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Concept information

phenomenon > memory phenomenon > forgetting > incidental forgetting > white dream
phenomenon > metamemory phenomenon > white dream

Preferred term

white dream  

Definition

  • The feeling experienced upon awaking of having dreamed without being able to recall the dream’s content.

Broader concept

Related concepts

Synonym(s)

  • contentless dream
  • DEWR
  • dreaming experience without recall of content
  • white dreaming

Scope note

  • The classification of white dreams is not settled. Some authors consider it a phenomenon of forgetting, while others see it as a metacognitive phenomenon, or something close to an encoding error, a déjà-vu-like phenomenon or a false memory.

Bibliographic citation(s)

  • • Alcaraz Sánchez, A. (in press). Did I have a dream last night? White dreaming as metacognitive feelings. Mind &Language. https://doi.org/10.1111/mila.70027https://doi.org/10.1111/mila.70027">https://doi.org/10.1111/mila.70027>

    • Document type: conceptual analysis

    , literature review

    • Access: open

  • • Cohen, D. B. (1972). Failure to recall dream content: Contentless vs dreamless reports. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 34(3), 1000–1002. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1972.34.3.1000https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1972.34.3.1000">https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1972.34.3.1000>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Cohen, D. B., & Wolfe, G. (1973). Dream recall and repression: Evidence for an alternative hypothesis. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 41(3), 349–355. (1974-09092-001). https://doi.org/10.1037/h0035333https://doi.org/10.1037/h0035333">https://doi.org/10.1037/h0035333>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Elce, V., Bergamo, D., Bontempi, G., Pedreschi, B., Bellesi, M., Handjaras, G., & Bernardi, G. (2025). The individual determinants of morning dream recall. Communications Psychology, 3(1), 25. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00191-zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00191-z">https://doi.org/10.1038/s44271-025-00191-z>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: open

    • Dataset reference: Elce, V., Handjaras, G., & Bernardi, G. (2025, February 3). Somnieve - Dream Recall Frequency. https://osf.io/3qwsm

    https://osf.io/3qwsm">https://osf.io/3qwsm

>
  • • Fazekas, P., & Nemeth, G. (2018). Dream experiences and the neural correlates of perceptual consciousness and cognitive access. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 373(1755), 20170356. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0356https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0356">https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0356>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: open

  • • Fazekas, P., Nemeth, G., & Overgaard, M. (2019). White dreams are made of colours: What studying contentless dreams can teach about the neural basis of dreaming and conscious experiences. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 43, 84–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2018.10.005https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2018.10.005">https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smrv.2018.10.005>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Goodenough, D. R., Witkin, H. A., Lewis, H. B., Koulack, D., & Cohen, H. (1974). Repression, interference, and field dependence as factors in dream forgetting. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 83(1), 32–44. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0036110https://doi.org/10.1037/h0036110">https://doi.org/10.1037/h0036110>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Ruby, P. M. (2020). The neural correlates of dreaming have not been identified yet. Commentary on “the neural correlates of dreaming. Nat neurosci. 2017.” Frontiers in Neuroscience, 14, 585470. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.585470https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.585470">https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2020.585470>

    • Document type: literature review

    • Access: open

  • • Schredl, M. (2025). Measuring dream recall frequency with questionnaire scales and diaries: Reliability and validity. Dreaming, 35(4), 365–372. (2026-77674-001). https://doi.org/10.1037/drm0000323https://doi.org/10.1037/drm0000323">https://doi.org/10.1037/drm0000323>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Schredl, M., & Basak, M. (2020). A diary study of dream recall: Successful dream recall and contentless dreams. International Journal of Dream Research, 123–126. https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2020.1.70982https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2020.1.70982">https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2020.1.70982>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: open

  • • Siclari, F., Baird, B., Perogamvros, L., Bernardi, G., LaRocque, J. J., Riedner, B., Boly, M., Postle, B. R., & Tononi, G. (2017). The neural correlates of dreaming. Nature Neuroscience, 20(6), 872–878. https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4545https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4545">https://doi.org/10.1038/nn.4545>

    • Document type: empirical study

    • Access: closed

  • • Windt, J. M., & Thompson, E. (2016). Just in time-dreamless sleep experience as pure subjective temporality. In T. Metzinger & J. M. Windt (Eds.), The MIT Press. https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/10603.003.0113https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/10603.003.0113">https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/10603.003.0113>

    • Document type: literature review

    • Access: closed

    • Creator

    • Frank Arnould
    • Perrine Ruby

    Has study method(s)

    In other languages

    URI

    http://data.loterre.fr/ark:/67375/P66-P053HZ9V-X

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