THREE DREAM ELEMENTS: EMOTION, NARRATIVE, AND REALITY

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Behaviour and Emotion

Behavioural changes can take place almost instantly when they are associated with survival triggers and strong emotional causes (Ehring & Quack, 2010; Germain & Nielsen, 2003; Hopper, 2007; Kothe & Pietrowsky, 2001; Ursano et al., 1994). However, the majority of these instant behavioural changes tend to be negative because they are often associated with survival (Germain & Nielsen, 2003; Hopper, 2007). Part of the goal of this study is to explore whether emotional triggers can be carried into a dream or dream-like experience and result in the perception of a lived experience that leads to a positive outcome; for example, the types of emotions that are generated in spiritual experiences.
Understanding the specific areas of the brain that are activated during behavioural change may help create the most effective and healthy way to program new behaviour. A look across various relevant fields regarding personal transformation, including spiritual revivals and experiential seminars, holds clues to using positive emotions for behavioural change (Crocker, 1999; Datillo, 2000; Luckner & Nadler, 1997; Polster & Polster, 1973).
Positive experiences, like negative experiences, can alter both the individual‘s behaviour and her belief systems; as such, it may be possible to use positive emotions as a way to achieve behavioural change
Different emotions carry different levels of intensity (Germain & Nielsen, 2003; Kothe & Pietrowsky, 2001; Ursano et al., 1994). Generally, barring physical pain or brain injury, the higher the intensity of the emotion (whether positive or negative), the more memorable the experience becomes for the individual (Germain & Nielsen, 2003; Kothe & Pietrowsky, 2001; Ursano et al., 1994). When an additional survival emotion is triggered in association with an emotional event, the corresponding behaviours and belief systems, as well as the normal neurological patterns associated with these systems, are swiftly altered (Germain & Nielsen, 2003; Kothe & Pietrowsky, 2001; Ursano et al., 1994). This is because emotion is both a physiological and chemically induced reactive state (Hopper, 2007).
Once an emotion is triggered, there is a pattern of behaviour that is typically followed by the individual (Ursano et al., 1994). In some cases, a higher state of emotion combined with an experiential event can supersede the person‘s habitual patterns and reactions to certain stimuli (Germain & Nielsen, 2003; Ursano et al., 1994). This alteration can become permanent unless there is an intervention or an intense event that helps reprogram the new emotional reaction (Ehring & Quack, 2010; Hopper, 2007). The trick to achieving this alteration is to first trigger the emotion.
Existing techniques by which positive and high-intensity emotions may be triggered are described in the next section. By studying how emotions can be triggered both in the waking state and in the dream state, it may be possible to choose from existing techniques and someday incorporate the selected techniques for triggering emotions into the design of the dream method. The different techniques for triggering emotions and their associated studies are described further in the next section.

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Triggering Emotion

There are a number of methods that have been used to induce emotions in individuals. The intensity of the induced emotion varies between individuals; however, it is possible to trigger emotions using music, sound, facial recognition, gift giving, light, colour, and pictures (Davis et al., 1995; Fredrickson, 2000, 2001; Hoss, 2005; Neilssen, Dijker, & DeVries, 2007; Newhagen, 1998; Tomarken et al., 1990). Some studies have combined these methods to heighten the intensity or success rate of inducing emotion (Fredrickson & Levenson, 1998; Tomarken et al., 1990).
The International Affective Picture System (IAPS) is a standard way by which emotions can be triggered through the use of photographic slides. The photographs were repeatedly tested to find the highest rates of response and then included in the IAPS collection (Davis et al., 1995). They were divided into scales and categories ranging from negative to positive. The scale has become useful in studies because self-reported responses have shown consistency across the subjects in terms of triggering emotional reactions (Davis et al., 1995). Pictures associated with anxiety emotions such as fear, disgust, and anger also elicited comparable emotions in different subjects (Newhagen, 1998).
Furthermore, researchers have found that once negative emotions were triggered via the IAPS system, it was possible to counteract them by triggering positive emotions through exposure to positive images (Fredrickson, 2000, 2001) In one study, Fredrickson and Levenson (1998) triggered fear in study participants by using a movie clip of a man dangling from a ledge. This induced a physiological response and the emotions of fear and anxiety among the viewers. The same participants were then exposed to positive and inspiring film clips showing ‗amusement and contentment‘. After viewing the positive clips, the participants‘ moods were significantly improved and their physiological states recovered to normal levels. Multiple other studies have also shown that emotions can be consistently triggered with pictures and films (Gross & Levenson; 1995; Hagemann et al., 1999; Tomarken et al., 1990).

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 RATIONALE FOR THE CURRENT STUDY .
1.3 RELEVANCE AND IMPLICATIONS
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY .
1.5 DEFINITIONS
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 FOUNDATIONS IN DREAM RESEARCH .
2.3 THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP AND DREAMS
2.4 PSYCHOLOGY AND DREAMING
2.5 INFLUENCING DREAM CONTENT
2.6 DREAMS AND BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE MODELS
2.7 PROFOUND DREAMS
2.8 THREE DREAM ELEMENTS: EMOTION, NARRATIVE, AND REALITY
2.9 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.3 ROLE OF THE RESEARCHER
3.4 PARTICIPANT SELECTION
3.5 DATA COLLECTION
3.6 DATA ANALYSIS .
3.7 VALIDITY ISSUES
3.8 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
3.9 LIMITATIONS .
3.10 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 PARTICIPANT BACKGROUND AND BEHAVIOURAL GOALS
4.3 THEMATIC FINDINGS
CHAPTER 5 : SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS