What was the aim of the Dement and Kleitman study conducted in 1957?

The aim of the study conducted by Dement and Kleitman in 1957 was to investigate the relationship between eye movements and dreaming. This research was pioneering in exploring the connections between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and the vividness of dreams. By monitoring the eye movements of participants during different sleep stages, they were able to establish a correlation between active eye movements and the content of dreams reported by subjects upon waking. The findings contributed significantly to our understanding of sleep cycles and the nature of dreams, suggesting that eye movements are linked to the experience of dreaming. This study laid the groundwork for subsequent research in sleep psychology and dream analysis, emphasizing the importance of REM sleep in the dreaming process.