The DOI matches its Crossref record; 11 of the 11 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
We do not dream of the 3 r’s: implications for the nature of dreaming mentation
Abstract
This report examines the extent to which dream recall involves the “3 R's” (reading, writing, and arithmetic). Two separate studies were done. In the first study, two scorers rated, on a blind basis, a total of 456 written dream reports, available from five previous studies. There was perfect agreement between the two scorers. They agreed that there were no instances of reading, no instances of writing, and one instance of probable calculating in the 456 dreams. The second study was a questionnaire survey. Complete responses were obtained from 240 frequent dreamers (who reported remembering a mean of seven dreams per week). The study examined in two ways the frequency of the 3 R's in their recalled dreams. First, in answer to direct questions as to how frequently they dreamt about each activity, roughly 90% of the respondents reported that they “never” or “hardly ever” dreamt about each of four activities: reading, writing, typing, and calculating. In answers to other questions, this group reported spending a mean of six hours per day engaged in these activities. Second, responses as to the relative prominence of six activities (walking, writing, talking with friends, reading, sexual activity, typing) in dreaming versus waking produced two clear groupings of activities. “Walking,” “talking with friends,” and “sexual activity” were each rated almost as prominent in dreaming as in waking whereas the second group consisting of “writing,” “reading,” and “typing” were rated as far more prominent in waking than in dreaming. The two activity groups differed at p < .0001. Thus, the 3 R's appear to occur very infrequently in dreams. These findings are placed in a theoretical frame which suggests that dreaming (compared to waking) deals very little with serial activities characterized by “input—rapid-processing—output” in which the neural nets function in a feed-forward mode. Rather, dreaming may be characterized by relatively broad or loose connection making in which the nets function more in an autoassociative mode.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“First, the sparseness of dreams in that they are generally less vivid than waking life in that they contain less sensory and conceptual information (i.e., less detail).”
From The overfitted brain: Dreams evolved to assist generalization (2021) · cites this paper as [38]
Citations
Cites
Modern Man in Search of a Soul
Jung, C. G. (1935) · The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease · doi:10.1097/00005053-193506000-00052 · Cited by 1,272
The brain as a dream state generator: an activation-synthesis hypothesis of the dream process
Hobson, J. A., & McCarley, R. W. (1977) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.134.12.1335 · Cited by 984
Crick, F., & Mitchison, G. (1983) · Nature · doi:10.1038/304111a0 · Cited by 865
The Content Analysis of Dreams
Stephenson, W., Hall, C. S., & de Castle, R. L. V. (1967) · The American Journal of Psychology · doi:10.2307/1420563 · Cited by 831
Dreams and nightmares: the new theory on the origin and meaning of dreams
(1999) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.36-3625 · Cited by 225
Outline for a theory on the nature and functions of dreaming.
Hartmann, E. L. (1996) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094452 · Cited by 219
Self-citationIn Search of Dreams: Results of Experimental Dream Research
Strauch, I., & Meier-Schiesser, B. (1996) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 193
Bizarreness of the dreams and daydreams reported by individuals with thin and thick boundaries.
Kunzendorf, R. G., Hartmann, E. L., Cohen, R., & Cutler, J. (1997) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094482 · Cited by 108
Self-citationHall, C. S. (1951) · Scientific American · doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0551-60 · Cited by 68
Personality and dreaming: Boundary structure and dream content.
