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A study led by researchers at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca found that dreams are not simply random collections of images and thoughts. Instead, they appear to be shaped by both individual differences and shared experiences, including major social disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thousands of Dream Reports Reveal Hidden Patterns

The research, published in Communications Psychology, examined more than 3,700 descriptions of dreams and waking experiences from 287 people between the ages of 18 and 70.

For two weeks, participants recorded their dreams and daily experiences. The researchers also collected information about each person's sleeping habits, personality, cognitive abilities, and psychological characteristics.

This broad set of information allowed the team to compare what people experienced while awake with the stories, settings, and emotions that appeared in their dreams.

How AI Helped Scientists Study Dreams

To analyze such a large number of written reports, the researchers used natural language processing (NLP), a form of artificial intelligence that examines patterns, relationships, and meaning in language.

Rather than relying only on researchers to read and interpret every dream individually, the technology allowed the team to measure the semantic structure of the reports. Semantic structure refers to how ideas, words, and concepts are connected within a piece of language.

The results showed that dream content was neither completely random nor inherently chaotic. Instead, dreams reflected a complex mixture of personal characteristics, including a tendency to mind-wander, an interest in dreams, and the quality of a person's sleep. Events occurring in the broader world also influenced what people dreamed about.

Dreams Do Not Simply Replay the Day

When the researchers compared participants' descriptions of waking life with their dream reports, they found that the brain did not appear to reproduce daily experiences exactly as they happened.

Instead, familiar details were transformed.

A workplace, hospital, classroom, or other everyday setting might appear in a dream, but it would often be combined with unrelated places, shifting viewpoints, or unfamiliar surroundings. Different parts of a person's life could merge into a single vivid scene.

These findings suggest that dreaming is not a simple replay system. The sleeping mind appears to reorganize pieces of reality, combining memories with imagination, expectations, and possible future experiences.

The result can be a completely new scenario that feels immersive, emotionally intense, or surreal.

Personality May Influence Dream Vividness

The way dreams were transformed also differed from person to person.

People who were more likely to experience mind-wandering while awake tended to report dreams that changed quickly and felt more fragmented. Their dreams often moved rapidly between scenes, ideas, or perspectives.

By contrast, participants who placed greater value on dreams and believed that dreaming had personal meaning tended to describe richer and more immersive experiences. Their dream reports contained stronger perceptual detail, making the scenes feel more vivid and lifelike.

The findings do not necessarily show that believing in dreams directly causes more vivid dreaming. However, they reveal a strong relationship between how people think about dreams and how they experience or remember them.

The Pandemic Left a Mark on Dreams

The researchers also examined dream reports collected during the COVID-19 lockdown by scientists at Sapienza University of Rome. They compared those reports with data gathered in later months and years by the IMT School team.

During the lockdown, dreams contained stronger emotions and more references to restrictions, barriers, confinement, and other limitations. These themes reflected the conditions people were experiencing in daily life.

As the months passed, those patterns became less pronounced. This gradual change suggests that dreams may evolve alongside psychological adjustment, particularly as people adapt to stressful or disruptive events.

In other words, dreams may provide clues about how the mind responds to major changes over time.

"Our findings show that dreams are not just a reflection of past experiences, but a dynamic process shaped by who we are and what we live through," explains Valentina Elce, researcher at the IMT School and lead author of the paper. "By combining large-scale data with computational methods, we were able to uncover patterns in dream content that were previously difficult to detect."

A New Tool for Studying the Sleeping Mind

The study also demonstrates how artificial intelligence could change dream research.

The NLP models were able to identify meaning and structure in dream reports with an accuracy similar to that of independent human evaluators. This suggests that computational tools may allow scientists to analyze much larger collections of dreams in a consistent and repeatable way.

That could create new opportunities for studying consciousness, memory, emotional processing, and mental health.

Because dreams are highly personal and often difficult to describe, they have traditionally been challenging to investigate on a large scale. AI-based language analysis may help researchers uncover patterns that would otherwise remain hidden.

This work was supported by a grant from the BIAL Foundation (#091/2020) and by the TweakDreams ERC Starting Grant (#948891). The research was conducted at the IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca, in collaboration with researchers from Sapienza University of Rome and the University of Camerino. %!s()

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Erin McGoff. It has been edited for length and clarity.

I've always been the friend whom people turn to for career advice. As a freelance film editor, I had to network my way into a super competitive industry. That meant I acquired a lot of experience in being hired and hiring others to work with me.

During the pandemic, my documentary film work came to a screeching halt. Like many people, I downloaded TikTok, and one day, on a whim, I decided to make a video with career advice. I focused on the most dreaded interview question — "Tell me about yourself." I gave interviewees simple advice: give one sentence about your past, one about your present, and one about your future.

When I woke up the next day, the video had tons of views, and I was flooded with messages. I was terrified; I didn't want to be an influencer. It was hard enough being a young woman in film, and I thought people would take me less seriously if I was on social media a lot. So, I deleted the app.

