DREAMSDREAMS

Freud’s Dream TheoryFreud’s Dream Theory• Believed that dreams Believed that dreams

allow people to allow people to express unconscious express unconscious wishes they find wishes they find unacceptable in real unacceptable in real lifelife

• Freud drew a Freud drew a distinction distinction between the between the manifest content manifest content and the latent and the latent content of dreamscontent of dreams

Activation-Synthesis TheoryActivation-Synthesis Theory• Proposes that neurons in the brain Proposes that neurons in the brain

randomly activate during REM sleeprandomly activate during REM sleep• According to this theory, dreams are According to this theory, dreams are

basically brain sparksbasically brain sparks

Problem-Solving DreamsProblem-Solving Dreams• Some researchers think that dreams Some researchers think that dreams

express people’s most pressing express people’s most pressing concerns and might help solve concerns and might help solve problems in day-to-day lifeproblems in day-to-day life

Neural HousekeepingNeural Housekeeping• Some theories argue that Some theories argue that

dreams arise during the dreams arise during the brain’s routine housekeeping brain’s routine housekeeping functions, such as eliminating functions, such as eliminating or strengthening neural or strengthening neural connectionsconnections

Lucid DreamsLucid Dreams• During lucid dreams, people are During lucid dreams, people are

aware that they are dreaming and aware that they are dreaming and may be able to control their actions may be able to control their actions to some extent within the dreamto some extent within the dream