Dreams

Agenda 1. Crash Course Sleep and Dreams (10) 2. Dreams Lecture (20) 3. What do we dream Survey? (10) 4. Dreams vs. Nightmares? Is there a difference? The stats and Discuss 5. What do Dreams Mean? Discussion (10) 6. Dream Rubric (5) 7. Questions, Review?

Why do you think we dream?

Definition of Dreams A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind.

Nature of Dreams 8 of 10 dreams have negative emotional content People commonly dream about failure, being attacked, pursued, rejected, or struck with misfortune. Contrary to what we think sexual dreams are sparse. Sexual dreams in men are 1 in 10 and women are 1 in 30.

Awakened and questioned during REM, recall of dreams is enhanced. Many are mundane.

Sigmund Freud and Dreams Known for this theory of dreaming Freud said dreams allow us to express our unconscious wishes in a disguised way

The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) Psychoanalytic perspective Dreams help understand inner conflicts and provide a psychic safety valve to discharge unacceptable feelings.

There are two types of content in dreams Manifest Content – remembered story line Latent Content – underlying message or symbolic meanings

Why Do We Dream? Freud’s wish fulfillment Information processing – help us sift, sort, and fix the day’s experiences in our memory

3. Physiological function – provides sleeping brain w/ periodic stimulation to develop and preserve neural pathways. Neural networks are quickly developing in newborns. Therefore, they need more sleep.

Activation synthesis – brain engages in a lot of random neural activity and dreams make sense of this activity Cognitive development – we dream as a part of brain maturation and cognitive development; Crick & McCarley – “housekeeping” time

Critics of dream theories: 1) Freud’s theory lacks scientific support; can interpret dreams in different ways. 2) Information processing doesn’t explain why we dream about things we have not experienced.

REM Rebound – when get little sleep one night you spend more time next night in REM sleep; proves that REM sleep is needed REM sleep is when dreams occur

Five Characteristic Features of Dreaming by Hobson Emotion so intense may end the dream. Content of dream is illogical or unorganized. Contains complex sensory impressions

Five Characteristic Features of Dreaming by Hobson 4. Accept dreams uncritically as they were everyday experiences 5. Most have difficulty remembering dreams when over

Theories on daydreaming Freud believes only unhappy people daydream Jerome Singer – occasional daydreaming is universal

Research on Daydreaming Begin in early childhood Provides escape from stress or boredom Alter our moods and enhance sexual excitement A mental rehearsal to important events May be motivational

Closure Tell your partner about a weird dream you have had and what do you think it meant?