of Control Associated with Lucid Dreams?
For some of our dreams, we may be aware that we are dreaming. These dreams are called lucid dreams. These lucid dreams may be linked to a person's personality.
Locus of control is a personality characteristic that reflects the extent to which we feel we can control the events in our lives. People who have a very internal locus of control would strongly believe that they can control the events in their lives. Patrick and Durndell (2004) found that people who were frequent lucid dreamers were more internal in their locus of control, on the average, than nonlucid dreamers. Moreover, they found occasional lucid dreamers were more internal in their locus of control, on the average, than nonlucid dreamers. (1)
These findings suggest that lucid dreams are linked to one's personality. People who have a more internal locus of control (who feel that they can control the events in their lives) are more likely to have lucid dreams.
However, we cannot make casual conclusions from the above correlational findings. There are several possible explanations for the above findings. First, having a more internal locus of control may cause people to have lucid dreams. Having a more internal locus of control may result in having a greater desire to control one's dreams. Second, it is possible that having lucid dreams influences the extent to which one has an internal locus of control. Third, there could be a third variable that is related to both lucid dreams and having an internal locus of control, and there is no causal relationship between having an internal locus of control and lucid dreaming.
Notes
1. See their article for information on other findings in their study. Moreover, in the article, "Lucid Dreaming: Is Need for Cognition Associated with Lucid Dreams?," on this website, there is information on other findings in their study. Also, as indicated in their article, there is another study conducted by other researchers that has found an association between having an internal locus of control and frequent lucid dreaming.
References
Patrick, A., & Durndell, A. (2004). Lucid dreaming and
personality: A replication. Dreaming, 14, 234-239.