Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

My experiment apparently is too risky for the science fair..My teacher criticized the fact that I am not a psychologist and I am only a teenager. My initial experiment was to influence a horror film that haunted them when they were younger to influence human dreams and using lucid dreaming to decrease their fears. Can anyone help me make this science fair project more safe? I still would love to use humans. I would still love the topic of dreaming as well. I need suggestions please!

Hi Sandy,

I think lucid dreaming is a really great subject for study but i kinda agree with your teacher that getting into people's fears can be pretty challenging even for a professional.

I have only had a few lucid dreams myself but it is an amazing feeling to be aware that you are dreaming and to try and control the scenes. Why don't you ask some of your friends to keep a dream journal for three weeks or so and tell them to try to learn to do lucid dreaming. I know that sometimes if you have a strong intention to be aware of the dream state--give yourself the suggestion that you will be aware in your dream--that you can do it. Maybe there are other ways to induce lucid dreaming.

Ask your teacher what they think of this idea. It seems pretty safe to me. Your volunteers would not have to reveal their dreams to you, just tell you whether they had a lucid experience and maybe describe it. I think I understand what your original idea was--to teach people to be aware during a bad dream so they could use the lucid state to overcome the fears. It's a great idea but difficult. Have you read more about this? Are there therapists who are attempting to help people this way?

I hope this helps. Let us know if you have more questions.

Sybee