Gradual Arousal from Sleep: A Determinant of Thinking Reports

Reports that subjects have been “thinking” rather than dreaming are given more often after gradual awakenings than after abrupt awakenings. The effect of the method of awakening was relatively pronounced among Ss who rarely recall dreaming (at home) and absent among Ss who usually do. It was also pronounced when Ss were awakened from late rapid-eye-movement periods of the night, and absent for early ones. Some evidence was also found to support the hypothesis that gradual awakenings affect the content of the reported narratives.