Is Forgetting of Dreams due to Repression? Experimental Investigations Using Free Associations
Abstract
This study investigated whether forgetting of dream material is due to repression. Under this assumption, free associations starting from forgotten elements are expected to encounter successively growing resistance. In Experiment 1, 25 participants brought along notes of dreams and were asked to freely associate to five elements from their own dreams and five stimuli from someone else’s dreams. One week later, they were tested for recognition of sequences of their dreams. Afterwards they produced free associations to five elements they had remembered and to five elements not identified (Experiment 2). Skin conductance responses (SCR) and perceived unpleasantness were recorded. Results of Experiment 1 were in line with previous findings from our laboratory: Associations starting from own dream material provoke greater SCRs. Results of Experiment 2 were: In comparison to recognised dream material, unrecognised elements elicited associations accompanied by greater activation. During associations to the latter stimuli, increase of SCR was more frequent, and unpleasant feelings were reported more often. Our findings are in line with Freud’s assumptions on forgetting of dreams.
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