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Background: Aserinsky & Kleitman- found ps more likely to remember dreams if woken during periods of REM than other times (non-REM). One of the problems researchers in sleep had was objectivity and mainly relied on self report which is subject to DCs and falsification of results/SDB.
Aim: To see if physiological aspects of REM sleep related to the ps experiences of dreaming. To observe and record the L, f and patterns of ps REM sleep.
Aim: To see if physiological aspects of REM sleep related to the ps experiences of dreaming. To observe and record the L, f and patterns of ps REM sleep.
- wanted it to be OBJECTIVE, they thought they could make the study objective if they linked it with a physical phenomenon that can be measured objectively. Since REM sleep was characterised by low-voltage, relatively fast pattern on the EEG, it made this possible.
- provide more detailed investigation of REM and sleep
Research Method: lab
IV: whether woken up in REM or NREM
DV:
Sample:
IV: whether woken up in REM or NREM
DV:
- no of dreams recorded
- no of correct estimated length of dream (chosen from 5 mins or 15 mins)
Sample:
- 9 ps
- 5 male, 2 female
- 5 studied intensively
- american
- less data collected for the other ps- used to confirm results for the other 5 ps
- all ps woken up by DOORBELL
- NO EXPERIMENTER present so no experimenter bias- as video recordings
- slept in same lab-no environmental bias
- drinking alcohol and caffeine PROHIBITED on day of study
- EEG machine-measure sleep objectively
- electrodes attached to ps eyes-measure eye movement
- electrodes attached to ps scalps- measure brain activity
- doorbell- to wake up ps
- tape recorder- record ps recollections of what they had been dreaming
- ps tested INDIVIDUALLY, slept alone in a quiet, dark lab
- their brainwave patterns were CONSTANTLY recorded throughout their period of sleep
- instructed to report to lab just before their usual bedtime
- control- ps asked to avoid drinking alcohol and/or caffeine, but otherwise eat normally on the day of the experiment
- electrodes attached to ps heads and faces. To avoid entanglement and allow the ps free movement, all the wires were gathered at the top of their head in a single cord to the lead box.
Hypothesis:
Purpose: Method of testing: Results: Conclusions |
1) There is a significant association between REM and reported dreaming. This would establish that measuring REM sleep would be a valid and objective measure of dream activity for future researchers to employ.
To compare REM and NREM sleep. They could tell when to wake ps from the EEG pattern indicated whether the ps were in REM or NREM sleep. The ps self report data on whether they had been dreaming was analysed to see if there were differences between REM and NREM sleep in terms of dream recall. The closer you are from waking from REM sleep the more able you are to remember your dream. More dreams recalled in REM than NREM sleep. The closer you are to REM the more likely you are to recall your dreams. |
2) There is a significant positive correlation between the ESTIMATED TIME SPENT DREAMING and the measurement of REM sleep.
To collect quantitative data for correlational analysis, to establish whether there would be a positive correlation between REM time and estimated time of dreaming. |
3) There is a relationship between the PATTERN OF EYE MOVEMENT and the reported CONTENT of the dream.
To collect qualitative data on the content of ps dreams and compare it with observations on the way the ps eyes had moved (as REM movements could be seen to the naked eye). |
Evaluation:
Research Method:
+= lab exp so high control, reducing extraneous variables, C & E can be established
+=EEG obtains objective data as it is a scientific measure of the real brain waves of the ps
+= takes place during the ps normal sleep time as they were asked to report to the lab just before their usual bedtime-so reflects their real life- increasing ecological validity
-= even though a significant relationship was found, we cannot infer C & E, it could be another variable that causes the co-occurrence
-= the method of waking the ps with a doorbell may have affected their ability to recall the dream
Sample:
+= as all ps adults, may be reflective of adult behaviour
-= small (only 9 ps), so not representative and results not generalisable of how everyone recalls their dreams
-= gender biased towards males (7M & 2F), so not representative of the way females recall dreams. Also difficult to compare results between genders as sample too small and not indicated what each gender was like in the recall of dreams. Instead results summed up as a whole.
