches to study of cognition in dreaming that utilize the reports of dreamers’ subjective experiences. The three exploratory studies focused on research of a) reflective awareness as an aspect of self-awareness; b) development of taxonomy of thought processes in dreaming; and c) mapping out cognitive possibilities that dreamers are capable of using for resolving the threats and perturbations that occur in dreaming.

The results of the presented studies indicate the need to re-examine and re-conceptualize our understanding of cognitive capacities that dreamers have at their disposal within context-specific anxiety-provoking situations in dreams. The presentation will conclude with inviting the audience to discuss the limitations, delimitations, and implications of the presented dream research.

Keresztes Attila

Tudományos segédmunkatárs

Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem

Kognitív Tudományi Tanszék,

Stoczek u. 2., Budapest

1111

06 1 4631072

akeresztes@cogsci.bme.hu