Studying Intimacy through Dream Narratives: The Relationship of Dreams to Self-Report and Projective Measures of Personality
Kelly K. Evans, Jefferson A. Singer
Imagination Cognition and Personality March 1, 1995 DOI: 10.2190/r39q-81lb-v22a-5vj8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 32 |
| Population | Undergraduate students |
| Measures | Jackson Personality Research Form (Achievement, Affiliation, Dominance, and Nurturance scales) |
| Citations | 6 |
| Key findings | Argues that dreams can be considered narratives within McAdams' model of identity as a life story. Intimacy motivation levels across dream reports, autobiographical memories, TAT-type stories, and self-report scales were consistent with a self-schema model of cognition, and the pattern for dreams suggests dreams can be used effectively as a narrative measure of motivation. |
Abstract
This study examined whether dreams can be considered narratives in the context of McAdams' model of identity as a life story [1]. Dream reports were collected and scored for intimacy motivation, then compared to more traditional projective and self-report measures. Dreams, autobiographical memories, TAT-type stories, and the Achievement, Affiliation, Dominance, and Nurturance scales of the Jackson Personality Research Form were collected from thirty-two undergraduate subjects. Levels of intimacy in the various measures were consistent with a self-schema model of cognition [2], and the role of dreams within this pattern suggests that dreams can be used effectively as a narrative measure of motivation.