First Advisor

Gerri Waniewski

Date of Award

Spring 6-14-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Psychology and University Honors

Department

Psychology

Language

English

Subjects

dream, psychology, reflection

DOI

10.15760/honors.1925

Abstract

The most widely reported but least appreciated aspects of human experience are recurring dreams, or those dreams that happen repeatedly with similar themes, imagery, or emotional tone in each episode of the dream. This literature review was based on five relevant psychological sources to explore what common dreams tell about what is going on in the inner psyche of the person having the dream. The synthesis of the empirical literature on recurring dream frequency has been associated with weakened psychological well-being. Longitudinal studies were conducted to show the relationship between recurring dreaming and associated decrease in well-being. These theories are used to suggest why unresolved emotional issues drive recurrent dreaming. A need-based theory of recurring dreaming relates recurring content to frustration of core psychological motives, and an evolutionary theory suggesting that threatening recurring dreams are an adaptive simulation process. These works of literature, when taken collectively, create a strong argument; recurrent dreams are not accidental reverberations of sleep but psychologically structured processes that are evidence of what is incomplete, the unprocessed, or not recognized in reality. This thesis is centered around four themes. They include prevalence of the dream and well-being, emotional continuity of recurring content, unmet psychological needs as a cause of recurrence, and the threat simulation function. Lastly, the paper finishes with a discussion of what these findings suggest about how ordinary people and clinicians may consider persistent dream patterns.

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/44887

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