I liked that social media let me reach my audience directly

Around that time, I got a contract with National Geographic to help launch their TikTok. I was also feeling jaded with the film industry. I was sick of begging for permission to tell the stories I wanted to tell.

I started seeing TikTok as a way to reach my audience directly and do something good. My goal with film has always been to make the world a better place. I realized that documentary filmmaking is a really difficult way to do that, but social media was much more immediate.

So, in 2022, I left National Geographic and began making TikTok my full-time focus. I was able to do that in part because of the financial security of having a husband with a job. From the start, I treated social media like a business, and I've been successful because of it.

Research and real-world experience with jobs don't always line up

Today, my audience is mostly women, ages 18 to 40. I give them advice on everything from answering interview questions to dealing with a toxic boss to telling your employer you're pregnant. That one is appropriate, since I'm expecting my first baby.

I spend hours researching job trends, but I also hear directly from my audience, who are constantly messaging me. Because of that, I feel like I really have my pulse on the job market: what the data says, and what people are really experiencing. Sometimes those things line up, but sometimes they don't.

Include AI on your résumé and update LinkedIn

Right now, many people are having a hard time getting hired. There's a lot of uncertainty in global markets and AI, so companies are being extra cautious about filling roles. This is compounded by our broken hiring system: AI-generated résumés mean employers are inundated, and there's little way to differentiate between candidates.

While AI has some negative impacts, I think it's key that people looking for jobs embrace it. I recommend listing your AI skills on your résumé, the way people used to list Microsoft Word on their résumés. It's a value signal, showing companies that you're willing to use AI to help them get more work done.

LinkedIn is also really important right now. Hiring managers are turning there to confirm that their applicants are real people — so definitely update your LinkedIn.

More people are interested in self-employment

Despite giving career advice, I often joke that if you spend enough time with me, I'll convince you to quit your job. There's a lot of power in being self-employed, and I believe the most stable job is working for yourself. That's why I've intentionally set up my career this way.

I'm seeing moms, in particular, searching for remote, hyper-flexible jobs. Throughout history, mothers have always been the most tenacious, adaptable businesspeople. I think AI might be the best thing that's ever happened to moms, because it will broaden self-employment options. Of course, being self-employed isn't for everyone, and that's fine too.

Whether you want to work for yourself or someone else, stay positive about your career. There's a bit of a doom loop happening with hiring right now. I understand that, because we're in the sticky middle with AI, it doesn't work particularly well yet, but it's still affecting our jobs.

And yet, if you get off social media and into the real world—including your professional network—you'll find opportunities are still available.

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Kelly Burch

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Kelly Burch has been writing about personal finance for more than a decade.She's particularly interested in how finances impact the most intimate parts of a person’s life, from educational and reproductive choices to love, immigration, or estate planning. Kelly has written about these topics personally and explored them with experts, including entrepreneurs, multi-millionaires, financial planners, and more.Kelly is a first-generation college graduate and homeowner who integrates her personal experience creating financial stability into her reporting. She’s a career journalist, with work appearing in “The Washington Post,” “The Chicago Tribune,” “Boston Magazine” and more.Kelly lives in rural New Hampshire with her husband, two children, and two dogs. When she’s not behind her desk, she can be found getting lost in the mountains and lakes around her home.Follow her on Facebook or Twitter, or learn more here.   

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ForbesSony Reon Pocket Pro Plus Air Conditioner Arrives In U.S. To Beat Summer HeatwavesBy David Phelan

Ring describes the new camera as offering “renter-friendly installation,” because it slides into the space the optical peephole was using and it does not require any drilling to be put in place. If you’re renting, this could be a boon. A landlord who said no to a more destructive fixture may be agreeable to this — though you should still ask permission first, obviously.

Ring Peephole Cam 2K: Compatibility

The new video doorbell is compatible only with standard-size peepholes 0.47 in to 0.55 in (12 mm to 14 mm) in diameter and door thickness ranging from ~1.28 in to ~2.36 in (32.5 mm to 60 mm).

It’s important to note that it replaces your existing peephole.

One of the reasons it’s possible to install it yourself is that it’s battery-powered. Conveniently, the quick-release battery pack sits on the inside of the door.

MORE FOR YOU

Ring Peephole Cam 2K: Camera And Motion Detection

The 2K resolution sensor means the video is pin-sharp and the wedge-shaped design angles the camera to reach from head to toe, meaning it should also be able to see parcels left on the ground.

Your smartphone receives a notification if anything suspicious is spotted, or if the doorbell is rung, obviously. Like other Ring doorbell models, a microphone and speaker mean you can talk directly to your visitor.

If you have an Amazon Echo Show, the video will also show up on that device’s screen.

