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Dreams. A developmental and longitudinal perspective.
1Columbia University Psychoanalytic Center for Training and Research, New York.
The Psychoanalytic Study of the Child
|January 1, 1992
Summary
This study tracks the infantile wish in dreams from childhood to adulthood. It reveals how dreams evolve in complexity and disguise as individuals mature.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychoanalysis
- Dream Research
Background:
- Sigmund Freud theorized that the infantile wish is the root of adult dreams.
- Children's dreams often display undisguised infantile wishes.
- Dream complexity and disguise increase with development.
Observation:
- This study longitudinally analyzes one individual's dreams at ages 5, 13, and 20.
- The research aims to trace the developmental trajectory of the infantile wish.
- It examines how the infantile wish transforms and becomes concealed over time.
Findings:
- The infantile wish undergoes significant changes in expression and complexity throughout development.
- Dreams serve as a mechanism for the evolving representation of the infantile wish.
- Developmental shifts in cognitive and emotional processes influence dream content.
Implications:
- Understanding dream development offers insights into psychological maturation.
- This research contributes to psychoanalytic theories on wish fulfillment and defense mechanisms.
- The findings have potential applications in child psychology and dream analysis.