70. The Problem of the Activity of the Unconscious in Sleep and Under Hypnosis. Editorial Introduction

Summary

The article deals with the concepts explaining the nature of the adaptive function of sleep. Evidence is presented in support of the active character of the processes occurring in the brain during sleep and on their relation to information processing. It is stressed that altered brain metabolism during sleep does not contradict the ideas on the psychological significance of dream activity and that they can be viewed as the material basis of this activity. The functional dissimilarity of slow and quick sleep in regard to mental adaptation is pointed out and a critique of experiments questioning this dissimilarity is given. A hypothesis is advanced on the special role of non-verbal thinking in processes of the "reconciliation" of motivational сonflicts. Arguments are adduced on the unconscious operation with psychologically significant information in the deep stages of slow sleep.

Attention is drawn to the cardinal difference between sleep and hypnosis; at the same time the peculiarities of the hypnotic state that bring the latter close to sleep are noted (prevalence of the activity of non-verbal thinking).

The papers comprising the fourth section of the monograph are described briefly.

Лиteратуpa

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