International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health

Khalil R. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016 Mar;3(3):598-602

http://www.ijcmph.com pISSN 2394-6032 | eISSN 2394-6040

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20160477
Research Article

Personality and dream content: are dreams, dreamer’s footprints?

Rehana Khalil*

Department of Family & Community Medicine, Unaizah College of Medicine, Qassim University, Saudi Arabia

Received: 31 January 2016

Revised: 01 February 2016
Accepted: 10 February 2016

*Correspondence:
Dr. Rehana Khalil,
E-mail: rehana.noman@ucm.edu.sa

Copyright: © the author(s), publisher and licensee Medip Academy. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

ABSTRACT

Background: A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep is known as a
dream. Relationship of dreams and dreamer has been studied in different perspectives quite extensively. The present
study is focused on dream content and personality type.
Methods: A sample of 370 randomly selected participants by nonprobability convenience sampling from Karachi,
Pakistan. Questionnaire with close ended and open ended questions had two sections: 1) Personality analysis; 2)
Dream analysis. Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) which is the most widely used psychological instrument for
measuring the extraversion-introversion with 5-point Likert scale was utilized. The data from the questionnaire was
cleaned, coded and entered in Excel (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA), exported to SPSS version 21 for windows
(SPSS Inc, Chicago, Illinois, USA), for analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data.
Results: Among the 370 subjects, 54% were males and 46% were females. Median age of the study sample was 16
years. The educational level of half (50%) of the sample was masters. The data was organized in nine themes included
trepidation, daze, contentment, dejection, flashbacks/past life events, symbolic, problem solving/precognition dreams,
reflective dreams, and creative dreams. The frequency of almost all types of dreams was high among extroverts as
compared to introverts except introverts reported a statistically high frequency of past events in their dreams. One
distinguishing dream found exclusively among extroverts was about being somebody else e.g., an actor. Feeling of
climbing or jump from a height was only perceived by the extroverts, surprisingly not at all by any of the introvert.
The frequency of creative dreams (an innovative idea) and dreams of fight or quarrel, writing some type of
information in open spaces, flight and falling were found to be same in both types of dreamers.
Conclusions: Even-though the difference in all dream content of extroverts and introverts was not significant but my
study does not support the idea of no impact of personality on dreaming. The present study was an attempt to
demonstrate relationship between difference in dream content and personality type. Future studies are needed to do an
advance research in this dimension of dreaming.

Keywords: Dream content, Personality, Footprints

INTRODUCTION A series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in

a person’s mind during sleep is known as a dream. 1
If dream-displacement and dream-condensation are the Condensation is one of the methods by which the
two foremen in charge of the dream-work, and we may repressed returns in hidden ways. For example, in dreams
put the shaping of our dreams down mainly to their multiple dream-thoughts are often combined and
activity, as claimed by Sigmund Freud in “the amalgamated into a single element of the manifest dream
interpretation of dreams”, then the dreaming is certainly a (e.g. symbols). The other method whereby the repressed
personality dependent trait. hides itself is displacement. For example, in dreams the

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 Khalil R. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016 Mar;3(3):598-602

