Methodological issues in the quantitative analysis of dream content

Reviews measurement approaches applied to dream reports and proposes some methodological cautions that may result in more effective utilization of the dream report in research and assessment. Standardization of dream collection techniques and controls for variability in the length of dream reports are suggested. Further investigation of the intraindividual consistency of dream report measures is seen as necessary for a discussion of their validity. Though there are indications that a variety of dream report measures are potentially valid for psychological assessment, measures based on general dream report characteristics show greater promise than specific content analysis. Research on the differences between normal and disturbed subjects highlights the potential, and the problems, inherent in the use of dream reports as tools of psychological inquiry.     

Be yourself,believe in yourself,and be happy: Self‐efficacy as a mediator between personality factors and subjective well‐being

Strobel, M., Tumasjan, A. & Spörrle, M. (2011). Be yourself, believe in yourself, and be happy: Self‐efficacy as a mediator between personality factors and subjective well‐being. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 43–48. Research has shown close connections between personality and subjective well‐being (SWB), suggesting that personality traits predispose individuals to experience different levels of SWB. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that self‐efficacy is related to both personality factors and SWB. Extending previous research, we show that general self‐efficacy functionally connects personality factors and two components of SWB (life satisfaction and subjective happiness). Our results demonstrate the mediating role of self‐efficacy in linking personality factors and SWB. Consistent with our expectations, the influence of neuroticism, extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness on life satisfaction was mediated by self‐efficacy. Furthermore, self‐efficacy mediated the influence of openness and conscientiousness, but not that of neuroticism and extraversion, on subjective happiness. Results highlight the importance of cognitive beliefs in functionally linking personality traits and SWB.