Psychology: Dreaming. by Janice Fung

DREAMINGChapter 7 (page 85)

HAVE YOU HAD ANY STRANGE DREAMS LATELY?

5 minutes

DOES EVERYBODY DREAM?

On average, people dream 4-5 times per night.

Over 95% dreams are forgotten.

Low dream recallers vs. High dream recallers.

• Low dream recallers tend to wake up slowly and experience, on waking, more electrical shifts of activity between brain hemispheres.

WHEN DO DREAMS OCCUR?

Anytime during sleep.• 90% during rapid eye movement (REM)

sleep.

Throughout sleep, we shift between non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM sleep.

Cycle is average 90 minutes.• The amount of time spent in REM sleep

increases as the time spent sleeping increases.

REM SLEEP

SLEEP CYCLE

NREM SLEEP

SLEEP CYCLE

WHY DO WE DREAM?

• Spiritual guidance?• Can dreams transform our life

and guide us to greater wholeness and well-being?

• What do you think?

DO DREAMS HAVE MEANING?

Psychoanalytic dream theory – Sigmund Freud

• Yes, dreams have meaning.

The problem-solving theory• Dreams have meaning but don’t need to be

analysed

Activation-Synthesis theory – Hobson and McCarley

• No, dreams do not have meaning.

PSYCHOANALYTICDREAM THEORY

Sigmund Frued

“I’M NAKED!”

Vulnerability or feelings of shamefulness. Hiding something and are afraid that others can see right through you.

Proud of your nakedness = Symbolizes unrestricted freedom.

http://dreammoods.com

“I’M BEING CHASED!”

Dealing with fears and anxieties.

Feelings of anger, jealousy, fear, and possibly love.

If you are the one doing the chasing

= Drive and ambition.

“MY TEETH ARE FALLING!”

Anxieties about your appearance and how others perceive you.

Fear of being embarrassed or making a fool of yourself in some situation.

“I’M FLYING!”

Flying with ease = You are on top of a situation.

Having difficulties staying in flight = lack of power in controlling your own circumstances.

Fear of flying = Afraid of challenges and success.

“I’M FALLING!”

Insecure, unstable, anxious about something.

“I FAILED THE TEST.”

You are being judged.

Anxiety or agitation.

Lack of self-esteem.

Unprepared for a challenge.

PROBLEM-SOLVING THEORY

Cartwright et. al. (1998)

ACTIVATION –SYNTHESIS THEORY

Hobson & McCarley

OTHER FORMS OF DREAMING

Lucid dreams• You can train yourself to be aware of when

you are dreaming and to take control of your dreams.

Daydreams• Normal state of consciousness (not asleep).• Pay attention to our own thoughts and ignore

the external world.• Usually positive.• 1/3 to 1/2 of our waking life daydreaming.

SLEEP LABORATORIESResearch in sleep laboratories monitor brainwave activity and other physiological processes.

Participants can be woken and asked to recall dreams before they forget them.

Data can be matched up with how the participant was feeling before going to sleep and with physiological recordings.

Limitations?

ASSIGNMENTREM & NREM sleep

Psychoanalytic dream theory

Activation-synthesis theory

Problem-solving theory

Lucid dreams and daydreams

Research on your group topic and present a 5-minute documentary!