Measuring Counterintuitiveness in Supernatural Agent Dream Imagery

Abstract

The present article tests counterintuitiveness theory and methodology in relation to religious dream imagery using data on religious dream content. The endeavor adopts a “fractionated” or “piecemeal” approach where supernatural agent (SA) cognition is held to be a pivotal building block of purportedly religious dreaming. Such supernaturalistic conceptualizations manifest in a cognitive environment of dream simulation processes, threat detection, and violation of basic conceptual categorization characterized by counterintuitiveness. By addressing SA cognitions as constituents of allegedly religious dream imagery, additional theorizing and supporting data are presented in a growing body of research in the cognitive science of religion (e.g., Barrett et al., 2009 ; Hornbeck and Barrett, 2013 ; Barrett, 2017 ) and on religious dreaming ( McNamara and Bulkeley, 2015 ; McNamara, 2016 ). The aim of the article is partly to map and align contemporary theorizing regarding counterintuitiveness and CI schemes with empirical qualification of the prosaic hypothesis about the predominance of supernaturalism in allegedly religious dreaming. This is done by (1) exploring the crucial topic of the pervasiveness of cognitive counterintuitiveness; (2) testing Barrett’s counterintuitiveness coding and quantifying scheme (CI scheme) for counterintuitiveness in the context of religious dreaming by assessing intercoder reliability; and (3) exploring the prevalence and base rate frequency of counterintuitiveness in dream reports. This undertaking aims to contribute to the methodology and understanding of religious dream cognition, as well as to establish the cross-cultural base rates of counterintuitiveness in dreams for future research.

The Counterintuitiveness of Supernatural Dreams and Religiosity

“…Dream representation is partly inspired by, framed by and bears a strong resemblance with the supernatural representations that prevail in the dreamer's cultural and religious environment (during the waking state). As the data from the present research indicates (below) and (Nordin & Bjälkebring, 2019), this strongly suggests that such input from the waking state and the religious allusions from dreamers' cultural environment is considerable.…”

“…Dreams may accordingly be effective means for the cultural transmission and spreading of religious ideas (Knafo & Glick, 2000). Research on religion, dreaming and allegedly "mystical experiences" demonstrates that REM (NREM) sleep generates religious beliefs such as the existence of supernatural agents or "SA cognitions" (McNamara et al, 2018;McNamara, 2016), and that SA cognition in religious dreaming manifests (minimally) counterintuitive imagery (MCI) (Nordin, 2020;Nordin & Bjälkebring, 2019). The present article adopts contemporary models in cognitive and evolutionary anthropology and the study of religion to recast some of the notions of DPSR theory by exploring SA cognition, MCI phenomena and theory in relation to "religious dreaming".…”

“…(1) MCI is very common in reported dreams (Nordin & Bjälkebring, 2019), however, it is possible that people are more likely to communicate MCI dreams and thus also to take part in the dream interview, creating sampling issues. Hence, we aim to quantify the relation between counterintuitive imagery and reported likelihood to communicate dreams in general and to religious experts.…”

Response: Commentary: Measuring Counterintuitiveness in Supernatural Agent Dream Imagery

“…comment partly addresses the main purpose of our article (Nordin and Bjälkebring, 2019) about counterintuitiveness in dreaming. While we recognize that his remarks include some constructive points about the presented research results and highlight some possible limitations in the theoretical summary and modeling of supernatural agent (SA) cognition in dreaming, we take issue with other points and with the way our arguments are framed.…”

Editorial: “Is this a Dream?” – Evolutionary, Neurobiological and Psychopathological Perspectives on Lucid Dreaming

“…Investigating further the frequency and characteristics of LD in religious and non-religious communities could make a good sense in evaluating changes in locus of control (LOC), the degree to which people believe that they, as opposed to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in their lives (Rotter, 1966 ) in association with dreaming and with LD, in particular (Blagrove and Hartnell, 2000 ). A recent study demonstrated high prevalence of supernatural agent in dream imagery among Hindu Nepalese informants (Nordin and Bjälkebring, 2019 ).…”