The Psychology of Time Travel

It is easy to underestimate how different people are in other time periods

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xiv

Time travelling would demonstrate to the world I’ve made something of myself

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xv

Time travelling would be its own reward

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xvi

The Conclave succeeds through collective effort

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xvii

The Conclave succeeds through strong leadership

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xviii

By joining the Conclave, I am serving the public

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xix

By joining the Conclave, I have become an important public figure

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xx

When I travel back or forward in time, I feel that the eyes of everyone are on me

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxi

I have enough to do without worrying about people in destination timelines

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxii

I dislike time travelling unless I know I am going to be made welcome on arrival

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxiii

I believe I have much to teach people in other time periods

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxiv

Before time travelling I set myself significant goals

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxv

Time travelling is valuable to me because it gives me autonomy

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxvi

Time travelling disturbs me because I feel less autonomous

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxvii

My way of thinking is unconventional for my own time

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxviii

No matter the time period, I express myself well

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxix

I have a great appreciation for the aesthetic

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxx

At times of frustration I persevere

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxi

My leadership qualities make me an ideal time traveller

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxii

People in other time periods are always happy to follow my lead

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxiii

It would be terrible to have my authority undermined while time travelling

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxiv

I would not return to a time period where I had been humiliated

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxv

I enjoy the time periods most where my social status matches my self-image

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxvi

I enjoy time periods that make me question my assumptions

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxvii

It’s not wise to share secrets while time travelling

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxviii

The first priority in any period is to get important people on your side

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xxxix

I protect my reputation in other time periods by not sharing much about myself

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xl

It is important while time travelling to avoid dangerous situations

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xli

Time travelling offers unrivalled opportunities for revenge

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xlii

Most successful time travellers are moral people

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xliii

I wait for the right time to get back at people

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xliv

Most time travellers don’t work hard unless they’re made to

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xlv

Some people are just superior to others

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



xlvi

I get bored hanging round with ordinary people from my own time

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10



Reference: Joyce, S. (2020). ‘Leadership qualities among time travel recruits’. The Psychology of Time Travel. 60 (3), 14–25.





Dream Symbol Inventory (DSI)

Indicate any symbols which were present in your dreams over the past week.

i

The dreamer confesses to murder and is unharmed by execution

Yes No Don’t recall



ii

The dreamer hears a list of their sins on the radio

Yes No Don’t recall



iii

The dreamer prevents their body from decomposing by reciting radio transmissions

Yes No Don’t recall



iv

Unattended babies are found in a time machine

Yes No Don’t recall



v

Corpses are found in a time machine

Yes No Don’t recall



vi

God is found in a time machine

Yes No Don’t recall



vii

The dreamer’s teeth fall out in a new timeline

Yes No Don’t recall



viii

The dreamer can’t find lavatories in a new timeline

Yes No Don’t recall



ix

The dreamer is suddenly naked in a new timeline

Yes No Don’t recall



x

A time machine takes the dreamer to heaven

Yes No Don’t recall



xi

A time machine takes the dreamer to hell

Yes No Don’t recall



xii

A time machine takes the dreamer to the moon

Yes No Don’t recall



xiii

A time machine takes the dreamer under the sea

Yes No Don’t recall



xiv

A time machine takes the dreamer to the town of their childhood

Yes No Don’t recall



xv

A time machine takes the dreamer to the suburbs

Yes No Don’t recall



xvi

A time machine takes the dreamer to the forests

Yes No Don’t recall



xvii

Doctors cut the dreamer open and find a time machine where their heart should be

Yes No Don’t recall



xviii

Doctors cut the dreamer open and find a time machine where their brain should be

Yes No Don’t recall



xix

Doctors cut the dreamer open and find a time machine where their womb should be

Yes No Don’t recall



xx

Circles appear in the form of rings, wheels, cogs, crowns, suns, eyes, lassos, hoops, etc

Yes No Don’t recall



xxi

Missiles appear in the form of arrows, spears, bullets, cannon balls, grenades and shells

Yes No Don’t recall



xxii

Running water appears in the form of gushing taps, rainfall, canals, rivers and streams

Yes No Don’t recall



xxiii

A time traveller is reformed by falling in love with a body of moving water

Yes No Don’t recall



xxiv

A time traveller is reformed by falling in love with a newly found star

Yes No Don’t recall



xxv

A time traveller is reformed by falling in love with an atroposium explosion

Yes No Don’t recall



xxvi

A time traveller talks to their lover through a hole in the ground

Yes No Don’t recall



xxvii

A time traveller talks to their lover through a hole in the air

Yes No Don’t recall



xxviii

A time traveller talks to their lover through an electric socket

Yes No Don’t recall



xxix

The dreamer uses time machines as shipping containers. Cargo is lost to the past

Yes No Don’t recall



xxx

The dreamer uses time machines as rooms in a mansion. Guests are lost to the past

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxi

The dreamer uses a time machine as a church. The congregation is lost to the past

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxii

The time traveller sees a future city burning with all of its inhabitants

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxiii

The time traveller sees the oceans boiling from the future country’s coasts

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxiv

The time traveller sees earth crack open from one future border to another

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxv

The time traveller sees the future sky glow in neon greens and yellow and pink

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxvi

The time traveller sees the world’s animals perish, two by two

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxvii

The time traveller sees birds fall dead from the sky

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxviii

The time traveller sees buildings flee from cities, dragging foundations behind them

Yes No Don’t recall



xxxix

The time traveller sees a god with eyes likes flames and feet in a burning furnace

Yes No Don’t recall



xl

The time traveller sees a god with seven stars in his right hand

Yes No Don’t recall



xli

The time traveller sees a god with a sharp two edged sword in his mouth

Yes No Don’t recall



xlii

The time traveller sees a door into heaven and a god of jasper

Yes No Don’t recall



xliii

The time traveller sees an emerald throne encircled by a rainbow

Yes No Don’t recall



xliv

The time traveller sees a sea of glass and creatures full of eyes before and behind

Yes No Don’t recall



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