Theory

Cartwright's Theory of Dreams as Reflections of Waking Life

Proposed by researcher Rosalind Cartwright, this theory suggests that dreams are a direct reflection of life events and thoughts that are significant to the dreamer. In contrast to psychoanalytic interpretations, Cartwright's ideas have received empirical support. For example, one study demonstrated a significant positive correlation between the frequency with which women thought about their former spouses while awake and the number of times the ex-spouses appeared in their dreams.

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Updated 2026-04-27

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