Original Abstract

Cross-sectional studies indicate that dream recall frequency declines

with age; longitudinal studies, however, are scarce. The present data
from 2 online dream studies in the same panel carried out
independently (N = 1,340 completed both surveys) indicate that there
is an overall decline in dream recall frequency, nightmare frequency,
and lucid dreaming frequency, even though for the majority of the
sample the 3 variables remained quite stable over this time interval.
The reasons for this decline are yet poorly understood. Future
longitudinal studies should include cognitive measures (visual
memory), personality measures (thin boundaries), sleep parameters,
stress measures, and attitude toward dreams scales to test whether
changes in these measures might explain the changes in the recall
measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights
reserved) (journal abstract)

Journal on Human Experimental Psychology

Changes in Dream Recall Frequency, Nightmare Frequency, and Lucid
Dream Frequency Over a 3-Year Period
Authors Anja S. Goritz, and Michael Schredl
April 27, 2015
1) Hypothesis: Frequency of lucid dreaming and dream recall declines
with people as they age. This study is to analyze the changes in lucid
dream frequency, nightmare frequency, and dream recall during a 3year time period. The data would show the frequency of dreaming and
dream recall of individuals through 3 years, and analyze the decrease
of the frequencies of the subject.

2) Participants: The participants were all registered with an online

study site wiscopanel.net. All registered members were either
interested in online studies, or have interest in heterogenic
demographics. The First study consisted of 2,872 people (1,779 women
and 1093 men) (age average 42.8 years). The second study had 2,929
(1,742 women, 1,187 men) age average was 45.88. Dream recall
frequency sample 1,340 (780 women, 560 men,) age average: 45.34,
nightmare frequency 1,318, (772 women, 546 men), age average:
45.27,and lucid dreaming frequency sample 1,281 (751 women, 538
men) age average: 45.40 years. Age ranged from 16-89

3) Results: 75.90% (dream recall), 67% (nightmare frequency), and

63.39% (lucid dreaming frequency) shows that there is a high chance
of no changes or small changes (+/- 1) in the 3 year study. Though
there was no drastic decrease in the frequency of lucid dreaming and
dream recall, all three variables still showed a slight decline as the
participants aged.

4) Methods: I visited the website wiospanel.net and registered online to

take their survey. I was informed that there was no reward or
compensation for participating in the survey/ online experiment. For
dream recall frequency, I was asked to rate and generalize how many
times I can recall a dream on a scale of 1-7. (0 never, 1 less than once
a month, 2 about once a month, 3 about 2 to 3 times a month, 4 about
once a week, 5 several times a week, 6 almost every morning). For
nightmare frequency and lucid dreaming it was an scale 1-8 (0 never, 1
less than once a year, 2 about once a year, 3 about 2 to 4 times a
year, 4 about once a month, 5 about 2 to 3 times a month, 6 about
once a week, and 7 several times a week).

5) Reaction: The topic of the experiment seemed pretty interesting to

me so I would have liked to participate in the event. The event was
also able to be done in the comfort of my own home, and had only
survey questions. It was not too overcomplicated. I think that I would

have guessed the hypothesis because with age, memory becomes less
frequent also.