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Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication

Mark Blagrove Orcid Logo, Julia Lockheart

International Journal of Dream Research, Volume: 15, Issue: 1, Pages: 86 - 94

Swansea University Author: Mark Blagrove Orcid Logo

DOI (Published version): 10.11588/ijodr.2022.1.83442

Abstract

There are many theories of the function of dreams, such as memory consolidation, emotion processing, threat simulation and social simulation. In general, such theories hold that the function of dreams occurs within sleep, occurs for unrecalled dreams as well as for dreams that are recalled on awaken...

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Published in: International Journal of Dream Research
Published: 2022
Online Access: https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/IJoDR/article/view/83442
URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59622
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first_indexed 2022-03-15T11:01:40Z
last_indexed 2022-05-06T03:32:39Z
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spelling 2022-05-05T14:42:19.1113036 v2 59622 2022-03-15 Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication 8c78ee008e650b9f0a463bae56a5636c 0000-0002-9854-1854 Mark Blagrove Mark Blagrove true false 2022-03-15 HPS There are many theories of the function of dreams, such as memory consolidation, emotion processing, threat simulation and social simulation. In general, such theories hold that the function of dreams occurs within sleep, occurs for unrecalled dreams as well as for dreams that are recalled on awakening, and that conscious recall of dreams is not necessary for their function to occur. In contrast, we propose that dreams have an effect of enhancing empathy and group bonding when dreams are shared and discussed with others. We propose also that this effect would have occurred in human history and pre-history and, as it would have enhanced the cohesiveness and mutual understanding of group members, the fictional and engaging characteristics of dream content would have been selected for during human social evolution, interacting with cultural practices of dream-sharing. Such dream-sharing may have taken advantage of the long REM periods that occur for biological reasons near the end of the night. Complex narrative dream-production and dream-sharing may have developed alongside story-telling, utilising common neural mechanisms. Dream-sharing hence would have contributed to Human Self-Domestication, held by many researchers to be the primary driver of the evolution of human prosociality, tolerance and reduced intragroup emotional reactivity. We note that within-sleep theories of dream function rely on associational rather than experimental findings, and have as yet untested and speculative mechanisms, whereas post-sleep effects of dream-sharing are readily testable and have mechanisms congruent with the social processes proposed by the theory of Human Self-Domestication. Journal Article International Journal of Dream Research 15 1 86 94 dreaming; dream-sharing; human self-domestication; empathy; mentalising; human evolution; social evolution. 1 4 2022 2022-04-01 10.11588/ijodr.2022.1.83442 https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/IJoDR/article/view/83442 This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. COLLEGE NANME Psychology COLLEGE CODE HPS Swansea University Not Required 2022-05-05T14:42:19.1113036 2022-03-15T10:54:05.5338138 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Mark Blagrove 0000-0002-9854-1854 1 Julia Lockheart 2 59622__23766__bbca6bd0ebc14c00a7cae5d834715895.pdf Blagrove_Lockheart_IJODR_2022_83442.pdf 2022-04-04T07:19:28.1541177 Output 172210 application/pdf Version of Record true true eng
title Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
spellingShingle Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
Mark Blagrove
title_short Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
title_full Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
title_fullStr Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
title_full_unstemmed Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
title_sort Dream-sharing and Human Self-Domestication
author_id_str_mv 8c78ee008e650b9f0a463bae56a5636c
author_id_fullname_str_mv 8c78ee008e650b9f0a463bae56a5636c_***_Mark Blagrove
author Mark Blagrove
author2 Mark Blagrove
Julia Lockheart
format Journal article
container_title International Journal of Dream Research
container_volume 15
container_issue 1
container_start_page 86
publishDate 2022
institution Swansea University
doi_str_mv 10.11588/ijodr.2022.1.83442
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
url https://journals.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/index.php/IJoDR/article/view/83442
document_store_str 1
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description There are many theories of the function of dreams, such as memory consolidation, emotion processing, threat simulation and social simulation. In general, such theories hold that the function of dreams occurs within sleep, occurs for unrecalled dreams as well as for dreams that are recalled on awakening, and that conscious recall of dreams is not necessary for their function to occur. In contrast, we propose that dreams have an effect of enhancing empathy and group bonding when dreams are shared and discussed with others. We propose also that this effect would have occurred in human history and pre-history and, as it would have enhanced the cohesiveness and mutual understanding of group members, the fictional and engaging characteristics of dream content would have been selected for during human social evolution, interacting with cultural practices of dream-sharing. Such dream-sharing may have taken advantage of the long REM periods that occur for biological reasons near the end of the night. Complex narrative dream-production and dream-sharing may have developed alongside story-telling, utilising common neural mechanisms. Dream-sharing hence would have contributed to Human Self-Domestication, held by many researchers to be the primary driver of the evolution of human prosociality, tolerance and reduced intragroup emotional reactivity. We note that within-sleep theories of dream function rely on associational rather than experimental findings, and have as yet untested and speculative mechanisms, whereas post-sleep effects of dream-sharing are readily testable and have mechanisms congruent with the social processes proposed by the theory of Human Self-Domestication.
published_date 2022-04-01T04:17:04Z
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