affect (emotions) associated with threatening impulses Study participants

are often transferred elsewhere (displaced), so that, for
example, apparently trivial elements in the manifest Participants were chosen by nonprobability convenience
dream seem to cause extraordinary distress while "what sampling. Participation into the study was solely on a
was the essence of the dream-thoughts finds only passing voluntary basis and whoever volunteered was reassured
and indistinct representation in the dream".2 that all information obtained will be kept confidential and
secure.
Personality is a dynamic organization within the
individual of those psychophysical systems that Sample size is 370 randomly selected from Karachi,
determine a unique adjustment to its environment.3 Pakistan, out of which 140 were introverts, 200 were
Personality traits are conceptualized as stable extroverts while 30 were found to be on the borderline.
characteristics different for each person explaining The ages of the sample range from 18 to 45.
individual predispositions to certain patterns of behavior,
cognitions and emotions.4,5 In 1921 Jung's classical Research instrument
description of the dimension of introversion-extroversion
has recently been given experimental support by Eysenck It was a questionnaire included close ended and open
and his coworkers who have devised both inventory and ended questions in it.
objective criteria.6-8
Broadly, the questionnaire had two sections: 1)
The terms introversion and extraversion were popularized Personality analysis; 2) Dream analysis.
through the work of Carl Jung. Introverts tend to be more
quiet, reserved and introspective. Unlike extraverts who Data collection for section one was accomplished by
gain energy from social interaction, introverts have to using Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) which is
expend energy in social situations. After attending a party the most widely used psychological instrument for
or spending time in a large group of people, introverts measuring the extraversion-introversion. Hans Eysenck
often feel a need to "recharge" by spending a period of described extraversion-introversion as the degree to
time alone. According to estimates, extraverts outnumber which a person is outgoing and interactive with other
introverts by about three to one. Introversion is one of the people. These behavioral differences are presumed to be
major personality traits identified in many theories of the result of underlying differences in brain physiology.16
personality. People who are introverted tend to be inward
turning, or focused more on internal thoughts, feelings It consisted of 10 items that measure over the previous
and moods rather than seeking out external stimulation.9 month with a 5-point Likert scale ranging from
in-accurate (=1), moderately inaccurate (=2), neither in-
Many investigators, beginning with Freud have provided accurate nor accurate (=3), moderately accurate (=4), and
evidence of individual differences in dream recall.10-13 very accurate (=5). The EPQ has a possible range of
But the influence of Freud and the psychoanalytic scores from 10 to 50.
tradition led to a concentration on the stereotyped
symbolic interpretation of dreams, rather than The second section of the questionnaire was covered by
examination of the literal content of dreams as a the questions regarding creative dream and events happen
reflection of present state or trait differences in in dreams.
personality. Lang and O’Connor studied the relationship
between personality, dream content and dream-coping Participants answered the questionnaire in direct
style.14 Hartmann demonstrated some intriguing supervision of the author. Test-retest technique was
relationships between individual differences in dreaming adopted to check the reliability and validity of the
and dimension of personality, which relates to the degree questionnaire.
of separateness or compartmentalization (thickness)
versus fluidity or merging (thinness) in all mental Ethical considerations
functions.15 The present study is an attempt to
demonstrate relationship between difference in dream Informed consent was obtained from each participant
content and personality type. It was hypothesized that the before the interview. They were fully informed of the
dream content of introverts is entirely different from the nature of the study and the use of the data. They were
extroverts, because wake time experience of these free to withdraw from the interview at any time or refuse
personalities is quite different from each other. to answer any particular question. Participants were also
ensured of confidentiality.
METHODS
Data analysis
Research procedure
The data from the questionnaire was cleaned, coded and
A quantitative comparison between different moods of entered in Excel (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, USA),
dreams was done among introverts and extroverts. exported to SPSS version 21 for windows (SPSS Inc,

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 Khalil R. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016 Mar;3(3):598-602

Chicago, Illinois, USA), for analysis. Descriptive and puzzlement, unsolved problem, worries, paralysis in
inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. sleep, helplessness and speechlessness, were aggregated
under trepidation theme. The frequency of dreams with
RESULTS trepidation was almost same among both types of
dreamers. Statistically, no significant difference between
A minor modification of the study questionnaire that did percentages of the frequency was found.
not deviate much from the original Eysenck personality
questionnaire (EPQ) was found expedient for the main Table 1: Demographic characteristics of the
study. participants (n=370).

Data was collected on dreams reported by 370 Variable Category n=370 %

participants, out of whom 140 were introverts, 200 were Male 200 54
Gender
extroverts while 30 were found to be on the borderline. Female 170 46
The data was organized in nine themes included 15-20 55 15
trepidation, daze, contentment, dejection, flashbacks/past Age (years) 21-45 260 70
life events, symbolic, problem solving/ precognition >45 55 15
dreams, reflective dreams and creative dreams. Married 270 73
Marital Status
Unmarried 100 27
The gender distribution in the sample participants was Intermediate 55 15
54% males and 46% females. Age distribution (median Education
Graduate 130 35
16 years) in the study sample was disproportionate level
Post-graduate 185 50
between the three age groups, and was in the following:
Muslims 370 100
15-20 (15%), 21-45 (70%), 46 onwards (15%). The
Religion Christian 0 0
educational levels of the sample was: Intermediate level
Others 0 0
(15%), bachelors level (35%) and masters level (50%)
(Table 1).
Figure 1 depicts the significant findings of this study.
There was a significant difference in frequency of
Table 2 shows that the dreams of running, failing some
dejected dreams like someone who is close to you dies
type of examination, seeing the broken teeth, running
(36%:13%); sadness, tearfulness or crying (41%:20%)
short of time, being naked in an inappropriate place,
among extroverts and introverts (Figure 1).

