Sex Differences in Dream Recall and Components of Imaginal Life
Raymond F. Martinetti
Perceptual and Motor Skills October 1, 1989 DOI: 10.2466/pms.1989.69.2.643 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 90 |
| Population | College students matched on age, family income, and grade point average |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key findings | Women scored higher than men in dream recall, degree of imaginal life, and orientation toward imaginal life, with no difference in suppression of feelings. |
Abstract
The Cognitive Processes Survey was presented and described in terms of standardization data and factor analysis. The instrument was used to assess sex differences in dream recall as a function of degree of imaginal life, orientation toward imaginal life, degree of suppression of feelings and number of dreams recalled weekly. Using a sample of 45 men and 45 women matched on age, family income, and grade point average in college, t tests indicated that women scored higher than men in all categories except suppression of feelings on which there was no difference. Point biserial correlations showed a similar pattern of significance. The findings support the hypothesis that there is continuity of some imaginal processes between waking and sleep. Sex differences on the variables tested were attributed to cultural and attitudinal factors. It was predicted that as sex-role stereotypes diminish, there should be a concomitant decrease in sex differences in dream recall and imaginal processes.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| The prevalence of nightmares and their independence from anxiety. Undergraduates | 1990 | Observational study using daily dream logs | n = 220 |