Dreams Why do we dream?

Freudian The brain acts out unconscious wishes, desires and fears that our conscious mind can’t deal with. We do not see these things directly. Rather, they are given to use in a kind of code. You show up to school and there is a test you didn’t know about. What might this mean? A woman dreams of loosing a tooth? What might this mean?

Information Processing Brain = computer Dreams sift, sort and fix the days experiences in our memory. Our brain is repairing and organizing itself while we sleep. Do your dreams usually relate somehow to memories?

Physiological Function The brain is bored and creates stimulation for itself in order to stay in shape. Dreams provide the brain with this stimulation to help keep it active. Why can’t the brain just chill and turn off for a bit?

Activation Synthesis The brain is still receiving information as we sleep from many sources. Dreams are the brains attempt to make sense of this information. Where is the information coming from?

Which do you agree with? Discuss. What do you think the purpose is in dreaming? A) The brain organizes material from the day for storage. B) The brain acts out unconscious wishes, desires and fears that our conscious mind can’t deal with C) The brain is bored and creates stimulation for itself in order to stay in shape. D) The brain is still getting sensory information (sound, smells, nervous system, etc.) and is trying to make sense of it.

Dream 1 I had a dream in which I had a party at my house but I couldn’t attend it because I was in the kitchen the whole time cleaning. Every time I thought I was done, something else needed to be cleaned. I then had to start cooking food that people had requested. People came in to the kitchen expecting a buffet laid out, saying they had purchased tickets for it, and wanted it to be ready.

Dream 2 There is an old castle with a central courtyard. I am three storeys high on an external stone landing that runs around the outside of the building. I am running away from a man who is following me. Part of the pathway ahead of me has collapsed. There are some stones lying around. I am trying to make my way past the broken part of the landing by walking close to the building.

Dream 3 It begins with me waking up to find my house on fire. I feel an urgency to warn my parents and family, but when I go into their rooms I find them gone. I search the house but find no sign of anyone. I run outside to find my whole block burning, but once again no one is there and after I stand there for a little bit I go onto another street and once again find it burning and abandoned. That is the last thing I remember before I wake up.

Dream 4 A coworker had a dream in which she was 36 years old, was married to her now fiancé whom she lives with, but in the dream he looked like Johnny Depp. They lived on a ranch with ranch hands and the setting was in the early 1900′s. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other and were totally in love. She was doing laundry and he would come up behind her and caress her. She was admired and envied by all. She had a miniature show horse who was 13 years old and had never won before, but was supposed to win some kind of contest this time.

Dream 5 I had a dream in which I went down a riverbed of rocks on a mountain with some other people following. We ended up at a hotel which was really scary looking. There were barbie dolls and barbie clothes strewn all over on the ground. The "host" came out to greet us and picked three of us to play a game. I was one of them. I was supposed to walk around and select a mate for myself. I couldn’t do it because everyone was too weird. We all slept in the hotel lobby in bunkbeds.

Dream 6 I had a dream in which an ex-boyfriend of mine was reunited with about 8 different ex-girlfriends of his, including me. He had to kiss each one of us and tell us what he liked about us. He told me I was "the most honest, believable, loving one" and picked me to reunite with.

Dream 7 I had a dream in which people were trying to kill me. They were breaking into my apartment in groups and ambushing me and my friends. I was hiding in a closet under some blankets with my baby wrapped up and hidden. People found me and were trying to get me, so I started throwing tv sets at them as they each entered the room.