Hartmann, E. L., Rosen, R., & Rand, W. (1998) · Dreaming · doi:10.1023/b:drem.0000005913.21794.1f · Cited by 66
Self-citation
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Levin, R., & Nielsen, T. A. (2007) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.3.482 · Cited by 554
Continuity between waking activities and dream activities
Schredl, M., & Hofmann, F. (2003) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/s1053-8100(02)00072-7 · Cited by 318
Valli, K., Revonsuo, A., Pälkäs, O., Ismail, K. H., Ali, K. J., & Punamäki, R.-L. (2005) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/s1053-8100(03)00019-9 · Cited by 153
The threat simulation theory in light of recent empirical evidence: a review
VALLI, K., & REVONSUO, A. (2009) · The American Journal of Psychology · doi:10.2307/27784372 · Cited by 132
Understanding posttraumatic nightmares: An empirical and conceptual review
Phelps, A. J., Forbes, D., & Creamer, M. C. (2007) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2007.06.001 · Cited by 130
The Nature and Functions of Dreaming
Hartmann, E. L. (2010) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199751778.001.0001 · Cited by 111
Self-citationCharacteristics And Contents Of Dreams
Schredl, M. (2010) · International Review of Neurobiology · doi:10.1016/s0074-7742(10)92007-2 · Cited by 103
Evidence for the preferential incorporation of emotional waking-life experiences into dreams.
Malinowski, J., & Horton, C. L. (2014) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/a0036017 · Cited by 101
van Rijn, E., Eichenlaub, J.-B., Lewis, P. A., Walker, M. P., Gaskell, M. G., Malinowski, J. E., & Blagrove, M. (2015) · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory · doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2015.01.009 · Cited by 74
The overfitted brain: Dreams evolved to assist generalization
Hoel, E. (2021) · Patterns · doi:10.1016/j.patter.2021.100244 · Cited by 70
“This lack of detail in dreams is universal, and examples include the blurring of text causing an impossibility of reading, using phones, or calculations.(38) Second, the hallucinatory quality of dreams in that they are generally unusual in some way (i.”
BackgroundDomhoff, G. W. (2011) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2011.2.9137 · Cited by 63
Hobson, A. J., & Schredl, M. (2011) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2011.1.9087 · Cited by 61
The effect of trauma on dream content--A field study of Palestinian children.
Valli, K., Revonsuo, A., Pälkäs, O., & Punamäki, R. (2006) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/1053-0797.16.2.63 · Cited by 59
Detecting meaning in dream reports: An extension of a word search approach.
Bulkeley, K., & Domhoff, G. W. (2010) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/a0019773 · Cited by 55
Schredl, M., & Erlacher, D. (2008) · The Journal of Psychology · doi:10.3200/jrlp.142.3.267-276 · Cited by 48
Contextualizing images in dreams and daydreams.
Hartmann, E. L., Kunzendorf, R. G., Rosen, R., & Grace, N. G. (2001) · Dreaming · doi:10.1023/a:1009488705828 · Cited by 48
Self-citationContinuity in studying the continuity hypothesis of dreaming is needed
Schredl, M. (2012) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2012.1.9306 · Cited by 48
Dreams are more negative than real life: Implications for the function of dreaming
Valli, K., Strandholm, T., Sillanmäki, L. H., & Revonsuo, A. (2008) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699930701541591 · Cited by 46
The dream always makes new connections: the dream is a creation, not a replay
Hartmann, E. (2010) · Sleep Medicine Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2010.01.009 · Cited by 39
Self-citationErotic dreams and their relationship to waking-life sexuality
Schredl, M., Desch, S., Röming, F., & Spachmann, A. (2008) · Sexologies · doi:10.1016/j.sexol.2008.05.001 · Cited by 36
Walking dreams in congenital and acquired paraplegia
Saurat, M.-T., Agbakou, M., Attigui, P., Golmard, J., & Arnulf, I. (2011) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2011.05.015 · Cited by 32
The central image makes "big" dreams big: The central image as the emotional heart of the dream.
