Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37783728›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2023

Evidence for an emotional adaptive function of dreams: a cross-cultural study.

David R Samson, Alice Clerget, Noor Abbas, Jeffrey Senese, Mallika S Sarma, Sheina Lew-Levy, Ibrahim A Mabulla, Audax Z P Mabulla, Valchy Miegakanda, Francesca Borghese and 7 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

17 authors.

David R SamsonSleep and Human Evolution Lab, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada. david.samson@utoronto.ca.
Alice ClergetDepartment of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Noor AbbasSleep and Human Evolution Lab, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada.
Jeffrey SeneseSleep and Human Evolution Lab, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada.
Mallika S SarmaSchool of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Sheina Lew-LevyDepartment of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
Ibrahim A MabullaDepartment of Archaeology and Heritage, Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Audax Z P MabullaDepartment of Archaeology and Heritage, Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
Valchy MiegakandaLaboratoire National de Santé Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo.
Francesca BorgheseDepartment of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Pauline HenckaertsDepartment of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Sophie SchwartzDepartment of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Virginie SterpenichDepartment of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Lee T GettlerDepartment of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
Adam BoyetteDepartment of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
Alyssa N CrittendenDepartment of Anthropology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA.
Lampros PerogamvrosDepartment of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. lampros.perogamvros@hcuge.ch.

Funding

Swiss National Science Foundation CRSK-3_190722
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The function of dreams is a longstanding scientific research question. Simulation theories of dream function, which are based on the premise that dreams represent evolutionary past selective pressures and fitness improvement through modified states of consciousness, have yet to be tested in cross-cultural populations that include small-scale forager societies. Here, we analyze dream content with cross-cultural comparisons between the BaYaka (Rep. of Congo) and Hadza (Tanzania) foraging groups and Global North populations, to test the hypothesis that dreams in forager groups serve a more effective emotion regulation function due to their strong social norms and high interpersonal support. Using a linear mixed effects model we analyzed 896 dreams from 234 individuals across these populations, recorded using dream diaries. Dream texts were processed into four psychosocial constructs using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC-22) dictionary. The BaYaka displayed greater community-oriented dream content. Both the BaYaka and Hadza exhibited heightened threat dream content, while, at the same time, the Hadza demonstrated low negative emotions in their dreams. The Global North Nightmare Disorder group had increased negative emotion content, and the Canadian student sample during the COVID-19 pandemic displayed the highest anxiety dream content. In conclusion, this study supports the notion that dreams in non-clinical populations can effectively regulate emotions by linking potential threats with non-fearful contexts, reducing anxiety and negative emotions through emotional release or catharsis. Overall, this work contributes to our understanding of the evolutionary significance of this altered state of consciousness.

Indexed as

COVID-19Cross-Cultural ComparisonCanadaEmotionsHumansPandemics

Identifiers

PMID37783728
PMCPMC10545663

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.