1. GCSE Psychology Topic B Is dreaming meaningful?
Comparing dream theories

2. Learning objectives
To learn how to make comparisons between two theories.
To make comparison points between Freud’s theory and activation-synthesis theory.

3. How to compare 2 theories
In you every day life you make comparisons such as deciding what film to watch or what clothes to wear.
In order to do this though you make a list in your mind of why you should choose a particular one.
It is just the same when comparing dream theories. You have to make a list of points about the 2 theories, then compare them to decide which is ‘better’ or which has the most strengths and weaknesses. (You could see it as like a set of scales to
weigh up which one is best)

4. Comparing two theories
How to compare theories:
You can compare two theories using methodology – say how it is similar or different and then what is good (strengths) or bad (weaknesses) about it.
methodology – refers to how psychology works, including how data are gathered. It involves considering ‘how do we know’?

5. Exam question
1) Outline two method differences between Freud’s explanation of dreaming and Hobson and McCarley’s explanation of dreaming.
Use the points you made for homework or look back through your notes or the text book.
See the example of nature vs. nurture on page 69.
2) You should also be able to explain the nature-nurture debate.

6. Comparing using credibility
3) Credibility means... 4) Does Freud’s theory have credibility? Explain. 5) Is Hobson and McCarley’s theory credible? Why/not? 6) If you have time, copy the table comparing the two theories from page 69.