Cognitive Sensitivity and Dream Recall in Children
Sudhakar Venukapalli
April 23, 2021 DOI: 10.11648/j.ajap.20211002.11 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Empirical study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 40 |
| Population | School children |
| Measures | dream recall questionnaire, Cognitive Process Survey (CPS), dream diaries |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Key points | Girls recalled significantly more dreams than boys, and dream recall showed a strong positive correlation with children's inner imaginal sensitivity as measured by the Cognitive Process Survey. The authors state these findings are consistent with prior cognitive and clinical psychology research on dreams. |
Abstract
Does an individual’s inner cognitive sensitivity influence his /her recalling of dreams? Do girls recall more number of dreams than boys? This paper is an attempt to address these two questions through an empirical study conducted with 40 school children. Recent studies in dream research are enabling the scientific community to go deep into the complex cognitive processes, including the functioning of the whole personality. The dream recall questionnaire and the Cognitive Process Survey (CPS) designed and developed by Raymond F. Martinetti were circulated among the children and their responses were processed and analyzed. The data about dream recall were also crosschecked with dream diaries that were maintained by the children during the study period. It is found that boys and girls differ significantly with respect to the recalling of dreams and the most interesting finding of this study is that girl’s recall more number of dreams compared to boys. Further, the Cognitive Process Survey (CPS) assessed children’s inner cognitive sensitivity like, degree of imaginal life, orientation toward imaginal life and defensiveness. This study also discovered a strong and positive correlation between dream recall and the inner imaginal sensitivity of children. The findings of this study are consistent with the studies conducted by cognitive psychologists and clinical psychologists in the field of dream research.