DISASSOCIATION AND REASSOCIATION OF SUBLIMINALLY INDUCED STIMULUS MATERIAL IN DRAWINGS OF DREAMS AND DRAWINGS OF WAKING FREE IMAGERY

Subliminal induction of stimulus material is especially suitable for t he study of unconscious perception as well as thought processes and dr eam processes. In the present study we investigated the effects of a t riangular-shaped stimulus on free-imagery-drawings and dream drawings. Based on the statistical analysis of data obtained from blind ratings and subjective rater evidence, the processing of subliminal visual st imuli in the waking state and in dreams can be described by a disassoc iation-reassociation hypothesis. Perceived stimulus pictures are disas sociated into single objects and into their sub-features (form, color, concept, sound) immediately after stimulation. Depending on the wakin g state and the kind of recall they emerge in a reassociated form. In this study the drawings of REM-dreams brought back less material and q ualitatively different material, compared to drawings of waking free i magery. REM-dream drawings more often represent products of disintegra tion which can be interpreted as weakening of reassociative processes in altered states of consciousness. This suggests that stimulus materi al is inserted primarily into the original dream but secondarily also flows into the dream depiction. The drawing act itself can be labeled as an ''action of reassociation'' or ''carry back'' which indicates it s origin like a signature.