people and animals seeming like inanimate objects

[gagaku]

In a dream have you ever noticed a blank stare from an otherwise normal person or animal, but after that blank stare they have a feeling of lifelessness about them and/or there is a fearful or profound mood during this event. This has happened in more then one dream. What I want to know is: 1) do other people experience this? 2) is this common and most of all 3) IS THERE A NAME FOR THIS SITUATION?

[Arutad]

It sounds as if you're expecting them to behave this way, to be lifeless. And you're probably a little scared of DCs. And yes I experienced things like that, although not entirely in the same ways. If you're searching for a name, it can probably be called passive dream control. Your DCs behave as you expect them too, and by expecting I don't mean conscious or happy expectations, if you're slightly scared they can behave threatening, or if you're thinking that DCs are lifeless they can give you blank stares. As for "is this common", sure it happens all the time. It's just that in your case it's very evident due to the eccentricity of their behavior.