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People's views on dreaming : Attitudes and subjective ream theories, with regard to age, education, and sex

Olsen, Michael Rohde ; Schredl, Michael and Carlsson, Ingegerd LU (2016) In Dreaming 26(2). p.158-168
Abstract

The study investigated subjective theories of dream function (why do we dream)- measured as level of agreement with selected prescientific and contemporary views of science (N = 667) and thus explored differences in dream attitude with respect to age, educational level, and sex. A factor analysis revealed 3 factors. One can be described as seeing dreams as meaningful information processing (memory consolidation, sorting inputs, and solving problems), a 2nd included prescientific dream theory (dreams as messages from outside and/or from deceased, or dreams as prophecies). A 3rd factor included viewing dreams as insignificant products of the brain (random chemical signal interpretation and garbage products of the brain). Factor 1 was... (More)

The study investigated subjective theories of dream function (why do we dream)- measured as level of agreement with selected prescientific and contemporary views of science (N = 667) and thus explored differences in dream attitude with respect to age, educational level, and sex. A factor analysis revealed 3 factors. One can be described as seeing dreams as meaningful information processing (memory consolidation, sorting inputs, and solving problems), a 2nd included prescientific dream theory (dreams as messages from outside and/or from deceased, or dreams as prophecies). A 3rd factor included viewing dreams as insignificant products of the brain (random chemical signal interpretation and garbage products of the brain). Factor 1 was highly related to dream attitude-the more generally approving of dreams and dreaming, the more participants would regard dreams as meaningful information processing. Factor 2 was related to sex (women being more approving) and negatively related to level of education. Factor 3 was negatively related to the dream attitude scale but positively related to dream recall, which seemed counterintuitive. This could be seen as a way of explaining the often irrational content of dreams that participants were then able to recall. Women had a more supportive attitude toward dreams and dreaming.

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organization
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type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Laymen theory of dream function, People view on dreaming, Sex difference, Subjective theory of dream function
in
Dreaming
volume
26
issue
2
pages
11 pages
publisher
Human Sciences Press, Inc.
external identifiers
  • scopus:84962489378
  • wos:000391571900006
ISSN
1053-0797
DOI
10.1037/drm0000020
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f93d438d-5f72-4f88-9be9-f7e715430885
date added to LUP
2017-02-01 09:43:51
date last changed
2024-01-04 21:48:45
@article{f93d438d-5f72-4f88-9be9-f7e715430885,
  abstract     = {{<p>The study investigated subjective theories of dream function (why do we dream)- measured as level of agreement with selected prescientific and contemporary views of science (N = 667) and thus explored differences in dream attitude with respect to age, educational level, and sex. A factor analysis revealed 3 factors. One can be described as seeing dreams as meaningful information processing (memory consolidation, sorting inputs, and solving problems), a 2nd included prescientific dream theory (dreams as messages from outside and/or from deceased, or dreams as prophecies). A 3rd factor included viewing dreams as insignificant products of the brain (random chemical signal interpretation and garbage products of the brain). Factor 1 was highly related to dream attitude-the more generally approving of dreams and dreaming, the more participants would regard dreams as meaningful information processing. Factor 2 was related to sex (women being more approving) and negatively related to level of education. Factor 3 was negatively related to the dream attitude scale but positively related to dream recall, which seemed counterintuitive. This could be seen as a way of explaining the often irrational content of dreams that participants were then able to recall. Women had a more supportive attitude toward dreams and dreaming.</p>}},
  author       = {{Olsen, Michael Rohde and Schredl, Michael and Carlsson, Ingegerd}},
  issn         = {{1053-0797}},
  keywords     = {{Laymen theory of dream function; People view on dreaming; Sex difference; Subjective theory of dream function}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{158--168}},
  publisher    = {{Human Sciences Press, Inc.}},
  series       = {{Dreaming}},
  title        = {{People's views on dreaming : Attitudes and subjective ream theories, with regard to age, education, and sex}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/drm0000020}},
  doi          = {{10.1037/drm0000020}},
  volume       = {{26}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}