Dreams and Culture

Sigmund Freud's pioneering work on the significance of dreams has become central to Western psychology. In the field of psychological anthropology, interpreting the dreams of people can be an extremely challenging and daunting experience. Anthropologists are challenged in their methods in dealing with the dreams of non-Western people; they are tested by their culture bound notions in their interpretations of the dreams of non-Western people; and they struggle in their attempts to evaluate how other cultures view dreaming.

Firstly, anthropologists are challenged when it comes to deciding upon a research method in which to approach the dreams of non-Western people. Anthropologists have approached the researching of dreams in different cultures through observation, interviewing, cross-cultural comparisons, and even statistical studies. Waude H. Kracke, professor of Anthropology at the University of Illinois in Chicago, embarked on a study of dreams within the Parintintin Indians of Amazonas Brazil. His methods in approaching the issue of dreaming within the culture included observation of the Indians' activities, his insightful interviews with informants Paulintho and Dire, and a cross-cultural comparison of dreams in Haiti. In another study, Katie E. Flake and David B. Pellemer, members of the Department of Psychology at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, conducted a study comparing the ability of Caucasians versus Asians to recall dreams from childhood years. In their studies, they used a more statistical approach which involved lengthy questionnaires and the evaluation of such results. They also examined reference materials that addressed the topic of their concern. Though there are a variety of methods in which anthropologists can address the problem of researching dreams, it is difficult for anthropologists to determine which is best for certain scenarios. They may need to conduct numerous studies within various cultures or consult references in order to fully understand a culture's views of dreaming. Due to the vast range of research method options and the problem in determining the best method for the research question, anthropologists struggle in their attempts to understand other cultural views on dreaming.

As well as their struggles with methodology, anthropologists also struggle in ignoring their own ideas about dreams when interpreting the dreams of other cultures. For instance, Kracke informs:

"The anthropologist Jackson S. Lincoln, whose book The Dream in Primitive Cultures was the first extensive review of anthropological studies of dreaming in other cultures, argued that dreams in which the dreamer receives a direct message from God, or from one of the deities, are so rigidly defined by cultural belief that they are not amenable to personal interpretation. Dreams of directives or communications from a stereotyped figure, which he dubbed "cultural pattern dreams," are held to be so stereotyped in form as not to allow of the expression of any personal meaning that could be interpreted analytically" (Kracke 106).

Even the title of the book written by Lincoln gives away a hint of culture bound ethnocentrism about the cultures being addressed. Also, Lincoln uses stereotypes to formulate his ideas. Though he does address that cultural beliefs have an effect on dreams, he fails to recognize that these dreams have personal meaning because of his stereotypes about religious figures and religious dreaming. Through his conclusion it is noticeable that he believes religion and personal expression to be completely separate topics. Through Kracke's studies, he shows how religious dreaming can be a reflection of the person's unconscious mind, disproving Lincoln's ideas about religious dreaming. Since anthropologists are familiar with their own beliefs about dreaming, they must be careful when examining other cultures' beliefs about dreaming so that their findings are not culture bound.

In addition to being tested by their culture bound notions in their interpretations of the dreams of non-Western people, anthropologists also struggle in their attempts to evaluate how other cultures view dreaming. According to Kracke, "Culture shapes the material from which our lives and dreams are made. The forms that we think with and to which we are committed, the values we espouse, the language we express them in, are all provided by our culture" (117). In studying people, it is important to consider their thoughts, values, and language when evaluating any aspect of their culture. Since we are not born into that culture, learning about another culture's thoughts, values, and language is a difficult process. In Fiske and Pellemer's study, they seek to understand why there is a higher trend in the number of Caucasian individuals that can recall early childhood dreams versus a lower trend in the number of Asian individuals that can recall early childhood dreams. Through a bit of research, they were able to understand that the value Caucasians place on discussing dreams was higher than that of Asians. According to their studies, Fiske and Pellemer share "Asian-Caucasian differences in memory style may reflect underlying differences in cultural values and expectations involving the development of self. Caucasian parents in the U.S. use memory talk to encourage the development of an independent self-oriented autobiography, whereas Asian parents employ a conversational style that emphasizes interpersonal connection and social responsibility" (58). By gaining an understanding of the two cultures, Fiske and Pellemer were able to make conclusions that made cultural sense. However tricky learning about another culture may be it is essential in creating research studies and conclusions that make sense. Anthropologists trifle with the notions of other cultures in understanding their views on dreaming.

Anthropologists are challenged in their methodology, by their culture bound notions, and by the unfamiliar ideas of other cultures. The challenge in their methodology comes from the fact that there are many ways to address a research problem or question. The challenge with their culture bound notions is keeping their research clean of any individual cultural ideas in order to produce accurate results. And finally, the challenge in dealing with the unfamiliar ideas of other cultures is simply the fact that they are unfamiliar. Indeed, interpreting the dreams of people can be difficult. Little did Sigmund Freud know that his pioneering work on the significance of dreams would become a central struggle to psychological anthropologists across the globe; though a struggle, still central, a breakthrough, none the less.

Sources:
Karen E. Fiske and David B. Pillemer. " Adult recollections of earliest childhood dreams: A cross-cultural study" EBSCOhost
Waud H. Kracke. "To Dream, Perchance to Cure" EBSCOhost