astronomy

Stephen LaBerge

Stephen LaBerge is a astronomy topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Stephen LaBerge rather than just read about it. In short: Stephen LaBerge (born 1947) is an American psychophysiologist specializing in the scientific study of lucid dreaming. In 1967 he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics.

Key takeaways

Stephen LaBerge belongs to astronomy; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Stephen LaBerge to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Stephen LaBerge from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Stephen LaBerge (born 1947) is an American psychophysiologist specializing in the scientific study of lucid dreaming. In 1967 he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics. He began researching lucid dreaming for his Ph.D. in psychophysiology at Stanford University, which he received in 1980. He developed techniques to enable himself and other researchers to enter a lucid dream state at will, most notably the MILD technique (mnemonic induction of lucid dreams), which was used in many forms of dream experimentation. In 1987, he founded The Lucidity Institute, an organization that promotes research into lucid dreaming, as well as running courses for the general public on how to achieve a lucid dream. In the early 1980s, news of LaBerge's research using the technique of signalling to a collaborator monitoring his EEG with agreed-upon eye movements during REM helped to popularise lucid dreaming in the American media. Wired magazine referred to him as the "Thomas Edison of lucid dreaming".

Research results

Results from LaBerge's lab and others include:

comparison of subjective sense of time in dreams versus the waking state using eye signals comparison of electrical activity in the brain when singing while awake, and while in a dream various studies comparing physiological sexual arousal and in-dream sex and orgasm

Lucid dreaming education and facilitation LaBerge developed a series of devices to help users enter a lucid state while dreaming. The original device was called a DreamLight, which was discontinued in favor of the NovaDreamer, designed by experienced lucid dreamer Craig Webb for the Lucidity Institute while he worked there and participated in lucid dreaming research at Stanford. As of 2013 it was not possible to purchase these devices from the Lucidity Institute website. An improved version, the NovaDreamer II, is a mask with flashing lights that measures eye movement. All of the devices consist of a mask worn over the eyes with LEDs positioned over the eyelids. The LEDs flash whenever the mask detects that the wearer has entered REM sleep. The stimulus is incorporated into the wearer's dreams and can be recognised as a sign that they are dreaming. LaBerge currently lectures at universities and other professional institutions, and hosts lucid dreaming sessions at various locations.

Bibliography LaBerge has produced several books and tapes about lucid dreaming.

LaBerge, Stephen (1985). Lucid Dreaming: The power of being aware and awake in your dreams. J.P. Tarcher. ISBN 0-87477-342-3. LaBerge, Stephen; Rheingold, Howard (1990). Exploring the World of Lucid Dreaming. National Geographic Books. ISBN 0-345-37410-X. LaBerge, Stephen (2004). Lucid Dreaming: A Concise Guide to Awakening in Your Dreams and in Your Life. ISBN 1-59179-150-2.

References

External links The Lucidity Institute (Web Archive)

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Stephen LaBerge

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Stephen LaBerge claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In astronomy, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Stephen LaBerge before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Stephen LaBerge ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Stephen LaBerge

In research: Stephen LaBerge appears in astronomy research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Stephen LaBerge in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Stephen LaBerge is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1947 births, 20th-century American psychologists, 21st-century American psychologists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Stephen LaBerge outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

Ask Teacher Smith questions about this articleOpens your AI tutor with a question about “Stephen LaBerge” →

Affiliate

Preply — study more efficiently by working with a personal tutor. 50% off.

How to study Stephen LaBerge in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Stephen LaBerge means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Stephen LaBerge out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Stephen LaBerge in simple terms?

Stephen LaBerge (born 1947) is an American psychophysiologist specializing in the scientific study of lucid dreaming. In 1967 he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics.

Why does Stephen LaBerge matter?

Because it connects several astronomy ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Stephen LaBerge?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Stephen LaBerge.