Just wondering if anyone know if a person blind from birth can ever dream pictures or colors. They probably can dream sound but will the visual stimulation be there?
Does the Blind dream?
That is a good question. I do not think they would see colours.
I was surprised when I read some years ago that it's not that blind people can't see colours. When we think of blind people we sometimes think they just see all black. Well, maybe not 'we' but I certainly did.
So it was a bit of a surprise to come to know that it's not that they see all black. They don't see at all. Seeing black is also a form of seeing. You see black when there is no light to stimulate the optical nerve.
Blind people would have no notion of colours at all. Not even black. I know it's kind of an obvious thing but I never thought of it like that until i read it.
I was surprised when I read some years ago that it's not that blind people can't see colours. When we think of blind people we sometimes think they just see all black. Well, maybe not 'we' but I certainly did.
So it was a bit of a surprise to come to know that it's not that they see all black. They don't see at all. Seeing black is also a form of seeing. You see black when there is no light to stimulate the optical nerve.
Blind people would have no notion of colours at all. Not even black. I know it's kind of an obvious thing but I never thought of it like that until i read it.
More on that subject can bee found at: http://psych.ucsc.edu/dreams/Library/hurovitz_1999a.html
very interesting link you supplied. looks like: "There are no visual images in the dreams of those born without any ability to experience visual imagery in waking life."
it seems as though they also experience dreams with in the same way as reality, with heightened olfactory, touch, taste, and audtiory sences.
Well, this is complicated, since i read once that when you dream, you dont really hear, feel, smell or taste things, you just imagine to, so, how are the blind person's dreams?
i don't think a blind person could dream like normal people do. They have no idea of what the world looks like
example: A blind person cannot dream about a car driving down the road because they have no image of a road or car in there memory.
But they could maybe dream about something and only hear things and not see objects.
example: A blind person cannot dream about a car driving down the road because they have no image of a road or car in there memory.
But they could maybe dream about something and only hear things and not see objects.
That's a quite good question. Everyone wonders whether the blind really dream anything. I suppose you'd have to ask someone who is blind to find out what exactly they dream about.
Most probably, their dreams would be all darkness and with many sounds. They would probably have no images but many voices and daily sounds. This is one possibility,
Otherwise, who knows what kind of dreams they have. If a person is blind from birth, then he would probably have either only sounds or weird shapes and images in his mind. If he has seen some of the world, he would probably have decent dreams.
Most probably, their dreams would be all darkness and with many sounds. They would probably have no images but many voices and daily sounds. This is one possibility,
Otherwise, who knows what kind of dreams they have. If a person is blind from birth, then he would probably have either only sounds or weird shapes and images in his mind. If he has seen some of the world, he would probably have decent dreams.
Granted, blind people can't see. But they can sense their environment. They know a table is 4 sided with sharp edges, even though they have never seen a table. They know stairs go up or down. They would know how it feels to be in a moving car.
So they can very well dream of being in a car. Or anything else they have not actually seen but have experienced.
So they can very well dream of being in a car. Or anything else they have not actually seen but have experienced.
I've heard a few things on this topic that were also a bit interesting (or at least I thought so). Apparently, those who were not born blind, but became blind as a child, would still be able to dream with their vision sometimes. I also heard from a near-death experience that the blind (even from birth) would see the tunnel while they were temporarily dead!
One time I was dreaming and I didn't know if it was real or not, but thought it might be a dream. I was in an open field with a bunch of flowers and stuff. Anyway, I basically determined that dreams can be just as realistic as real-life sometimes because I was paying attention to how real the dream was, thinking it was an actual dream (I could see, hear, small, taste, etc). (Ok, I know that sounds a bit odd... lol)
Perhaps blind peoples' dreams are experienced just as if they are in the real world?
One time I was dreaming and I didn't know if it was real or not, but thought it might be a dream. I was in an open field with a bunch of flowers and stuff. Anyway, I basically determined that dreams can be just as realistic as real-life sometimes because I was paying attention to how real the dream was, thinking it was an actual dream (I could see, hear, small, taste, etc). (Ok, I know that sounds a bit odd... lol)
Perhaps blind peoples' dreams are experienced just as if they are in the real world?
I think it would depend whether the input to the brain is still there. If an input path exists, I guess it would be possible. Or maybe they do dream in color and just can't recognize it as such. That would be interesting.
Your brain takes in a lot of audio information during the course of your day so it would be only natural to assume that the blind can experience dreams based on sounds with the lack of images. Thier conscience still needs to processs their thoughts just like ours.
I can't quite remember smelling anything in a dream but the other two, hearing and touch, yes. So I guess the blind can have dreams without a visual component. And of course, those who have gone blind after being able to see for some period of time still can see in their dreams.
I don't seem to dream at all these days. I'm probably old.
Does that have an effect of frequency of dreams?
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