Daydreaming D Doan, Brian Gee, Esther Lee, Julie Tran COGS 175 March 5, 2008

OVERVIEW Introduction to daydreaming (Julie) Introduction to daydreaming (Julie) Content and function (Brian) Content and function (Brian) Developmental changes (Esther) Developmental changes (Esther) Sleepiness and daydreaming study (D) Sleepiness and daydreaming study (D)

DEFINITION “Daydreaming represents a shift of attention away from some primary physical or mental task we have set for ourselves, or away from directly looking at or listening to something in the external environment, toward an unfolding sequence of private responses made to some internal stimulus.” “Daydreaming represents a shift of attention away from some primary physical or mental task we have set for ourselves, or away from directly looking at or listening to something in the external environment, toward an unfolding sequence of private responses made to some internal stimulus.” -Jerome L. Singer, 1975

HISTORY Negative reputation Negative reputation Associated with laziness Associated with laziness 1800s – daydreams = self-gratifying attempts at "wish fulfillment” (Nelson) 1800s – daydreams = self-gratifying attempts at "wish fulfillment” (Nelson) 1950s – parents warned not to let their children daydream 1950s – parents warned not to let their children daydream 1960s – Singer & Antrobus created daydream questionnaire called the Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI) 1960s – Singer & Antrobus created daydream questionnaire called the Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI)

CHARACTERISTICS Occurs in private world Occurs in private world Begins spontaneously Begins spontaneously Triggered by internal or external stimuli or cues (Klinger, 1990) Triggered by internal or external stimuli or cues (Klinger, 1990) Deals most often with life concerns Deals most often with life concerns Lack of self-awareness Lack of self-awareness Dissociation from waking Dissociation from waking

MAJOR FORMS 1. The ongoing stream of associations, interior monologues and occasional elaborated fantasies of a spontaneous nature associated with particular problems or chains of thought 2. The repeated, complex fantasies involving self-created, colorful characters who act out evolving story lines

CONTENT Activity-related content Activity-related content Rehearsal of alternatives Rehearsal of alternatives Judgment making Judgment making Fantasy-related content Fantasy-related content Exploration of “what might be” Exploration of “what might be” Freedom from logical constraints Freedom from logical constraints

CONTENT Butler (2006) Key structural aspects Key structural aspects Positive orientation Positive orientation Negative emotional tone Negative emotional tone Mind wandering Mind wandering

FUNCTION Butler (2006) Absorption suggests assignment of cognitive resources Absorption suggests assignment of cognitive resources Engage unconscious processes Engage unconscious processes Intuition Intuition Creativity Creativity

FUNCTION A form of mental processing A form of mental processing Recall of “current” memories Recall of “current” memories Resolution of daily issues Resolution of daily issues Disruption of processing Disruption of processing Depression Depression Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES Age affects frequency and content of daydreams Age affects frequency and content of daydreams Giambra (2000) Giambra (2000) 1782 women; 1545 men 1782 women; 1545 men years old years old Longitudinal and cross-sectional study Longitudinal and cross-sectional study Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI) Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI)

Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI) (Singer & Antrobus, 1970)

Imaginal Processes Inventory (IPI) (Singer & Antrobus, 1970)

DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES Giambra (2000) As age increases… As age increases… Daydream frequency ↓ Daydream frequency ↓ Absorption or dominance of attention ↓ Absorption or dominance of attention ↓ Visual imagery ↓ Visual imagery ↓

As age increases… As age increases… Problem solving daydreams – little change Problem solving daydreams – little change Bizarre-improbable daydreams – U-shaped age function Bizarre-improbable daydreams – U-shaped age function DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES Giambra (2000)

As age increases… As age increases… Decreased daydreaming in the following types: Decreased daydreaming in the following types: Sexual Sexual Heroic Heroic Achievement-oriented Achievement-oriented Fear of failure Fear of failure Hostile Hostile Guilt Guilt DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES Giambra (2000)

DEVELOPMENTAL CHANGES What might account for reduced daydreaming with increased age? What might account for reduced daydreaming with increased age? Redirection and reduction of attentional resources Redirection and reduction of attentional resources Biological degradation in the brain Biological degradation in the brain

