Appropriateness of dream feelings to dreamed situations
Abstract
Affect appropriateness was determined for representatively sampled (REM) dream reports. Seventeen young adults were studied for two nights each. The following data were collected: dream reports; accounts of feelings experienced while dreaming; judgements of feelings appropriate to the dreamed situations had they occurred in wakefulness; and ratings of the correspondence of dream and waking-appropriate feelings. Outside judges given access to both the dream and its feelings rated correspondence in the same manner. Other judges were given access only to dream events and attempted to predict the dreamer's feelings. Where the dream had feelings and the dream situation was judged to require them, these feelings were judged both by the dreamer and the outside judges to be generally similar. The major feeling anomaly was affectless dreaming of situations requiring affect. Dream feelings were relatively difficult to predict, but not more so than waking ones.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Dream contents including negative emotions such as anxiety and fear are more frequent than positive ones.
“Dream contents including negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and fear) are more frequent than positive ones”
From The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes (2019) · cites this paper as Foulkes et al., 1988
Emotional and perceptually vivid dream contents are more frequent when reported upon awakenings from REM sleep than from other sleep stages.
“emotional and perceptually vivid contents are more frequent when reported upon awakenings from this sleep stage”
From The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes (2019) · cites this paper as Foulkes et al., 1988
Cites
2. The Interpretation of Dreams
Freud, S., Crick, J., & Robertson, R. (1913) · MacMillan Co eBooks · doi:10.1037/10561-000 · Cited by 6,966 · see citing works
Izard, C. E. (1977) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-2209-0 · Cited by 2,867 · see citing works
The brain as a dream state generator: an activation-synthesis hypothesis of the dream process
Hobson, J. A., & McCarley, R. W. (1977) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.134.12.1335 · Cited by 946 · see citing works
McCord, F., Freud, S., & Strachey, J. (1955) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2088702 · Cited by 664 · see citing works
The relation of eye movements, body motility, and external stimuli to dream content
Dement, W., & Wolpert, E. A. (1958) · Journal of Experimental Psychology · doi:10.1037/h0040031 · Cited by 372 · see citing works
(1985) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 369 · see citing works
Self-citationTemporal sequence and unit composition in dream reports from different stages of sleep
Foulkes, D., & Schmidt, M. (1983) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/6.3.265 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Self-citationStudies in Psychophysiology of Dreams
Wolpert, E. A. (1958) · A M A Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archneurpsyc.1958.02340050131018 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
The Incidence of Novelty in Dreams
Dorus, E. (1971) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1971.01750160076014 · Cited by 46 · see citing works
Heynick, F. (1983) · University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Dreaming and the brain: from phenomenology to neurophysiology
Nir, Y., & Tononi, G. (2010) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2009.12.001 · Cited by 595 · see citing works
Levin, R., & Nielsen, T. A. (2007) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.133.3.482 · Cited by 554 · see citing works
The scientific study of dreams: Neural networks, cognitive development, and content analysis.
Domhoff, G. W. (2003) · doi:10.1037/10463-000 · Cited by 355 · see citing works
Pace-Schott, E. F., Amole, M. C., Aue, T., Balconi, M., Bylsma, L. M., Critchley, H., Demaree, H. A., Friedman, B. H., Gooding, A. E. K., Gosseries, O., et al. (2019) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.05.002 · Cited by 221 · see citing works
“fulness but produce little emotional response in the dream (Foulkes et al., 1988).”
The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes
Scarpelli, S., Bartolacci, C., D'Atri, A., Gorgoni, M., & De Gennaro, L. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00459 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
Schredl, M., & Doll, E. (1998) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1006/ccog.1998.0356 · Cited by 174 · see citing works
A content analysis of bizarre elements in dreams.
Revonsuo, A., & Salmivalli, C. (1995) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094433 · Cited by 152 · see citing works
LARA‐CARRASCO, J., NIELSEN, T. A., SOLOMONOVA, E., LEVRIER, K., & POPOVA, A. (2009) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00709.x · Cited by 129 · see citing works
Emotions in dream and waking event reports
Nielsen, T. A., Deslauriers, D., & Baylor, G. W. (1991) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094340 · Cited by 128 · see citing works
What is the link between hallucinations, dreams, and hypnagogic–hypnopompic experiences?
Waters, F., Blom, J. D., Dang-Vu, T. T., Cheyne, A. J., Alderson-Day, B., Woodruff, P., & Collerton, D. (2016) · Schizophrenia Bulletin · doi:10.1093/schbul/sbw076 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
The neural substrate for dreaming: is it a subsystem of the default network?
William Domhoff, G. (2011) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2011.03.001 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
Foulkes, D. (1990) · The European Journal of Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1080/09541449008406196 · Cited by 89 · see citing works
Self-citationAffective neuroscience of self‐generated thought
Fox, K. C. R., Andrews‐Hanna, J. R., Mills, C., Dixon, M. L., Markovic, J., Thompson, E. T., & Kalina Christoff, A. (2018) · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1111/nyas.13740 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
Domhoff, G. W. (2017) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/drm0000047 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
I know how you felt last night, or do I? Self- and external ratings of emotions in REM sleep dreams
Sikka, P., Valli, K., Virta, T., & Revonsuo, A. (2014) · Consciousness and Cognition · doi:10.1016/j.concog.2014.01.011 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Mutz, J., & Javadi, A. (2017) · Neuroscience of Consciousness · doi:10.1093/nc/nix009 · Cited by 53 · see citing works
Domhoff, G. W. (2011) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2011.2.9137 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Dream content analysis: Basic principles
Schredl, M. (2010) · International journal of dream research · doi:10.11588/ijodr.2010.1.474 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Refocusing the Neurocognitive Approach to Dreams: A Critique of the Hobson Versus Solms Debate.
Domhoff, G. W. (2005) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/1053-0797.15.1.3 · Cited by 43 · see citing works
Dreams are more negative than real life: Implications for the function of dreaming
Valli, K., Strandholm, T., Sillanmäki, L. H., & Revonsuo, A. (2008) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699930701541591 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
The Content of Dreams: Methodologic and Theoretical Implications
Domhoff, G. W. (2005) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b0-72-160797-7/50049-5 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Dreams and feeling realization.
Kuiken, D. (1995) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094431 · Cited by 24 · see citing works
Lockdown dreams: Dream content and emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic in an italian sample.
Giovanardi, G., Bincoletto, A. F., Baiocco, R., Ferrari, M., Gentile, D., Siri, M., Tanzilli, A., & Lingiardi, V. (2021) · Psychoanalytic Psychology · doi:10.1037/pap0000385 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Dream Analysis and Classification: The Reality Simulation Perspective
Nielsen, T. (2010) · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Why Did Empirical Dream Researchers Reject Freud? A Critique of Historical Claims by Mark Solms.
Domhoff, G. W. (2004) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/1053-0797.14.1.3 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Content analysis of 4 to 8 year-old children's dream reports
Sándor, P., Szakadát, S., Kertész, K., & Bódizs, R. (2015) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00534 · Cited by 19 · see citing works
Zadra, A. L., & Domhoff, G. W. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-6645-3.00050-5 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Predicting the affective tone of everyday dreams: A prospective study of state and trait variables
Samson-Daoust, E., Julien, S.-H., Beaulieu‐Prévost, D., & Zadra, A. L. (2019) · Scientific Reports · doi:10.1038/s41598-019-50859-w · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Changes in Manifest Dream Affect During Psychoanalytic Treatment
KRAMER, M. L., & Glucksman, M. L. (2006) · Journal of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry · doi:10.1521/jaap.2006.34.2.249 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review
Gorgoni, M., Scarpelli, S., Alfonsi, V., & Gennaro, L. D. (2022) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104710 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Metamorphosed Characters in Dreams: Constraints of Conceptual Structure and Amount of Theory of Mind
Schweickert, R., & Xi, Z. (2010) · Cognitive Science · doi:10.1111/j.1551-6709.2009.01082.x · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Kuiken, D., Busink, R., Dukewich, T. L., & Gendlin, E. T. (1996) · Dreaming · doi:10.1037/h0094460 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Zadra, A. L., & Domhoff, G. W. (2016) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-323-24288-2.00049-0 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Rosen, M. G., & Trakas, M. (2024) · Philosophical Psychology · doi:10.1080/09515089.2024.2350500 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Dream Analysis and Classification
Nielsen, T. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-1-4160-6645-3.00051-7 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Cultivating Feelings through Working with Dreams
Vedfelt, O. (2009) · Jung Journal · doi:10.1525/jung.2009.3.4.88 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
The role of sleep and dreaming in the processing of episodic memory
Stenstrom, P. (2010) · doi:10.71781/18000 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Nightly dynamics of emotional content in dreams
Palmieri, J., Elce, V., & Schönauer, M. (2025) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2025.109248 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Dreaming and dreaming disorders in the elderly
KRAMER, M. L. (2009) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511770661.032 · Cited by 2 · see citing works
Sándor, P., Szakadát, S., & Bódizs, R. (2016) · Mentálhigiéné és Pszichoszomatika · doi:10.1556/0406.17.2016.2.5 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Sleep: Dreaming Data and Theories
Valli, K., & Revonsuo, A. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809324-5.23628-6 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Schredl, M. (2018) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95453-0_3 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
Measuring Emotions in Dreams: Methodological Challenges
Feilhauer, D. (2015) · KTH Publication Database DiVA (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
Osa, B. (2008)
Continuity of emotions across pre-sleep state and the content of dreams
Picciocchi, T. M. (1998)
Kyziridis, T. C., & Nimatoudis, I. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-18323-3_8
Badgaiyan, R. D. (2019) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-816115-9.00011-5
The distinctive characteristics of REM sleep and dreams in narcolepsy
Scarpelli, S., & Gennaro, L. D. (2025) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-30004-2.00020-1
A graph theory approach to chart the architecture of dream and mind-wandering reports
Coppola, P., Sikka, P., Valli, K., Tuominen, J., Revonsuo, A., Loukola, V., Bernstein, R., Strid, N., Kirberg, M., Ezquerro‐Nassar, A., et al. (2026) · Communications Psychology · doi:10.1038/s44271-026-00509-5 · Cited by 1 · see citing works
- Authors
- Foulkes, D., Sullivan, B., Kerr, N. H., & Brown, L.
- Affiliations
- Oglethorpe University (US)
- Venue
- Cognition & Emotion
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 1988-03
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 29-39
- ISSN
- 0269-9931 (ISSN-L)
- 1464-0600
- OpenAlex
- W1976733762
- Cited by
- 51
- References
- 10
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2013: 2
- FWCI
- 0.51
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Cognition & Emotion (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Keywords
- dream emotions, REM sleep, dream narrative
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
