Hypnotic suggestion as a technique for the control of dreaming

Abstract

Dream research is almost exclusively a matter of correlational research. We have, of course, learned a great deal about the nature of nocturnal dreaming as a result of correlational studies, and I have no doubt that we will continue to learn a great deal from them. If we could supplement correlational studies with functional studies, however, we could probably progress a good deal faster in our understanding of dreaming. What I would like to discuss are some attempts of mine to develop hypnotic suggestion or, more precisely, posthypnotic suggestion as a powerful and precise technique which would allow functional studies of dreaming and some speculations about the usefulness of such a technique and where it might lead us.