THE PSYCHOLOGY OF DREAMS

By JAMES RALPH JEWELL
Published in THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCH, Founded by G. STANLEY HALL in 1887
Vol. XVI. January 1905. No. I

Introduction

  • The study is based on returns from a questionnaire sent out to N Schools, resulting in over 2,000 dreams contributed by approximately 800 respondents.

  • Friends of the writer also contributed by keeping records of their dreams.

  • The study acknowledges President G. Stanley Hall for the suggestion and guidance throughout the research, along with gratitude expressed to Dr. Theodate L. Smith for assistance.

Questionnaire Development

  • The questionnaire aimed to collect comprehensive data regarding:

    1. Participant’s age and sex.

    2. Participants were instructed to detail their dreams along with the following:

    • Notable dreams experienced, effects of dreams on mood, recurrences, and general feelings about dreaming.

    • Specific questions targeting frequency of dreams and potential influence of external factors such as season or day of the week.

    • Experiences related to nightmares, talking or walking in sleep.

    • Connection of dreams with waking life events and how their dreams reflect emotions or physical states.

  • The majority of responses came from children, with adults providing additional insights on their own dream experiences.

Key Observations on Dreams

  • Analysis of the collected dreams revealed the following topics with abundant material:

    • Prevention of unwanted dreams, age-related dream characteristics, emotional content in dreams.

    • While some participants attempted to influence their dreams through concentration before sleep, results were predominantly ineffective; suggesting that intentional dreaming may not be achievable through straightforward methods.

    • Suggestions made through hypnosis show that while preliminary ideas may be introduced, the subsequent course of dreams tends to follow natural association.

Attempts to Control Dreams

  • Participants reported various strategies employed to prevent undesirable dreams, yielding varying success rates:

    • Common strategies included:

    • Thinking of nothing or distracting oneself with unrelated thoughts while falling asleep.

    • Engaging with pleasant thoughts, music, or counting to divert from fear-inducing ideas.

    • Example Case Responses:

    • F., 20: Successfully prevented undesirable dreams by emptying her mind of specific fears.

    • M., 25: Related success in preventing unpleasant dreams through focused attention on positive topics.

    • Responses indicate a trend that distraction techniques may yield more reliable results than direct confrontation with feared thoughts.

Effects of Dreams on Waking Life

  • The questionnaire data depicted that about half of respondents perceived no impact from their dreams, whereas those experiencing negative dreams generally reported feeling depressed the next day.

  • Children specifically seemed to be more susceptible to mood alterations following intense or frightening dreams.

  • Repeated dreams were reported by slightly more than half of the respondents, especially in the context of nightmares, with common themes of falling or being pursued.

Age and Locality Influence on Dreams

  • The study highlighted distinct trends in dreams according to age groups:

    • Children often dream about animals and fantastical scenarios.

    • As individuals enter adolescence, dreams shift towards people and complex events as their cognitive and emotional maturity develops.

    • Significant differentiation noted at the onset of puberty, affecting the multiplicity and complexity of dreams.

  • Geographic and demographic factors were also explored, indicating varying dreaming patterns based on cultural and social influences.