Dream Orientation as a Function of Hyperactivating and Deactivating Attachment Strategies

Abstract

This study establishes a connection between adult attachment style and attitudinal orientation toward dreams. Presumably, the frequently emotional nature of dreams would lead adults high on attachment anxiety to construe their dreams as more important and, consequently, to engage with them more extensively than those low on attachment anxiety, whereas adults high on attachment avoidance (compared to those low on avoidance) would disengage from their dreams and minimize their importance. In the present study 173 women and 79 men participating via the internet reported three dreams and completed questionnaires assessing their attachment style, beliefs and attitudes about dreams, and dream experiences. Asexpected, attachment anxiety predicted high involvement with dreams, while attachment avoidance generally predicted dismissiveness toward dreams.