Post on 28-Dec-2015
DREAMS, DREAMS, DREAMS, DREAMS, DREAMS OH WHAT D0 DREAMS OH WHAT D0
THEY MEAN???THEY MEAN???
DEPENDS ON WHO YOU DEPENDS ON WHO YOU ASK….ASK….
DREAM THEORIESDREAM THEORIES
Information-ProcessingInformation-Processing
Dreams sift, sort and fix the Dreams sift, sort and fix the day’s experiences into memoryday’s experiences into memory
REM sleep facilitates memoryREM sleep facilitates memoryConsolidates the day’s important Consolidates the day’s important
memories for further storagememories for further storage
EvidenceEvidence
People who get more REM sleep People who get more REM sleep have higher scores on memory have higher scores on memory
examsexams
Physiological TheoryPhysiological Theory
Dreams provide the sleeping brain with Dreams provide the sleeping brain with periodic stimulation that helps preserve periodic stimulation that helps preserve brain’s neural pathwaysbrain’s neural pathways
EvidenceEvidence- - Infants spend more time in Infants spend more time in REM sleep than older peopleREM sleep than older people
Cognitive TheoryCognitive Theory
Dreams are a natural part of brain Dreams are a natural part of brain maturation and developmentmaturation and development
They draw on our working concepts and They draw on our working concepts and knowledgeknowledge
EvidenceEvidence- - The dreams of small children The dreams of small children are more like a slide show…not the active are more like a slide show…not the active participants they will becomeparticipants they will become
Problem Solving TheoryProblem Solving Theory
Cartwright is the theoristCartwright is the theoristDreams are the continuity of Dreams are the continuity of
waking thought but in dreams you waking thought but in dreams you are not constrained by logic or are not constrained by logic or realism like you are when you are realism like you are when you are awakeawake
Thus the idea of, “I’ll sleep on it.”Thus the idea of, “I’ll sleep on it.”
EvidenceEvidence
People self-report that they solve People self-report that they solve problems in their dreamsproblems in their dreams
SIGMUND FREUDSIGMUND FREUD
Manifest Content: The story line of Manifest Content: The story line of the dreamthe dream
Latent Content: The hidden meaning Latent Content: The hidden meaning (symbols) within the dream (This is (symbols) within the dream (This is what Freud was really interested in)what Freud was really interested in)
Dreams are key to understanding Dreams are key to understanding inner-conflictinner-conflict
FREUDFREUD
Carl Jung: Freud’s student picked up Carl Jung: Freud’s student picked up and expanded where Freud left offand expanded where Freud left off
Least scientific of the theoriesLeast scientific of the theories Freud studied only housewives from Freud studied only housewives from
ViennaVienna Jung believed that you could Jung believed that you could
“decode” your dreams“decode” your dreams
EvidenceEvidence
There is no scientific evidence for this There is no scientific evidence for this theorytheory
Activation-Synthesis TheoryActivation-Synthesis Theory
Dreams are a product of activity from pons Dreams are a product of activity from pons and/or brainstem)and/or brainstem)
Cerebral Cortex attempts to make sense Cerebral Cortex attempts to make sense of neuron firings by creating a story of neuron firings by creating a story
Limbic system increase frontal lobe Limbic system increase frontal lobe decreasedecrease
DREAMS HAVE NO MEANING!DREAMS HAVE NO MEANING!
EvidenceEvidence
PET scans and other imaging techniques PET scans and other imaging techniques provide evidence for this.provide evidence for this.