Experience of emotions in dreams

Sara Fabjan (2018) Experience of emotions in dreams. MSc thesis.

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Abstract

Thesis presents an empirical phenomenological study of experience of emotions in dreams, which is an area that has not yet been investigated in such manner. Researchers investigating emotions in dreams typically use categories or lists of emotions which are made in advance (e.g. Curci and Rimé, 2008; Desseilles et al., 2011; Kahan and Claudatos, 2016). That is why the main focus of our study was to gain in-depth descriptions of emotional experience in dreams without beforehand assumptions or judgements (Husserl, 1950). In our multiple case study we used second-person in-depth phenomenological inquiry (SIPI, Kordeš and Klauser, 2016). Five participants wrote down their dreams and took part in in-depth (elicitation) interviews (Petitmengin, 2006). Through phenomenological data analysis we produced descriptions of categories of experience from which three main findings arose: emotion experience in dreams constantly changes, emotions could present the framework for dream experience and it is possible that there is a connection between emotion experience and context of dreams. Our findings show that phenomenological research is sensible and relevant in the study of emotion experience in dreams and can serve as a starting point for further research.

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