Hartmann, E. L. (2008) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/1053-0797.18.1.44 · Cited by 29
Self-citationDreaming and personality: Wake-dream continuity, thought suppression, and the Big Five Inventory
Malinowski, J. E. (2015) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2015.10.004 · Cited by 28
Uga, V., Lemut, M. C., Zampi, C., Zilli, I., & Salzarulo, P. (2005) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2005.09.003 · Cited by 28
Seeking patterns in dream content: A systematic approach to word searches
Bulkeley, K. (2009) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2009.08.005 · Cited by 27
Disturbed dreaming and emotion dysregulation
Levin, R., Fireman, G., & Nielsen, T. (2010) · Sleep Medicine Clinics · doi:10.1016/j.jsmc.2010.01.006 · Cited by 26
Skancke, J. F., Holsen, I., & Schredl, M. (2014) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2014.1.12184 · Cited by 26
Dreaming: a psychological view
(2005) · Schweizer Archiv für Neurologie und Psychiatrie · doi:10.4414/sanp.2005.01656 · Cited by 26
Lucid dream mathematics: An explorative online study of arithmetic abilities of dream characters
Stumbrys, T., Erlacher, D., & Schmidt, S. (2011) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2011.1.9079 · Cited by 21
Experiencing “continuity”: A qualitative investigation of waking life in dreams.
Malinowski, J., Fylan, F., & Horton, C. L. (2014) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/a0037305 · Cited by 20
Zink, N., & Pietrowsky, R. (2015) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2015.1.17811 · Cited by 17
Malinowski, J., & Horton, C. L. (2011) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2011.2.9149 · Cited by 16
Dreaming of the Kardashians: Media Content in the Dreams of US College Students
Sheriff, R. E. (2017) · Ethos · doi:10.1111/etho.12179 · Cited by 16
Frequency of a romantic partner in a dream series.
Schredl, M., & Reinhard, I. (2012) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/a0030252 · Cited by 13
Classification of typical dream themes and implications for dream interpretation
Yu, C. K.-C. (2016) · Neuropsychoanalysis · doi:10.1080/15294145.2016.1236701 · Cited by 11
Sleep, Dreams, and Nightmares During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Kennedy, K. E. R., & Grandner, M. A. (2021) · American Journal of Health Promotion · doi:10.1177/08901171211055312 · Cited by 11
Is Dreaming Related to Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation?
Schredl, M. (2017) · Studies in neuroscience, psychology and behavioral economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-45066-7_11 · Cited by 10
Dreams of Truck Drivers: A Test of the Continuity Hypothesis of Dreaming
Schredl, M., Funkhouser, A. T., & Arn, N. (2005) · Imagination Cognition and Personality · doi:10.2190/578d-mlha-78r2-htnw · Cited by 10
A method for recognizing and describing the links among dream sources.
Barcaro, U., Cavallero, C., & Navona, C. (2005) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/1053-0797.15.4.271 · Cited by 9
A Supplement to Self-Organization Theory of Dreaming
Zhang, W. (2016) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00332 · Cited by 9
Incorporation of Waking Events into Dreams
Wamsley, E. J., & Stickgold, R. (2009) · The Neuroscience of Sleep · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-375073-0.50050-6 · Cited by 9
On the Functions of Imagined Interactions in Night Dreams
Eldredge, J. H., Honeycutt, J. M., White, R. C., & Standige, M. (2015) · Imagination Cognition and Personality · doi:10.1177/0276236615595231 · Cited by 8
The impact of early-life maltreatment on dreams of patients with insomnia
Schäfer, V., & Bader, K. (2009) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2009.1.143 · Cited by 6
Cerebral specialization during lucid dreaming: A right hemisphere hypothesis.
Piller, R. (2009) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/a0017994 · Cited by 6
Work-Related Dreams: An Online Survey
Schredl, M., Anderson, L. M., Kahlert, L. K., & Kumpf, C. S. (2020) · Clocks & Sleep · doi:10.3390/clockssleep2030021 · Cited by 6
Revision of the good fortune scale: A new tool for the study of "big dreams."
