Dreams Unit 3 Lesson 3
Objectives Discuss various dream theories. Analyze dream symbols.
Warm Up Describe a sleep cycle (stages, brain waves, body changes).
What Is Dreaming? Story-like series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during (REM) sleep.
More About Dreaming Somewhat logical & story-like Duration Secs/Minutes to Hour Somewhat logical & story-like LUCID dreaming- Aware of dreaming; can direct dream
Why Do We Dream? 4 popular ideas…
Cultural Lore Dreams are messages from gods, spirits Native American Prophecy/Omen Native American Dreamcatchers
Activation-Synthesis Dream Theory Dreams are by-products of random neural activity/firing Cortex tries to make sense of activity…but reasoning aspect shut off
Problem Solving Dream Theory Dreams reflect problems we face during waking hours.
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Dream Theory Dreams reflect our unconscious wishes and urges; fantasies. IMAGERY/ Symbols: Manifest Content: images in dream (censored) Latent Content: meaning of dream Discovery Streaming: Great Books- Freud “The Interpretation of Dreams”
Freud’s General Dream Symbols House = Human Flat = man Ornate = woman Kings/Queens = Parents Little Animals = Siblings Water = Birth Travel/Journey = Death Males = things that grow Females = things that open
Freud’s Dream Theory 3 Types of Dreams Satisfaction Impatience Comfort
Dream Analysis Activity Read about Doris and the dream she keeps having…when you’re finished, interpret the meaning of Doris’s dream. Dream interpretation influenced by prior knowledge, expectancies, motivation.
Dream Log For the next week, record your sleep and dream patterns! “I AM going to dream” Pen and paper Scribble, write, draw everything uncensored Complete sheet in spare waking time
Dream Log Interpreting Dreams www.dreammoods.com http://dream.dictionary-dream.info www.thecuriousdreamer.com
Nightmares REM Sleep ~12 per year Causes Anxiety, depression, mental stress Fears and active imaginations Traumatic events Drugs, medication Fever, illness
Random Dream Facts Dream time = Real time 3-5 dreams per night Blind people dream After 7, some visual images Problems? Dream longer. Most inside, involve motion Infer babies dream (images) People dream in color Animals dream Dream recall increases following traumatic experiences Psychic or precognitive dreams are common Lincoln, Twain Drugs influence dreams Often acquitted of criminal acts There are few non-dreamers, just non-recallers Kenneth Parks, a 23-year-old Toronto man with a wife and infant daughter, was suffering from severe insomnia caused by joblessness and gambling debts. Early in the morning of May 23, 1987 he arose, got in his car and drove 23 kilometers to his in-laws' home. He stabbed to death his mother-in-law and also assaulted his father in law, who survived the attack. He then drove to the police and said "I think I have killed some people . . . my hands," only then realizing he had severely cut his own hands. Under police arrest he was taken to the hospital where he underwent repair of several flexor tendons of both hands. Because he could not remember anything about the murder and assault, had no motive for the crime whatsoever, and did have a history of sleepwalking, he was found not guilty of murder, because he had committed the crime in the state of somnambulic dream. Specialists say that sleep-walkers cannot be held responsible for their actions, because they do not realize what they do. Part of being found guilty is intent…can’t prove intent if not aware (conscious) of activity taking place…but often must prove history of disorder, not just one time defense (EX: man in GA assaulted babysitter of kids, said he was sleepwalking but he had some memory of event, wouldn’t have any recollection if really sleepwalking)