Table 2: Trepidation.

Extrovert's response Percentage % Introvert's response Percentage %

Running 80 36 40 27
Failing some type of examination 100 45 40 27
Seeing the broken teeth 10 5 10 7
Running short of time 80 36 70 47
Being naked in an inappropriate place 10 5 10 7
Puzzlement: unsolved problem, worries 80 36 70 47
Paralysis in sleep, helplessness 40 18 20 13
Speechlessness 90 41 60 40

Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used something to them regarding a problem of their waking
to represent abstract ideas or concepts. The frequency of life (27%:0%) and have problem solving dreams or
symbolic dreams like a journey through road or rail precognition dreams about future events. One
(23%:7%) and crossing the bridge (14%:0%) was very distinguishing dream found exclusively among extroverts
high among extroverts as compared to introverts (Figure was about being somebody else e.g., an actor (Figure 1).
1). Introverts reported a statistically high frequency of past
events in their dreams (36%:53%) i.e., retrieval from
Dreams of the participants who were more extraverted some kind of "memory store” (Figure 1). Feeling of
have significantly more dreams of discussing something climbing or jump from a height was only perceived by
with people (32%:7%), observing and standing in the the extroverts (14%:0%), surprisingly not at all by any of
crowded place (18%:27%) and wise man advising the introvert (Figure 1). Contentment or wishfulment in

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 Khalil R. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016 Mar;3(3):598-602

dreams by the extroverts and introvert personalities had The frequency of fight or quarrel in dreams of both types
no difference (45%:40%). of dreamers was almost same. Seeing the water pond or
sea-shore was same in both types (32%:27%). Writing
There are dreams in which a physical need or intrusion some type of information in open spaces (14%:7%) was
from outer world such as alarm clock sets up similar equally reported by both introverts and extroverts. The
conditions in our dreams to mirror the outer conditions. A frequency of flight (14%:20%) and falling (41%:33%) in
person who goes to bed thirsty will often dream of dreams was very similar in both type of personalities.
satisfying that thirst during their dreams. An alarm clock
ringing in the bedroom may translate into a telephone or The frequency of creative dream (an innovative idea) was
some other kind of bell, ringing in the person's dream. A found to be almost same among both types i.e., 60%:
physical urge to go to the bathroom will manifest itself in 71% in extroverts and introverts respectively, but the
exactly the same way in the dream state. These dreams percentage of response “No not at all” was very high in
are called reflective dreams and in this category, most extroverts (90%) as compared to introverts (40%).
frequently reported dream was about a feeling of
quenching thirst which was equally reported by both
types of personalities (18%:13%).

60
50
40
30
20
10 Extroverts
0 Introverts

Figure 1: Significant findings.

DISCUSSION showed promising findings e.g., extroverts outnumbered

introverts in most of the content related to feelings and
The study findings reject the hypothesis that the dream experiences with only except of past events in dreams.
content of introverts is entirely different from the The study reveals that extroverts have more vivid and
extroverts, because wake time experience of these rich dream experiences as compared to introverts. This
personalities is quite different from each other but still, finding is incompatible with the study done by
the study supports the notion that there is some content Howarth.17 There was no evidence in that study for the
which is entirely different between two types. view that extroverts do not have extrovert dreams, nor did
extroverts reveals less (or more) dream content. 17 The
Even though the study was intended to evaluate the reason behind this dissimilarity may be the gulf of
differences in dream content of the dreamers of different decades between two studies. There is no single study
personality but it unfolded a very interesting fact. It is available on this topic which is recent and covers this
concluded that the content remains same but it’s the aspect of dreaming. There is a need of new research on
frequency of dreaming content which is found to be this topic.
different among introverts and extroverts.
The significant personality differences regarding the
The results of this study signify that the frequency of frequency of symbolic dreams like a journey through
dream content is dreamer’s personality dependent to road or rail and crossing the bridge are also in
some extent if not completely. The exploratory analysis disagreement with above mentioned study, in which
regarding the effect of personality on dream content assessment of dream samples by rating failed to reveal an

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 Khalil R. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016 Mar;3(3):598-602

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19 June 2015. Community Med Public Health 2016;3:598-602.

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