-= ethnocentric as study carried out at a USA university, so we can presume the ps were all american
Reliability:
+ = replicable
+= standardised procedure
- = small sample size- not representative of target population
-= disproportionate no of F and M ps
Validity:
+= EEG is scientific, in the way the can can objectively measure the brain waves when sleeping
+= qual data, description of dreams made it rich and meaningful
-= gender bias- disproportionate M:F ratio
-= small sample size, not generalisable to the way all people recall their dreams
-= ethnocentric- cannot generalise to broader population
-= low ecol valid:
Usefulness:
+=furthers our understanding of how the brain works
+= practical applications for people who suffer from insomnia
+=objective data from EEG found
+=useful to psychologists who are working in this field (sleep and dreaming)
-= low ecol validity and low generalisability mean the findings are not useful in describing real sleeping behaviour
Ethical Issues:
+= can assume informed consent obtained, ps not deceived, had R to W, no harm or significant stress was caused to ps, protection of ps was kept, confidential-identity of ps unknown to the public
-= stressful for ps to wear the electrodes when sleeping, daily routine may have been disrupted (no alcohol/caffeine)
Improvements & Implications:
+= lab exp so high control, reducing extraneous variables, C & E can be established
+=EEG obtains objective data as it is a scientific measure of the real brain waves of the ps
+= takes place during the ps normal sleep time as they were asked to report to the lab just before their usual bedtime-so reflects their real life- increasing ecological validity
-= even though a significant relationship was found, we cannot infer C & E, it could be another variable that causes the co-occurrence
-= the method of waking the ps with a doorbell may have affected their ability to recall the dream
Sample:
+= as all ps adults, may be reflective of adult behaviour
-= small (only 9 ps), so not representative and results not generalisable of how everyone recalls their dreams
-= gender biased towards males (7M & 2F), so not representative of the way females recall dreams. Also difficult to compare results between genders as sample too small and not indicated what each gender was like in the recall of dreams. Instead results summed up as a whole.
-= ethnocentric as study carried out at a USA university, so we can presume the ps were all american
Reliability:
+ = replicable
+= standardised procedure
- = small sample size- not representative of target population
-= disproportionate no of F and M ps
Validity:
+= EEG is scientific, in the way the can can objectively measure the brain waves when sleeping
+= qual data, description of dreams made it rich and meaningful
-= gender bias- disproportionate M:F ratio
-= small sample size, not generalisable to the way all people recall their dreams
-= ethnocentric- cannot generalise to broader population
-= low ecol valid:
- Ps had to sleep in a sleep laboratory- ps may not show their natural sleeping behaviour, not realistic for people to be wired up and go to sleep in a lab- could cause DC's
- Ps were woken at various times during the night.
- Ps were woken by a doorbell.
- On waking, ps had to report their dreams into a tape recorder.
- Ps were not allowed alcohol or caffeine on the day of the experiment.
- Ps had to sleep with electrodes attached near eyes and on scalp.
Usefulness:
+=furthers our understanding of how the brain works
+= practical applications for people who suffer from insomnia
+=objective data from EEG found
+=useful to psychologists who are working in this field (sleep and dreaming)
-= low ecol validity and low generalisability mean the findings are not useful in describing real sleeping behaviour
Ethical Issues:
+= can assume informed consent obtained, ps not deceived, had R to W, no harm or significant stress was caused to ps, protection of ps was kept, confidential-identity of ps unknown to the public
-= stressful for ps to wear the electrodes when sleeping, daily routine may have been disrupted (no alcohol/caffeine)
Improvements & Implications:
1) Sample:
Increase sample size to 50- 25 of each M and F, volunteers from ads in national paper
Collect Qual data- ask ps why they thought they had been sleeping for 5 or 15 mins or ask them how confident they were about their answer from 5 or 15 mins
Conduct a field experiment in the ps own home, by setting up the EEG machine in the ps bedroom. Also use an alarm clock to wake up the ps. The experimenter would set up the alarm clock without the ps being aware of it after they had entered REM sleep or NREM for either 5 or 15 mins
Increase sample size to 50- 25 of each M and F, volunteers from ads in national paper
- +=more representative of sleep and dream patterns of both genders
- +=better comparison
- -= time consuming
- -= still ethnocentric
Collect Qual data- ask ps why they thought they had been sleeping for 5 or 15 mins or ask them how confident they were about their answer from 5 or 15 mins
- += more valid, rich meaningful data
- -= may not be able to compare the reasons the ps gave
Conduct a field experiment in the ps own home, by setting up the EEG machine in the ps bedroom. Also use an alarm clock to wake up the ps. The experimenter would set up the alarm clock without the ps being aware of it after they had entered REM sleep or NREM for either 5 or 15 mins
- += higher ecol valid
- += more natural way of waking up ps as it is something most people do
- -= not standardised- the layout of room and the levels of sleep due to different sleeping environment