Emotional selection
Encyclopedia
Emotional Selection is a psychological theory of dreaming
introduced in 2008 by Richard Coutts and refined in 2010.
Emotional selection describes a process that executes a set of dreams
during non-REM sleep with content that is tentatively accommodated by mental schemas
. Because schemas
coexist as a network, accommodations can introduce accidental, maladaptive conflicts and therefore are ideally tested prior to full integration. Consequently, during subsequent REM sleep a second set of dreams
is executed in the form of test scenarios
. If schema
accommodations performed during prior non-REM dreams
alleviate anxiety, frustration, sadness, or in other ways appear emotionally adaptive during REM dream tests, they would be selected
for retention. Those accommodations that compare negatively to existing, unchanged schemas
would be abandoned or further modified and tested.
Jean Piaget
described schemas
as being riddled with conflict, which is why Coutts asserts that they are modified and tested with dreams during sleep. From his paper, "People strive for independence, yet find solace in the company of others; they place a high priority on our personal safety, yet quickly jeopardize it to help those in need; they are sexually attracted to many people, yet seek loving, monogamous relationships. Schemas
help strike the balances necessary for navigating the complex, often contradictory landscape that comprises life."
The schemas
targeted by emotional selection are those essential for meeting human needs
. Consequently, emotional selection theory agrees with evolutionary
forces by describing a role for dreams
as adaptively enhancing mental schemas
.
The theory of dreams selecting adaptive mental schemas can be considered
a special case of the survival value of emotional communication in
general. The german philosopher Ferdinand Fellmann
proposed in 2009
emotional selection as a third form of evolutionary selection besides
natural and sexual selection. Loving, monogamous pair-bonding seems to
be the favoured field where sexual selection is being transformed in
emotional selection specific for human courtship and mating.
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
introduced in 2008 by Richard Coutts and refined in 2010.
Emotional selection describes a process that executes a set of dreams
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
during non-REM sleep with content that is tentatively accommodated by mental schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
. Because schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
coexist as a network, accommodations can introduce accidental, maladaptive conflicts and therefore are ideally tested prior to full integration. Consequently, during subsequent REM sleep a second set of dreams
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
is executed in the form of test scenarios
Scenario testing
Scenario testing is a software testing activity that uses scenarios: hypothetical stories to help the tester work through a complex problem or test system. The ideal scenario test is a credible, complex, compelling or motivating story the outcome of which is easy to evaluate...
. If schema
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
accommodations performed during prior non-REM dreams
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
alleviate anxiety, frustration, sadness, or in other ways appear emotionally adaptive during REM dream tests, they would be selected
Selection
In the context of evolution, certain traits or alleles of genes segregating within a population may be subject to selection. Under selection, individuals with advantageous or "adaptive" traits tend to be more successful than their peers reproductively—meaning they contribute more offspring to the...
for retention. Those accommodations that compare negatively to existing, unchanged schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
would be abandoned or further modified and tested.
Jean Piaget
Jean Piaget
Jean Piaget was a French-speaking Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children. His theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called "genetic epistemology"....
described schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
as being riddled with conflict, which is why Coutts asserts that they are modified and tested with dreams during sleep. From his paper, "People strive for independence, yet find solace in the company of others; they place a high priority on our personal safety, yet quickly jeopardize it to help those in need; they are sexually attracted to many people, yet seek loving, monogamous relationships. Schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
help strike the balances necessary for navigating the complex, often contradictory landscape that comprises life."
The schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
targeted by emotional selection are those essential for meeting human needs
Maslow's hierarchy of needs
Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology, proposed by Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation. Maslow subsequently extended the idea to include his observations of humans' innate curiosity...
. Consequently, emotional selection theory agrees with evolutionary
Evolution
Evolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
forces by describing a role for dreams
Dream
Dreams are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. The content and purpose of dreams are not definitively understood, though they have been a topic of scientific speculation, philosophical intrigue and religious...
as adaptively enhancing mental schemas
Schema (psychology)
A schema , in psychology and cognitive science, describes any of several concepts including:* An organized pattern of thought or behavior.* A structured cluster of pre-conceived ideas....
.
The theory of dreams selecting adaptive mental schemas can be considered
a special case of the survival value of emotional communication in
general. The german philosopher Ferdinand Fellmann
Ferdinand Fellmann
-Life:Ferdinand Fellmann is a German philosopher. After the expulsion of his family in 1946 out of Hirschberg Fellmann grew up in Hameln/Weser...
proposed in 2009
emotional selection as a third form of evolutionary selection besides
natural and sexual selection. Loving, monogamous pair-bonding seems to
be the favoured field where sexual selection is being transformed in
emotional selection specific for human courtship and mating.