Social media use vs video game play hall and van de castle content analysis of dreams poster 2013...
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Introduction As electronic media use becomes more prevelent the question of it's association with night time dreams needs to be considered when exploring either the continuity hypothesis of dream content or more broadly the when considering the nature of reality construction and it’s illustration in dreams. It has often been pointed out that dreams are a constructed reality. Waking reality, which can be argued is also constructed, is the most impactful on our lives but there are other constructed realities, which can occur during drug use, illness, hypnosis or meditation. Never before has such a large part of the population been affected so widely by an alternative reality, which in this case, is a technologically constructed alternative reality. Our research program has focused on video game play because it is the most immersive and interactive of all electronic media as well as often the most time consuming. However, in recent years its become clear that at least young adults spend considerable amounts of time using various electronic media to socialize. The present study looked at social media use as a highly interactive form of media, similar to that of video games. It was predicted that this is a medium that may be capturing more females. This study sought to compare social media and video game use. Previous results from our laboratory, have compared recent computer use, either for gaming or not gaming purposes, and its impacts on subsequent dreams. We found that high-end computer gamers demonstrated more lucid dreams (for females only) and control dreams. Unfortunately in that data collection effort we had no idea what were the types of non-gaming computer use. The purpose of this inquiry is to exam types of nongaming versus gaming electronic media use on recent dream content. Method Participants were primarily undergraduate students recruited for 2% credit in their psychology courses. They were also recruited through online websites for psychology study purposes. All identities were anonymous. This research was conducted through online studies. The first data gathered was on: demographics, video game history, and social media use. The latter two surveys asked in considerable detail about participants media use. This was then followed by the Typical Dreams Questionnaire. Afterwards, participants were asked for a recent dream. These recent dreams, of between 40 and 300 words, were coded using the Hall and Van de Castle coding system (Hall & Van de Castle, 1966). The coding was done by two research assistants who achieved a 93% reliability rate. These coded dreams were then analyzed using Domhoff and Schneider’s DreamSAT spreadsheet. A second set of coders rated the dreams in terms of its threat content and central image intensity with 80% reliability. Participants were compared as a function of gender and gaming or social media use history. Acknowledgments We would like to thank Grant MacEwan University for a grant to support the HVDC coding of the dreams by Arielle Boyes and Sarah Gahr. We would also like to thank Carson Flockhart and Kefer Mathewson for coding these dreams on central imagery and threat simulation. Jayne Gackenbach, Arielle Boyes and Sarah Gahr Social Media Use vs Video Game Play: Hall and Van de Castle Content Analysis of Dreams Results Hall and Van de Castle Coding Results Hall and Van de Castle Coding Results for Factor Analysis It can be seen in Table 1 (Factor 2) that hard core gamer’s dreams were coded as having high dream activity, friends and targets of threat. Part of this factor score of dream activities included high aggression. Thus it can be argued that gamers are dreaming about activities where they are fighting or having confrontation with their friends against others. In Factor 3 role-playing gamers who started gaming at a young age, and who are now general social media users, have a lot less dreams about failure. This does not mean that they dream more about success just that in their dreams they may not be put into situations which require them to overcome an obstacle or achieving a goal. They may have the social support and therefore do not worry about failure or encounter it in their dreams. For the next factor, it can be seen that central imaging intensity is high in dreamers who are high You Tube users and hard core gamers. Images present in their dreams are vivid, powerful and contextualized (Factor 4). Those who play games that are high in presence (i.e., first person shooters, action) are also heavy cell phone users and tend to have more dreams that about success in which they are able to overcome an obstacle to achieve a goal or destination (Factor 5). In Factor 6 the those who play high presence games are also high users of Facebook have low levels of threats present in their dreams with little involvement of themselves. The last factor loading both media and dream variables, shows an association between role The two bar graphs represent the percent incidence of each type of dream content. As there were so few males in the low gaming groups, they are compared to the female HVDC norms. There were equal male and female gamers thus comparisons are made to both norms. In both bar charts * denote no significance. Discussion In the end our study did helped narrow down specific areas and types of questions to ask for further research when exploring social media use and gaming’s effect on dreams. With this being