Bulkeley, K. (2006) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/1053-0797.16.1.11 · Cited by 6
Schredl, M. (2004) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.98.3c.1438-1440 · Cited by 5
Mobile dreaming: oneiric subjectivities in the age of the smartphone
Sheriff, R. E. (2019) · Subjectivity · doi:10.1057/s41286-019-00068-7 · Cited by 5
A Neuroanatomical Framework for Understanding Dream Content
Yu, C. K. C. (2016) · Sleep and Hypnosis · doi:10.5350/sleep.hypn.2016.18.0112 · Cited by 4
Dream Behavior and Dream Content in Healthy Persons
Schredl, M. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95453-0_4 · Cited by 4
Wellisch, D. K., & Cohen, M. (2011) · Palliative & Supportive Care · doi:10.1017/s147895151100006x · Cited by 3
Dreaming About One’s Own Children: An Online Survey
Schredl, M., Echevarria, N. C., Macary, L. S., & Weiss, A. F. (2021) · Imagination Cognition and Personality · doi:10.1177/02762366211017421 · Cited by 3
Attitudinal Pluralism in Dream Experiences and Dream Memories
McCarroll, C. J., Wang, I.-J., & Lin, Y.-T. (2024) · Synthese Library/Synthese library · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-68204-9_8 · Cited by 2
Dreams and the daydream retrieval hypothesis.
Eeles, E. M., Pinsker, D. M., Burianová, H., & Ray, J. (2020) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/drm0000123 · Cited by 2
Henke, R. M. (2021) · American Journal of Health Promotion · doi:10.1177/08901171211055310a · Cited by 2
Sleep: Dreaming Data and Theories
Valli, K., & Revonsuo, A. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809324-5.23628-6 · Cited by 1
Robert, G. (2013) · doi:10.71781/18451 · Cited by 1
Dreams and Dreaming: Incorporation of Waking Events
Wamsley, E. J., & Stickgold, R. (2009) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-008045046-9.00046-2 · Cited by 1
Dröm-verklighet-förväxlingar - en grund till vissa minnesfel och sociala fenomen?
Edvardsson, B. (2008) · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
Bilsborrow, G. (2012) · UTAS Research Repository · doi:10.25959/23185526
Osa, B. (2008)
Honeycutt, J. M. (2017) · Imagination Cognition and Personality · doi:10.1177/0276236617743006
Incorporation of Waking Experiences into Dreams
Schredl, M. (2016) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-24288-2.00054-4
Rêves et activités mentales au cours du sommeil
Arnulf, I. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-2-294-74892-9.00004-7
Schredl, M. (2004) · Perceptual and Motor Skills · doi:10.2466/pms.98.3.1438-1440
Geisendörfer, J. (2019) · heiDOK (Heidelberg University) · doi:10.11588/heidok.00027428
Skancke, J. F. (2013) · NORA - Norwegian Open Research Archives
Rêves et réactivation de la mémoire : fenêtre sur la consolidation de la mémoire durant le sommeil
Picard‐Deland, C. (2022) · Papyrus : Institutional Repository (Université de Montréal) · doi:10.71781/31803
Développement et validation d'une théorie de la fonction adaptative biologique des rêves
Lemyre, A. (2021) · Corpus Université Laval (Université Laval)
Bridging dream and wake states: a new tool for consciousness research
Temel, Z., Uzer, G., Senturk, H., Ay, E., Yayla, T. İ., Dikmen, M., Velioğlu, H. A., Yıldırım, E., & Hanoğlu, L. (2026) · Neuroscience of Consciousness · doi:10.1093/nc/niag038
Typical Dream Themes in a Large Internet Sample: A Replication and Extension
Friedrich, C. A., & Nielsen, T. (2026) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1111/jsr.70476
Metadata
- Authors
- Hartmann, E.
- Affiliations
- Tufts University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Hartmann, Ernest
- Venue
- Dreaming
- Published
- 2000-06
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 103-110
- ISSN
- 1053-0797 (ISSN-L)
- 1573-3351
- OpenAlex
- W1980122998
- Cited by
- 67
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 2 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 0.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Dreaming (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- dream recall, dream content, artificial neural networks, autoassociative memory, feedforward processing
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review