Gender differences in dream recall: a meta‐analysis

Women tend to recall their dreams more often than men, and this difference varies with age. An analysis of 175 independent studies found that the smallest gender difference occurs in children (effect size 0.097), the largest in adolescents (0.364), and moderate differences in adults (0.242 to 0.270). The pattern suggests that gender-specific 'dream socialization' may explain why the gap emerges and changes across the lifespan, though longitudinal studies are still lacking.

Study at a glance

Abstract

SummaryMany studies have reported gender differences in dream recall. Data from 175 independent studies have been included in the analyses. Overall, estimated effect sizes in five age groups of healthy persons differed significantly from zero. Variables like measurement method and publication year did not affect the gender difference but age groups showed different effect sizes. The smallest effect size was found for children (0.097), the largest for adolescents (0.364), whereas the three adult groups ranged from 0.242 to 0.270. The findings suggest that the age‐dependent gender differences in dream recall might be explained by gender‐specific ‘dream socialization’. Longitudinal studies in this area, however, are still lacking.