Dreams and Demography

Abstract

This survey makes two contributions to the study of man. The first deals with the subject of dreams per se and the careful examination of these dreams leading to establishing norms pertinent for a generalized population. This can be seen as complementary to the earlier studies of Hall and Van de Castle which established norms for a limited population. The second contribution concerns the insights into current societal preoccupations which the dream reveals. Making a direct translation of manifest dream content into sociological factors is fraught with difficulty. Nevertheless, it is tempting to describe this middle city of the United States as reflecting the larger situation of America and perhaps of western urban culture. In this respect, human beings are seen as coping with death anxiety as they grow older, accentuated by such conditions as widowhood. Blacks and whites are seen as essentially similar in their preoccupations, aggressions and good fortunes. We see a reaffirmation that anatomy is destiny, for the single most important factor in determining dream themes is the sex into which one is born. How much this difference is biological and how much cultural is unknown. At the present time in the United States and as exemplified by a recent book (37), being a woman involves less striving for achievement, more involvement with interpersonal relations and in general a more passive role in the aggressive themes of life. Attention to inner processes and inner space would seem to be biologically based although certainly reinforced by the cultural substrate in which the woman operates. This study deals with two of the three great themes of life — birth, marriage and death. In terms of marriage it can be observed that the single person seems happier but suffers the greatest misfortunes. Women are preoccupied with marriage and personal relationships and men with work. Death overshadows both men and women and age and death are partners.

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