부산대학교 도서관

Domhoff (emer. Univ. of California, Santa Cruz) is a veteran dream researcher. In this book, he describes cognitive activities of dreaming and their neurological basis, in which some activities (such as task-oriented thinking) are relatively deactivated while others, such as those associated with the default mode network (DMN) and the dorsal attention network (DAN), come into play. Both networks are active when one’s attention is withdrawn from the outside world, allowing an inward focus, as in dreaming. In a tour de force, Domhoff uses contemporary research data to compare his neurocognitive theory of dreaming to its competitors, finding that claims of the latter are poorly grounded, whether they be psychoanalytic, activation-synthesis, or adaptive. Nonetheless, Domhoff concludes that dreams often have important cultural and psychological benefits, including those associated with religious and healing ceremonies. Among this book's many contributions are Domhoff's use of content analysis to explore national and gender differences in dreams, his observation of the continuity between dreaming and waking thoughts, and his masterful charting of the development of dreaming over one's life span. The book closes with suggestions for future exploration, such as using portable monitoring devices including smartphone apps to study dreaming and the application of his theory to "atypical" states such as lucid dreaming and PTSD nightmares. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers.