Relation Between Waking Personality Factors and the Affective Nature of Dreaming Experience

Abstract

Relatively few studies have assessed correlates for dreaming experience with regard to personality factors measured by psychometrically sound survey tools. Our study of personality factors of the dreamers with regard to dreaming affective experience tries to address this gap within the literature. The present study inquires whether personality factors relate to affective dreaming experiences. The hypothesis inferred on 232 participants ranging from 18 to 54 years is that high scorers on Emotionality, Agreeableness, and Honesty-Humility would tend to experience more negative and positive dreams, respectively. Data collection utilized HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised and dream reports. Phi-coefficient correlations followed by chi-square tests between high/low scorer groups of personality scales and positive/negative dreaming affect revealed significant correlations except for the Altruism scale, revealing a substantial relationship between the variables in accordance with what was hypothesized. The results have been discussed in terms of future research directions and implications.