Unconscious Cathexis of Dream Symbols as Measured by the Kahn Test of Symbol Arrangement

Abstract

This study measured unconscious cathexis and conscious association with dream content, using the Kahn Test of Symbol Arrangement (KTSA), with subjects reporting recurring, past-recurring, and nonrecurring dreams. Unconscious cathexis of dream content was noted for recurring dreamers; conscious association with dream content was not. The results suggest that the KTSA is a valuable instrument for the empirical study of unconscious processes and that the contents of recurring dreams are particularly salient in a dreamer's unconscious.