On the relationship between the sense of self and the structure of dreams examined through questionnaire research for Japanese university students.
Yasuhiro Tanaka
Journal of Analytical Psychology February 1, 2020 DOI: 10.1111/1468-5922.12571 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Quantitative survey study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | University students in Japan |
| Measures | Scale of Anthropophobia Mentality, Scale of Sense of Self |
| Keywords | Humans Attitude Ego Self concept Dreams Psychometrics Qualitative research Cross-cultural comparison Students Universities Japan Female Young adult Sense of self Dream research Selbstgefühl Senso di sé Sentiment de soi Traumforschung Traumstruktur Adolescent mind Esprit adolescent Investigación de sueños Jugendliche geistesverfassung Mente adolescente Mente adolescenziale Ricerca del sogno Structure de rêve Structure of dream Struttura del sogno Исследование сновидений Ощущение я Структура сновидений Юношеская психика |
| Key findings | The author argues that Japanese university students show difficulty or inability to 'have' anxiety and to become active enough, both on the surface of consciousness and in the depth of the unconscious, to effect change in their situation. The author suggests a cross-cultural study is necessary and offers comparisons between German and Japanese dreams reported in psychotherapies. |
Abstract
In this paper, the author attempts to show some structural changes in the adolescent mind in modern Japan through examination of our quantitative research of the dreams of university students. Two questionnaires, Scale of Anthropophobia Mentality and Scale of Sense of Self, were administered while asking students about the contents of their 'impressive dreams' in childhood as well as their recent dreams. By paying attention to the relationship between the sense of self of dream-ego and the structure of dreams, the author demonstrates the subjects' difficulty, or inability, to 'have' anxiety and thereby become active enough both on the surface of their consciousness and in the depth of their unconscious to effect change in their situation. The author concludes with a suggestion regarding the necessity of a cross-cultural study in this field and adds some points of comparison between German and Japanese dreams reported in psychotherapies.