ABSTRACT

This chapter illustrates a possible relationship between somniloquy and creativity, S. Krippner and L. Stoller presented case material that would have been considerably more valuable if tape recordings of the sleep-speeches had been made rather than having relied on handwritten notes. Various observers have reported that during sleep-talking and/or somnambulism, functioning at a level superior to that of the waking state has been observed for certain abilities. Taken at face value, one might say that the cognitive state associated with this sleep-talking episode was compatible with complicated problem-solving mentation but that the amnesic tendency concurrent with somniloquy prevented retention and recall. The clinical-anecdotal literature contains a number of references in which the authors contend that creative abilities not available to wakeful consciousness may become manifested during sleep-talking episodes. An additional feature held in common by the some subjects and that of Krippner and Stoller was the clear tendency toward amnesia for the dissociated sleep-associated experience.