EMOTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DREAMS AMONG JAPANESE YOUTHS, ADULTS AND THE ELDERLY

Abstract

This study examined changes in dream emotion with aging and the characteristics of each age group. A survey was conducted among 206 Japanese youths, 253 adults, and 100 elderly. Subjective emotional ratings of dreams were compared by age, and dream descriptions were analyzed from a structural perspective. The results showed that overall dream emotion and negative emotion decreased for the elderly and love was found to be the most frequent emotion. For youths, negative emotions were strongly experienced; many dreams were about the dream ego being exposed to threats from the object. For adults, negative emotions were strongly experienced, suggesting two possibilities: the establishment of the ego and a review of their own lifestyles. The elderly had a mature ego and developed emotion regulation skills, suggesting that they were less likely to experience negative emotions.