Relationship Between Neurocognitive and Sociocultural Perspectives of Dreams
IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science June 1, 2026 Adrián Medina Liberty
Dreams are a universal yet complex aspect of human psychology. Over the last century, dream research has shifted from interpreting universal symbols and unconscious content to cognitive, neuroscientific, and sociocultural perspectives. This article integrates recent findings on dream nature with research on how children understand mind and dreams. It argues that dreams are dynamic constructions shaped by neurobiology, personal experiences, cognitive development, and culture. Empirical evidence shows that individual traits, daily experiences, and sociocultural events influence dream content. Children progressively learn to see dreams as private mental phenomena, and dream content reflects elements from family, school, media, and cultural practices. Dreams are personal narratives that reorganize experiences using socially acquired symbolic resources.