Boundaries of the mind
Boundaries of the mind refers to a postulated personality trait concerning the degree of separateness (“thickness”) or connection (“thinness”) between mental functions and processes. Thin boundaries have been linked with open-mindedness, sensitivity, vulnerability, creativity, and artistic ability. It has been postulated that people with thin boundaries tend to confuse fantasy and reality and have a fluid sense of identity, leading them to merge or lose themselves in their relations with others. People with thick boundaries are said to differentiate clearly between reality and fantasy and between self and other, and tend to prefer well-defined social structures.
The concept was developed by psychoanalyst Ernest Hartmann from his observations of the personality characteristics of frequent nightmare sufferers. The construct has been particularly studied in relation to dream recall and lucid dreaming.
