Dreams in two small-scale forager groups, the BaYaka and Hadza, contain more threat-related content than dreams in Global North populations, yet the Hadza show low negative emotions in their dreams, suggesting emotion regulation through linking threats with non-fearful contexts. The BaYaka display more community-oriented dream content. In contrast, a Global North Nightmare Disorder group shows increased negative emotion content, and a Canadian student sample during COVID-19 shows the highest anxiety dream content. The findings support the idea that dreams in non-clinical populations can reduce anxiety and negative emotions via emotional release, contributing to understanding the evolutionary function of dreaming.
Dreams in two small-scale foraging societies—the BaYaka of the Republic of Congo and the Hadza of Tanzania—show patterns that support an emotion regulation function, contrasting with dreams in Global North populations. Analyzing 896 dreams from 234 individuals, the BaYaka had more community-oriented content, while both foraging groups showed heightened threat dream content. Yet the Hadza displayed low negative emotions in their dreams, suggesting a link between potential threats and non-fearful contexts that reduces anxiety. In comparison, a Global North Nightmare Disorder group had increased negative emotion content, and a Canadian student sample during the COVID-19 pandemic showed the highest anxiety dream content. These findings support the idea that dreams can effectively regulate emotions through catharsis, contributing to understanding the evolutionary significance of dreaming.