Exploring the dream World

Objectives: the student will=

• Analyze Freud’s dream theories• Compare and contrast dream theories such as

information processing model and Activation synthesis theory

Dreams

• Almost everyone dreams; usually people that say they don’t, when woke up, in REM sleep, they do

• However Not everyone dreams; possible brain injury

• Lucid dreams- where they know your dreaming and feel as if your conscious (can control)

Dreams as Unconscious wishes= Dream analysis

• Freud- PSYCHOANALYSIS- The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) two types of dreams=

• First- Guard sleep by distinguishing disruptive thoughts with symbols

• Second- source of wish fulfillment• First reveals psychic tensions• Second Gives pleasure• Every dream is meaningful

Dreams as unconscious wishes

Freud concluded that dreams might provide insight into our unconscious.

Manifest content includes aspects of the dream we consciously experience. Latent content includes unconscious wishes and thoughts symbolized in the dream.

To understand a dream we must distinguish manifest from latent content.

Not everything in dreams is symbolic.

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Freud’s terms

• Manifest content- Dream’s story line• Latent content- Symbolic meaning (supposed)• M.C. looks for clues to unconscious-

motivations• L.C. No solid scientific evidence to support

Freud

Day dreams

• Attention turns inward to memories, expectations and desires- Often with vivid imagery

• Occurs when relaxed, alone, engaged in boarding task

• Young adults do it the most• Goals, interpersonal relationships, classes all

normal

Dreams as efforts to deal with problems

• Conscious problems in real life; relationship, work, sex• Information processing dream theory- symbols convey

message• Women in water, swimming with child on back,

husband supposed to take picture. What does it mean?• Current concerns, college dreams, can’t find class for

test, wrong test• Traumatic concerns also effect dreams; war zone• STRESS DURING THE DAY EFFECTS DREAMS

Dreams as efforts to deal with problems

Dreams may reflect ongoing conscious issues such as concerns over relationships, work, sex, or health.

Dreams are more likely to contain material related to a person’s current concerns than chance would predict.Example: college students and testing

Males and females appear to dream about similar issues now that lives and concerns of the two sexes have become more similar.

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Dreams as thinking

• - current concerns but no answers • Brain is doing same work as when awake• Cerebral cortex, perception, highly active• But cut off from world so no feedback

Dreams as thinking

Dreams are the same kind of activity that the waking brain does—but cut off from external stimulation.

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Dreams as Interpreted Brain Activity

• Usually dream about last experience of the day in first REM cycle

• REM sleep helps us remember• Activation synthesis theory- dreams make

sense of spontaneous bursts of activity• Lower part of the brain-PONS• Neurons control movement gaze, balance

posture

Dreams as interpreted brain activity

Activation-synthesis theoryDreaming results from the cortical synthesis and interpretation of neural signals triggered by activity in the lower part of the brain.

At the same time, brain regions that handle logical thought and sensation from the external world are shut down.

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Evaluating Dream Theories

• Each account has merit and drawbacks• Freud, more coherent than ramblings but

traditional psychoanalysis far fetched• Solving problems, clear related to work and

life But can you solve problems in sleep• A.C.T.- not all bizarre, some dreams goes on

outside REM sleep

Summaries

• Freud; manifest, latent • Other theories