Ring Peephole Cam 2K: Pricing And Release Date

The just-announced doorbell is open to pre-orders now from amazon.com and is available from Aug. 19. It comes in three colors. Speckled Gray costs $99.99 but Matte Mocha and Speckled White are $114.98 each. Note that to get the most out of Ring’s cameras, you need to subscribe to a Ring Protect Plan. These cost from $4.99 a month and give you up to 180 days of video playback, among other benefits.

Ring’s doorbells are widely popular but this new model adds to the brand’s versatility, not least because previous peephole versions have had much lower-resolution cameras.

Of course, the camera is suitable for any door with a compatible peephole, not just for apartments. %!s()

Brandon Sanderson is almost finished writing the screenplay for his Mistborn film, the first adaptation of the prolific fantasy writer’s work that will be released as part of a mega-deal he signed with Apple in January. That partnership includes his entire Cosmere shared universe, with his Stormlight Archive series becoming a TV show.

While these projects are still a ways off, another way to experience Sanderson’s rich world is expected to release next year. Stormlight: War for Roshar, an epic asymmetric board game from Mystic Vale designer John D. Clair, is heading to Kickstarter this fall. Players will be able to control heroes and villains from the series, including Dalinar, Kaladin, Raboniel and Taravangian, as they play out the fight between the Knights Radiant and Odium’s forces. The game is published by Brotherwise Games, whose previous adaptations of Sanderson’s work include Mistborn: The Deckbuilding Game and The Cosmere Roleplaying Game.

“War for Roshar captures the scale of action of the books perfectly,” Brotherwise CEO Chris O’Neal said in a statement. “John has designed a game that lets you take heroic actions with the main characters of the books while at the same time influencing the strategic state of the board with armies and diplomacy.”

Image: Brotherwise Games

War for Roshar can be played one-on-one, in teams of two, or three versus one. Games span eight rounds divided by the movements of the Everstorm and Highstorm — weather events aligned with one of the two factions. Players will have to divide their focus between upgrading their leaders, deploying units, recruiting neutral allies, fighting over territory, and playing powerful action cards. You’ll fight to control Oathgates, which are capable of deploying armies across the world of Roshar, while also trying to achieve secondary objectives. Beyond appealing to Sanderson fans, the game is designed to offer the same level of complex strategy as Star Wars: Rebellion or the Lord of the Rings board game War of the Ring.

The Kickstarter campaign will include the base game, deluxe components, and a Champions mini-expansion. Brotherwise will also be selling miniatures based on Mistborn and the Stormlight Archive for the Cosmere TTRPG. %!s()

"Democratic systems rely heavily on compromise, negotiation and coalition building, and moderates are often seen as the 'glue' that helps bridge ideological divides," said lead researcher Giulia Maimone, Ph.D., a postdoctoral scholar in marketing at the University of Florida. "If moderates are rejected by both sides, compromise itself may begin to look suspicious or disloyal."

The study included five online experiments with more than 3,200 participants in the United States. Participants were asked about the strength of their liberal or conservative beliefs on politically divisive issues, including abortion, Israel and Palestine, and voting choices for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

In one experiment, participants were asked to consider moderate policies that allowed abortions during the first trimester of pregnancy. Both pro-life and pro-choice participants viewed the moderate policies as supporting the opposing side.

In another experiment, conducted five days before the 2024 presidential election, participants were asked to consider the beliefs of a hypothetical individual who equally supported both Trump and Harris.

Participants also were asked whether they considered voting for one candidate over the other to be a moral issue and whether they would feel threatened personally, whether someone they knew would be threatened or whether society at large would be threatened if the opposing party's candidate was elected.

When the middle looks suspect

Across the experiments, participants viewed moderate policies or beliefs as supporting the opposing side, especially when they held more extreme political beliefs, felt threatened by the opposing side and viewed political issues through a moral lens. This "moderate as out-group effect" is driven by perceptions that moderates fail to repudiate or condemn the opposing side, Maimone said.

"Our findings suggest that polarization can become self-perpetuating because distrust spreads not only toward extremists on opposing sides but also toward people attempting to bridge divides in the middle," Maimone said.

Pressure to choose a camp

Another danger of viewing moderates as belonging to the opposing side is that they may realize they are rejected by all sides and become incentivized to pick a side, further deepening polarization. However, there is still some hope for reducing polarization and rebuilding the middle ground, Maimone said.

"Reducing the moralized language around some political debates and not demonizing political opponents so they seem less threatening could help make political cooperation feel more socially acceptable," Maimone said.

"Over time, this may help create the conditions for real dialogue across political parties where nuance and compromise are valued rather than punished, potentially reducing polarization."

Publication details

Giulia Maimone, et al. Whoever Is Not With Me Is Against Me: The 'Moderate as Out-Group' Effect, Journal of Experimental Psychology (2026). DOI: 10.1037/xge0001957

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Robert Egan

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Citation: Political moderates may be perceived as disloyal by both sides (2026, July 27) retrieved 27 July 2026 from https://phys.org/news/2026-07-political-moderates-disloyal-sides.html

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