Cultural and Sex Differences in the Sex Distribution of Dream Characters

Abstract

The validity of previous reports regarding sex differences in ratio of male characters in dreams was investigated. Eight dreams were obtained for each of 192 college students in Lima, Peru, and New York City. Odd-even reliabilities for male dream characters ranged from .36 to .72. U.S. subjects had a higher percentage of male dream characters than Peruvians (p <.01). U.S. males had a greater percentage of men in their dreams than U.S. females; in Peru the sex difference was reversed (p < .01). These findings contradict previous reports of males universally dreaming more about men than do females, attributed by Hall to Oedipal conflicts. Present results allow the conclusion that sex differences in the percentage of male characters in dreams are not universal. Differences in the sex ratio of dream characters more likely reflect sociocultural differences in contact between the sexes.

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References

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