achieved there is now room for further studies exploring social media and recent dreams. There are some clear patterns that are appearing that deserve further research to explore exactly what is happening and their correlates. The study did find the expected results which are as followed. Hard core gamers and low end social media users had higher physical aggression than the norms for the HVDC. A possible explanation for this could be the generation difference of the HVDC norms which were developed in the 1960s when there was less aggressive exposure in media. It is harder to find hard core female gamers because they may be mocked or be deliberate isolated for being female in a very male dominated area. Females seem to be seeking a more passive form of interaction media, such as Facebook and Twitter, which is consistent with childhood play patterns. Females have been shown to be more passively aggressive than males, therefore they may use more social media as a tool for passive aggressive behaviour. However we did not explore the kinds of emotions around their social media use, we just looked at the break down of difference types of uses. Regardless of the level of social media use, hard core gamers users dream more about dead or imaginary characters than in the male and female norms in the HVDC. This is consistent with their self reports of dreams of magic and mythology. This could be due to more exposure in our current popular culture of dead characters, recently with the zombie and vampire crazes. For example Twilight movies, Call of Duty Zombie mode, Zombie Farm and The Walking Dead have become widen popular across generations. Unfortunately, there was a gender imbalance of five females for every one male in our sample. It was very hard to find high end social media users that are male and hard core female gamers. Also our sample mainly consists of undergraduates. Thus that majority of the participants are in their late teens or twenties so there maybe a lack of variation across generations. We sought out participants outside of the student population, however, it may not have been enough to correct the generation problem. The norms that we are comparing our results to were established in a very different Poster presented at the 2013 meeting of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, Virginia Beach, VA
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This is a poster that was presented at the 2013 meeting of the International Assocation for the Study of Dreams. It examines dreams of those who are high end gamers and social media users.
Transcript of Social media use vs video game play hall and van de castle content analysis of dreams poster 2013...
IntroductionAs electronic media use becomes more prevelent the question of it's association with night time dreams needs to be considered when exploring either the continuity hypothesis of dream content or more broadly the when
considering the nature of reality construction and it’s illustration in dreams. It has often been pointed out that dreams are a constructed reality. Waking reality, which can be argued is also constructed, is the most impactful on our lives but there are other constructed realities, which can occur during drug use, illness, hypnosis or meditation. Never before has such a large part of the population been affected so widely by an alternative reality, which in this case, is a technologically constructed alternative reality.
Our research program has focused on video game play because it is the most immersive and interactive of all electronic media as well as often the most time consuming. However, in recent years its become clear that at least young adults spend considerable amounts of time using various electronic media to socialize. The present study looked at social media use as a highly interactive form of media, similar to that of video games. It was predicted that this is a medium that may be capturing more females. This study sought to compare social media and video game use. Previous results from our laboratory, have compared recent computer use, either for gaming or not gaming purposes, and its impacts on subsequent dreams. We found that high-end computer gamers demonstrated more lucid dreams (for females only) and control dreams. Unfortunately in that data collection effort we had no idea what were the types of non-gaming computer use. The purpose of this inquiry is to exam types of nongaming versus gaming electronic media use on recent dream content.
MethodParticipants were primarily undergraduate students recruited for 2% credit in their psychology courses. They were also recruited through online websites for psychology study purposes. All identities were anonymous. This research was conducted through online studies. The first data gathered was on: demographics, video game history, and social media use. The latter two surveys asked in considerable detail about participants media use. This was then followed by the Typical Dreams Questionnaire. Afterwards, participants were asked for a recent dream. These recent dreams, of between 40 and 300 words, were coded using the Hall and Van de Castle coding system (Hall & Van de Castle, 1966). The coding was done by two research assistants who achieved a 93% reliability rate. These coded dreams were then analyzed using Domhoff and Schneider’s DreamSAT spreadsheet. A second set of coders rated the dreams in terms of its threat content and central image intensity with 80% reliability. Participants were compared as a function of gender and gaming or social media use history.
AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank Grant MacEwan University for a grant to support the HVDC coding of the dreams by Arielle Boyes and Sarah Gahr. We would also like to thank Carson Flockhart and Kefer Mathewson for coding these dreams on central imagery and threat simulation.
Jayne Gackenbach, Arielle Boyes and Sarah Gahr
Social Media Use vs Video Game Play: Hall and Van de Castle Content Analysis of Dreams
Results Hall and Van de Castle Coding
Results Hall and Van de Castle Coding
Results for Factor Analysis
It can be seen in Table 1 (Factor 2) that hard core gamer’s dreams were coded as having high dream activity, friends and targets of threat. Part of this factor score of dream activities included high aggression. Thus it can be argued that gamers are dreaming about activities where they are fighting or having confrontation with their friends against others. In Factor 3 role-playing gamers who started gaming at a young age, and who are now general social media users, have a lot less dreams about failure. This does not mean that they dream more about success just that in their dreams they may not be put into situations which require them to overcome an obstacle or achieving a goal. They may have the social support and therefore do not worry about failure or encounter it in their dreams. For the next factor, it can be seen that central imaging intensity is high in dreamers who are high You Tube users and hard core gamers. Images present in their dreams are vivid, powerful and contextualized (Factor 4). Those who play games that are high in presence (i.e., first person shooters, action) are also heavy cell phone users and tend to have more dreams that about success in which they are able to overcome an obstacle to achieve a goal or destination (Factor 5). In Factor 6 the those who play high presence games are also high users of Facebook have low levels of threats present in their dreams with little involvement of themselves. The last factor loading both media and dream variables, shows an association between role playing gamers who do not use a lot of general social media and tend to dream more about good fortune and misfortune. Factors one and seven have no mix of variables therefore they are not being discussed.
The two bar graphs represent the percent incidence of each type of dream content. As there were so few males in the low gaming groups, they are compared to the female HVDC norms. There were equal male and female gamers thus comparisons are made to both norms. In both bar charts * denote no significance.
Discussion In the end our study did helped narrow down specific
areas and types of questions to ask for further research when exploring social media use and gaming’s effect on dreams. With this being achieved there is now room for further studies exploring social media and recent dreams. There are some clear patterns that are appearing that deserve further research to explore exactly what is happening and their correlates.
The study did find the expected results which are as followed. Hard core gamers and low end social media users had higher physical aggression than the norms for the HVDC. A possible explanation for this could be the generation difference of the HVDC norms which were developed in the 1960s when there was less aggressive exposure in media. It is harder to find hard core female gamers because they may be mocked or be deliberate isolated for being female in a very male dominated area. Females seem to be seeking a more passive form of interaction media, such as Facebook and Twitter, which is consistent with childhood play patterns. Females have been shown to be more passively aggressive than males, therefore they may use more social media as a tool for passive aggressive behaviour. However we did not explore the kinds of emotions around their social media use, we just looked at the break down of difference types of uses. Regardless of the level of social media use, hard core gamers users dream more about dead or imaginary characters than in the male and female norms in the HVDC. This is consistent with their self reports of dreams of magic and mythology. This could be due to more exposure in our current popular culture of dead characters, recently with the zombie and vampire crazes. For example Twilight movies, Call of Duty Zombie mode, Zombie Farm and The Walking Dead have become widen popular across generations.
Unfortunately, there was a gender imbalance of five females for every one male in our sample. It was very hard to find high end social media users that are male and hard core female gamers. Also our sample mainly consists of undergraduates. Thus that majority of the participants are in their late teens or twenties so there maybe a lack of variation across generations. We sought out participants outside of the student population, however, it may not have been enough to correct the generation problem. The norms that we are comparing our results to were established in a very different generational era which could make them unrepresentative of the current media saturated young generation. Future possible research should examine hard core female gamers and high end male social media users.
Poster presented at the 2013 meeting of the International Association for the Study of Dreams, Virginia Beach, VA
