Nightmare Frequency and Sex-Role Differences: A Test of Hartmann's Hypothesis 1

Abstract

Hartmann (1984) states quite clearly that nightmare sufferers have “thin boundaries” with regard to sex-role and that one should expect more androgynous persons would experience more frequent frightening dreams. This aspect of Hartmann's nightmare theory was tested with data from 144 undergraduates who responded to the Bern Sex-role Inventory and an item which tapped the percent of their dreams deemed to be frightening and often accompanied by feelings of oppression and helplessness. No difference was found in the incidence of nightmares for those categorized as adopting androgynous sex-roles compared to those having more traditional sex-roles for the entire sample or for men and women separately. In addition, neither masculinity nor femininity related to the tendency to have nightmares for either sex.