Gary Fireman

Phenomenal Qualities of Nightmare Experience in a Prospective Study of College Students

The present study investigated the relationship between both state and global measures of phenomenal qualities of nightmare experience and nightmare prevalence as measured prospectively by dream logs. Sixty three frequent nightmare individuals and 53 controls completed a retrospective measure of their sleep and dreaming processes and kept a dreaming and nightmare log for 21 consecutive nights. Nightmare prevalence was unrelated to all three state-based rating dimensions including a concurrent rating of how distressing the actual nightmare was but was significantly associated with a global measure of nightmare distress. Similarly, global ratings of dream and nightmare saliency showed greater predictive validity than ratings of the same dimensions rated concurrently. The results suggest that whether a person reports having a nightmare on any given night is more associated with how they view their global dreaming processes than with the phenomenal qualities of the actual nightmare itself.

The Relation of Fantasy Proneness, Psychological Absorption, and Imaginative Involvement to Nightmare Prevalence and Nightmare Distress

The present study prospectively investigated the relationship between nightmare prevalence, nightmare distress, and waking imaginative involvement. One hundred and sixteen individuals completed self-report indices of fantasy proneness, psychological absorption, and daydreaming as well as a sleep and dreaming questionnaire and a nightmare distress measure. Participants then kept a dreaming and nightmare log for 21 consecutive nights. As predicted, both nightmare prevalence and nightmare distress were associated with higher levels of fantasy proneness, psychological absorption, and a guilty-dysphoric daydreaming style but not with positively-toned daydreams or a highly distractible daydreaming style. Further, these results were not due to higher levels of overall dream recall. Last, these effects were additive as high scores on either fantasy proneness or absorption added significantly higher incremental validity to the prediction of nightmare prevalence and distress than just from the dysphoric daydreaming measure alone. The results are discussed within the context of emerging etiological theories of nightmare production.

Self-observation and learning: the effect of watching oneself on problem solving performance

Abstract Two experiments examined the effects of videotape feedback and self-observation on children’s problem solving. The first experiment examined children’s performance on the Tower of Hanoi problem, and demonstrated that video self-observation promotes the acquisition and transfer of procedural knowledge necessary for problem solving. The study also found that specific information presented during the video presentation was not as important as the children seeing their actual prior performance on the problem. The second experiment examined the type of information that may be operative during self-observation. These findings narrow the range of possible explanations for learning through self-observation and, in general, suggest that the positive effect of self-observation is due to active observation of one’s own actual performance.

Developing a Plan for Solving a Problem: A Representational Shift.

Abstract Research analyzing transitions from lower to higher levels of problem solving has focused either on quantitative increments in processing demands (Case, 1984; Klahr & Robinson, 1981) or on qualitative shifts in the organization of representations (Fischer & Pipp, 1984; Piaget, 1976). This study is concerned with distinguishing the value of these two approaches to problem solving through a microgenetic analysis of childrens initial attempts to solve the Tower of Hanoi problem. As suggested by Siegler and Crowley (1991), a microgenetic approach is particularly useful in determining the process of cognitive change. One-hundred and thirty-six children, ages 6 through 8 years, were presented with the standard three-disc problem and allowed 3 minutes to complete it. The quality of the childrens performance was analyzed by noting the positioning of the first move, the number and location of illegal moves, and the frequency and location of optimal moves. The results indicate that qualitative shifts in childrens representation of the problem space are a crucial aspect of successful performance.

Personality and Dream Recall Frequency: Still Further Negative Findings

In order to investigate the relationship between dream recall frequency and personality, 116 college undergraduates kept a dream log for 21 consecutive nights and completed self-report measures assessing fantasy-proneness, psychological absorption, and imaginative involvement. Consistent with most previous literature in this area, with one exception, there were no significant associations found between dream recall and the personality measures. The one exception to this pattern was for fantasy proneness and this correlation was of a small magnitude and only obtained for women. We conclude that dream recall frequency is largely independent from stable personality traits and can better be understood in terms of expectancy and attitudinal factors.

Trait Hostility, Perceived Stress, and Sleep Quality in a Sample of Normal Sleepers

Objective. To date, no studies have directly examined the effects of cognitive trait hostility on prospectively assessed sleep quality. This is important as individuals with heightened trait hostility demonstrate similar patterns of reactivity to perceived stressors as is often reported by poor sleepers. The present study hypothesized that increased trait hostility is associated with poorer subjective sleep quality and that perceived stress mediates this relationship. Methods. A sample of 66 normal sleepers completed daily sleep and stress logs for two weeks. Trait hostility was measured retrospectively. Results. The cognitive dimension of trait hostility was significantly correlated with subjectively rated sleep quality indicators, and these relationships were significantly mediated by perceived daily stress. Individuals with higher levels of trait cognitive hostility reported increased levels of perceived stress which accounted for their poorer sleep ratings as measured by both retrospective and prospective measures. Conclusions. Overall, the findings indicate that high levels of cognitive hostility are a significant risk factor for disturbed sleep and suggest that this might be a fruitful target for clinical intervention.

The effect of self-observation on children's problem solving.

Abstract The effects of self-observation on childrens problem solving were investigated. Children (N = 124) aged 6-8 years attempted to solve the 3-disc Tower of Hanoi problem. After pretesting, children were grouped into those who (a) practiced solving the problem independently, (b) received instruction on the most efficient solution, (c) observed a videotape recording of their previous attempt, and (d) served as a control. Subsequently, children were immediately tested on the 3-disc problem and a more difficult 4-disc problem. They were tested again 1 week later. Performance was most improved for children in the practice and video conditions on the 4-disc problem. Improvements were maintained over the 1-week interval. Unique characteristics of video self-observation are discussed.

Piaget, Vygotsky, and the Development of Consciousness

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the early works of Piaget and Vygotsky and argues that an understanding of human consciousness was a central issue in their works. Appreciating the importance of this issue helps explicate certain themes within each theory, as well as points of contrast between them. Further, the problem of consciousness has become a contemporary concern for those interested in proposing a computational theory of mind and, while there is a stark contrast between Piaget’s and Vygotsky’s theoretical orientation to consciousness, the debate between them is a discourse that is markedly different from what is presently being discussed, offering a fresh perspective on this very traditional problem.