Possible Suggestive Connections between Sleep & Daydreaming Decreases in duration of REM as we age Decreases in duration of REM as we age Similar Content Similar Content Life concerns list Life concerns list daydream 65% (Gold and Reilly 1985) ≈ night dreams 71% (Nikles et al, 1998) daydream 65% (Gold and Reilly 1985) ≈ night dreams 71% (Nikles et al, 1998) Auditory imagery Auditory imagery Daydream nearly 50% (Klinger 1993) ≈ REM dream 53%(Zadra et al 1998 ) Daydream nearly 50% (Klinger 1993) ≈ REM dream 53%(Zadra et al 1998 )

Possible Suggestive Connections between Sleep & Daydreaming Similar 90 minute cycle to REM Similar 90 minute cycle to REM Kripke and Sonnenschein 1978

The Effect of Experimentally Enhanced Daydreaming on an Electroencephalographic Measure of Sleepiness (Pritzl 2003) Hypothesis: Daydreaming as Restoration similar to sleep

SLEEPINESS & DAYDREAMING Experimental Paradigm Experimental Paradigm Daydream Prevention vs. Daydream Induction Daydream Prevention vs. Daydream Induction EEG as index of sleepiness/sleep deprivation EEG as index of sleepiness/sleep deprivation (theta/alpha ratio) (theta/alpha ratio)

SLEEPINESS & DAYDREAMING Hypotheses Hypotheses Enhancement group ↑ daydreaming than relax group Enhancement group ↑ daydreaming than relax group Enhancement group ↑ decreases in initial level of sleepiness Enhancement group ↑ decreases in initial level of sleepiness ill-rested ↑ daydream than well- rested ill-rested ↑ daydream than well- rested those who had more daydreaming should have ↑ reduction in sleepiness those who had more daydreaming should have ↑ reduction in sleepiness

SLEEPINESS & DAYDREAMING Results Results Hypotheses 1 & 2 were not supported Hypotheses 1 & 2 were not supported Hypothesis 3 supported Hypothesis 3 supported Hypothesis 4 reversed Hypothesis 4 reversed those who had more daydreaming should have ↑ reduction in sleepiness, but instead had no less reduction in sleepiness those who had more daydreaming should have ↑ reduction in sleepiness, but instead had no less reduction in sleepiness

SLEEPINESS & DAYDREAMING Interpretation Interpretation Daydreaming does not compensate for sleep deprivation, but may be a response to sleep deprivation Daydreaming does not compensate for sleep deprivation, but may be a response to sleep deprivation

Is daydreaming an alternate state of consciousness? Involuntary generation Involuntary generation Vivid imagery Vivid imagery Shift in attention Shift in attention Dissociation from external stimuli Dissociation from external stimuli Similarity to other alternate states of consciousness Similarity to other alternate states of consciousness

REFERENCES Butler, L. B. (2006). Normative dissociation. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 29(1), 45. Butler, L. B. (2006). Normative dissociation. The Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 29(1), 45. Giambra, L. (2000). Daydreaming characteristics across the life-span: Age differences and seven to twenty year longitudinal changes. (pp. 147)John Benjamins Publishing Company. Giambra, L. (2000). Daydreaming characteristics across the life-span: Age differences and seven to twenty year longitudinal changes. (pp. 147)John Benjamins Publishing Company. Klinger, E. (1990). Daydreaming. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher. Klinger, E. (1990). Daydreaming. Los Angeles: Jeremy P. Tarcher. Pritzl, T. (2003). The effect of experimentally enhanced daydreaming on an electroencephalographic measure of sleepiness. Pritzl, T. (2003). The effect of experimentally enhanced daydreaming on an electroencephalographic measure of sleepiness. Singer, J.L. (1975). The inner world of daydreaming. New York: Harper & Row. Singer, J.L. (1975). The inner world of daydreaming. New York: Harper & Row. Singer, J.L., & Antrobus, J.S. (1970) Manual for the Imaginal Processes Inventory. Princeton, N.J.: Education Testing Service. Singer, J.L., & Antrobus, J.S. (1970) Manual for the Imaginal Processes Inventory. Princeton, N.J.: Education Testing Service.