How You Measure Is What You Get: Differences in Self- and External Ratings of Emotional Experiences in Home Dreams

Abstract

<p>This study demonstrates that different methods for measuring emotional experiences in<br />dreams — self-ratings of dreams using emotion rating scales versus external ratings in the form<br />of content analysis of narrative dream reports — can lead to strikingly different results and<br />contradicting conclusions about the emotional content of home dreams. During 3 consecutive<br />weeks, every morning upon awakening, 44 participants (16 men, 28 women, average age 26.9<br />± 5.1 years) reported their dreams and rated their emotional experiences in those dreams using<br />the modified Differential Emotions Scale. Two external judges rated emotional experiences in<br />the same 552 (<i>M</i>= 12.55 ± 5.72) home dream reports using the same scale. Comparison of<br />the 2 methods showed that with self-ratings dreams were rated as more emotional and more<br />positive than with external ratings. Moreover, whereas with self-ratings the majority of dreams<br />was rated as positively valenced, with external ratings the majority of dream reports was rated<br />as negatively valenced. Although self- and external ratings converge, at least partially, in the<br />measurement of negative emotional experiences, they diverge greatly in the measurement of<br />positive emotional experiences. On one hand, this discrepancy may result from different biases<br />inherent in the 2 measurement methods highlighting the need to develop better methods for<br />measuring emotional experiences. On the other hand, self- and external ratings may capture<br />different phenomena and should thus be considered complementary and used concurrently.<br />Nevertheless, results suggest that negative emotional experiences can be measured in a more<br />valid and reliable manner than positive emotional experiences.<br /></p>