| Abstract: | Gender and gender role comparisons of manifestdream content were investigated by analyzing the dreamsof male and female college students, 16% of whom wereethnic minorities. Dreams were coded using the C. S. Hall and R. Van de Castle [(1966) TheContent Analysis of Dreams, New York: Appleton] codingsystem; participants also completed the Bem Sex-RoleInventory [(S. L. Bem, 1981) Bem Sex-Role Inventory Professional Manual, Palo Alto, CA: ConsultingPsychologists Press]. Gender × Gender Rolemultivariate analyses of covariance, with dream lengthas the covariate, indicated greater gender similaritythan in previous decades. Gender role differencesdid emerge for content previously viewed asdistinguishing men's dreams: a masculine gender role wasassociated with a higher frequency of weapons,unfamiliar characters, male characters, aggressiveinteractions, and failure outcomes. Findings areinterpreted in terms of changing patterns of gender rolesocialization, the convergence of male and female roles, and the continuity of conscious and unconsciouspreoccupations. |
