Stoyukhina, N. Yu., Kostrigin, A. A. Russian Psychologists of the End of XIX – Beginning of XX Century About Sleep and Dreaming

Abstract: The present research article is devoted to the theories of sleep and dreaming created by the Russian psychologists, philosophers and theologians at the end of XIX – beginning of XX century. The authors of the article set a goal to analyze how sleep psychology has been developing in Russian science and to explain why names of Russian scientists studying sleep and dreaming have been forgotten. According to the authors, sleep psychology is quite controversial because Russian psychology is quite ‘polyphonic’ in general. There have been the two approaches to studying sleep and dreaming, empirical approach and religious- philosophical (theological) approach. In their research Stoyukhina and Kostrigin have used the historical and psychological research methods including the categories/concepts analysis method and product analysis method. The research methodology involves the principle of the determinism of the development of psychology as a science and the principle of logical and historical unity (Koltsova, V. A., Oleynik, Yu. N.). The central issues studied by the pre-revolutionary Russian scientists were the definitions of sleep and dreaming, their sources, factors and classifications. One of the most controversial topics psychologists were concerned about at the turn of XIX – XX centuries was whether prophetic dreams actually existed. The novelty of research is in the description of the researches on sleep psychology at the turn of XIX – XX centuries which has been a missing element in the history of psychology till present. The results of research will allow to better understand the development trends of Russian psychology.

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