The continuity and discontinuity between waking and dreaming from the perspective of an analytical psychological construct

Abstract

The dialog between Michael Schredl and Alan Hobson (Hobson, Schredl 2011) addresses a number of questions relating to the continuity hypothesis and Hobson’s alternative hypothesis of discontinuity (based on his protoconsciousness theory).  The dialog eventually focuses on the question that if  continuity and discontinuity are both present in dreaming, and thus if dreaming is not entirely derived from waking experience, then just what is the source of the anomalous content and what is its function?  My commentary addresses the dialog surrounding this question by referencing the arguments to a psychological model, not previously introduced into the dialog, but which has enjoyed a lengthy history and which incorporates the synthesis of both continuity and discontinuity similar in any many ways to the descriptions the discussants use in their dialog.  The model does not necessarily provide conclusive answers but rather provides an alternative psychological construct for reflection and further exploration of these questions.