'Dream Glove' Boosts Creativity During Sleep (science.org) 16
sciencehabit shares a report from Science Magazine: Is there something about dreaming that enhances our creativity? Or is it just sleep itself? Scientists say they're closer to an answer, thanks to an unusual study that used an electronic glove to guide people's dreams while they slumbered. To conduct the work, researchers invited 50 volunteers, mostly students and professors, to either stay awake or take a nap in a laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Those in the nap group laid down with an eye mask, while wearing a Dormio, a glovelike device with sensors that measure heart rate and muscle tone changes to track sleep stages. A computer linked to the device relayed audio cues to inspire the wearers to dream about specific subjects -- a process called "targeted dream incubation."
Overall, volunteers who dreamt about trees scored 78% higher on the creativity metrics than those who stayed awake just observing their thoughts and 63% higher than those who stayed awake thinking about trees. Participants who napped without hearing the prompt still got a creativity boost, but those who dreamed about trees still performed 48% better than them. The researchers also noticed that the volunteers used the content of their dreams to answer the tests. The person who dreamed that their limbs were made of old wood wrote a story about an oak king with a wood body, for example. The person who dreamed of becoming bigger than trees, meanwhile, listed "toothpick for a giant" as an alternative use for a tree. The research was published in Scientific Reports.
Overall, volunteers who dreamt about trees scored 78% higher on the creativity metrics than those who stayed awake just observing their thoughts and 63% higher than those who stayed awake thinking about trees. Participants who napped without hearing the prompt still got a creativity boost, but those who dreamed about trees still performed 48% better than them. The researchers also noticed that the volunteers used the content of their dreams to answer the tests. The person who dreamed that their limbs were made of old wood wrote a story about an oak king with a wood body, for example. The person who dreamed of becoming bigger than trees, meanwhile, listed "toothpick for a giant" as an alternative use for a tree. The research was published in Scientific Reports.
I suppose that's one name for it... (Score:5, Funny)
"Dream Glove". I knew a girl with one of those, and that's exactly what she called it. It was absolutely loaded with sensors, and there is no doubt it enhanced and rewarded creativity. Just like the research mentioned here, the Dream Glove was especially effective when used in connection with the Oak King's old wood.
Hers worked better when the research participants were awake,though.
Is this compatible with Nintendo's Power Glove? (Score:2)
I still have one stashed in the basement together with the light gun.
Would be nice to use that once more after 40 years.
name (Score:2)
"targeted dream incubation" ??? i thought we already came up with the name INCEPTION
Wake me up (Score:2)
Spin. (Score:4, Funny)
Enhances creativity while sleeping? Yeah. Sure. In your dreams!
What About Nightmares? (Score:5, Interesting)
Freddy Kruger had a pretty cool dream glove too.
All Too Subjective (Score:1)
Nobody asked the researchers why they chose "trees" and not something else.
The freaking part is how easy is to influence a person at N1's first stage, that is, how easy is to perform "targeted dream incubation." Is it really my dreams or somebody else's? then... how creative am I if it's not mine.
This research instead of being one on "Creativity
Re: (Score:3)
The freaking part is how easy is to influence a person at N1's first stage, that is, how easy is to perform "targeted dream incubation." Is it really my dreams or somebody else's?
The real question is when do the ads start? [youtube.com]
Re: (Score:2)
*sigh*....now look what you have done, I went from being quite indifferent to this story to now being bitter and jaded because of you pointing out the eventual outcome. Thanks a million buddy, now I have to start drinking before noon once again.
Talk to the hand (Score:2)
or use your gloved hand to stimulate your...imagination.
Achieving REM sleep is more important (Score:3)
(dark cool room, no noise, not having heavy meals) is probably more important to keep you creative.