Ontogenetic and Gender Dimensions in a Normative Study of the Dreams of Canadians
uO Research January 1, 2017 Allyson Dale
Dreams of Canadians show more negative than positive themes, supporting the threat simulation theory. Gender differences in dreams mirror those in waking life, and the similarity of Canadian and American culture appears in dream imagery, consistent with the continuity hypothesis. Age-related patterns in dream content from adolescence to old age reflect waking developmental changes, also supporting continuity. The study used the dream diary method and Hall and Van de Castle content analysis on 600 dream reports from 150 young adults, plus additional samples of 75 females and 50 males across five age groups (12-17 to 65-85).