Dreaming is a complex neurophysiological experience that is influenced by the sociocultural environment, and recent research has compared the dreams of forager communities in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with those in Europe and North America, and has Differences in tone and simulation of real-life situations became apparent. This study shows that dreams reflect social norms and values, suggesting a link between dream content and an individual’s sociocultural life.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and the University of Toronto revealed that dreams have a variety of emotional functions.
Why do we dream? This phenomenon is rooted in neurophysiological processes in the brain and manifests as multifaceted, often emotionally charged experiences that can mimic aspects of reality to varying degrees. However, the definitive reason for dreaming remains unclear. A new study jointly conducted by the University of Geneva (UNIGE), the University of Toronto and the University Hospitals of Geneva (HUG) compares the dreams of her two hunting communities in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo with those of individuals living in Africa. did. Europe and North America.
It showed that the first two groups not only produced more threatening dreams but also more cathartic and socially oriented dreams than the Western group.These results will be read scientific reportshows how strong the link between sociocultural environment and dream function is.
Dreams are hallucinatory experiences common to all humankind. This occurs most often during a paradoxical phase of sleep known as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase. However, it can occur during any sleep stage.
What is the physiological, emotional and cultural function of dreams? Do they regulate our emotions? Does it prepare us to deal with certain situations? Recent theories suggest that during “functional” dreaming, individuals simulate more threatening or social situations, which may have an evolutionary advantage in promoting adaptive behavior in real-life situations. It suggests that it is possible.
Dream results vary depending on environment and population studied
To test these theories, researchers from UNIGE and the University of Toronto compared the dream content of the Bayaka people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Hadza people of Tanzania, two communities that approximate a hunter-gatherer lifestyle. . Ancestry – Ancestry of a diverse group of individuals living in Europe and North America (Switzerland, Belgium, Canada), including healthy participants and patients with mental disorders.
Bayaka and Hadza dream stories were collected over two months in the field by anthropologists from the University of Toronto. Data on dreams in Western groups comes from previous studies published between 2014 and 2022.
“We found that Bayaka and Hadza dreams are very dynamic. They often begin in dangerous, life-threatening situations, whereas the Western groups we observed In contrast, in clinical populations, such as patients suffering from nightmares or social anxiety, dreams may be intense but do not involve cathartic emotional resolution. “The latter group seems to lack the adaptive function of dreaming,” says Lampros, a private professor and group leader in the Department of Psychiatry and Basic Neuroscience at UNIGE School of Medicine, and HUG’s attending physician.・Mr. Perogamvros explains. The Center for Sleep Medicine led the study.
A mirror that reflects social structure
The researchers found that among the responses Native Americans have when faced with threats in dreams, those related to social support are very frequent. For example, an indigenous person reports a dream in which he was run over by a buffalo in the middle of the bush and was rescued by a member of his community. Or someone may have a dream where they fall into a well and one of their friends saves them. These dreams contain their own emotional resolutions.‘
“Social bonds are necessarily very strong among the Bayaka and Hadza people. Daily life and the division of labor are typically more egalitarian when compared to the more individualistic societies of Europe and North America. This kind of dependence on social connections and community means that the best way for them to process the emotional content associated with threats in their dreams is to take advantage of the social relationships they have. “In fact, these relationships are emotional tools used to process life’s challenges,” says John, an associate professor of evolutionary anthropology at the University of Toronto in Mississauga and lead author of the study. David Samson explains. Therefore, the research team suggests that there is a close relationship between the function of dreams and the social norms and values of each specific society studied.
“However, this study makes it difficult to infer a causal relationship between dreams and daytime activity. Nor should we conclude that dreams in Western populations have no emotional function.”・Mr. Perogamvros added. In fact, in 2019, the same research team found that “bad dreams” in Western people, dreams with negative content that are not nightmares, are often simulations of our fears, and that once we wake up, we are faced with our fears. published a study showing that they are preparing to do so. I’m awake. “There appears to be more than one type of ‘functional’ dream. This study shows that there is a strong link between our sociocultural lives and the function of dreams,” the researchers said. concludes.
Reference: “Evidence for the Emotionally Adaptive Function of Dreams: A Cross-Cultural Study” David R. Samson, Alice Clerge, Nour Abbas, Jeffrey Senese, Marika S. Sarma, Sheena Lou-Levi, Ibrahim A.・Mabulla, Audax ZP Mabulla, Valcy Miegacanda, Francesca Borghese, Pauline Henkarz, Sophie Schwartz, Virginie Starpenich, Lee T. Gettler, Adam Boyett, Alyssa N. Crittenden, Lampros Perroganvros, 2023 October 2nd, scientific report.
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43319-z
Source: scitechdaily.com
