The Psychology Of Dreams

Introduction (Objective of Project)

Dreams are a vast world we go to while sleeping that can be friendly, scary, or
just plain bizarre. Maybe you are a person who doesn’t remember your
dreams, or maybe you have vivid dreams every night that feel like a form of
virtual reality.
Dreams can be pleasant: you can be transported to a party or go on an exciting
journey. Nightmares occur sometimes as well: you can dream of being chased
by a criminal or being back in high school and taking a final without having
studied. Sometimes, dreams can bring bittersweet sadness, like when a loved
one who has passed visits in a dream, bringing both comfort and longing.
Different cultures around the world uniquely interpret their dreams.
Psychologists and sleep experts study the meaning of dreams as well, which we
will explore further in this project.

What Are The Theories Of The Psychology Of Dreams?

There are several theories in the psychology of dreams that aim to explain the
underlying processes and functions of dreaming. Some of the most prominent theories
include:
Activation-Synthesis Theory
This theory, proposed by Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley in the 1970s, suggests
that dreams are a result of the brain’s attempt to make sense of random neural activity
during sleep. According to this theory, dreams are not meaningful in and of
themselves. But are rather a byproduct of the brain’s attempts to synthesize and
interpret the random firing of neurons during sleep.
Cognitive-Psychological Theory
This theory views dreams as a problem-solving tool, allowing us to process and
integrate new information and experiences from our waking life. According to this
theory, dreams can help us to work through unresolved problems, and overcome
mental blocks. And gain new insights into our thoughts and feelings.
Psychoanalytic Theory
This theory, developed by Sigmund Freud, views dreams as a manifestation of
unconscious desires and conflicts. According to this theory, dreams can reveal hidden
aspects of our personality and unconscious mind, and provide insight into our deepest
fears and desires.
Neurobiological Theory
This theory suggests that dreaming is a result of the brain’s attempts to consolidate
memories and regulate emotions. According to this theory, the brain uses the process
of dreaming to strengthen and integrate new memories, regulate emotions, and
promote overall neural health.
Each of these theories offers a different perspective on the psychology of dreams and
provides valuable insights into the underlying processes and functions of dreaming.
While no single theory can fully explain the complexity of dreaming, a combination of
these and other theories can provide a more comprehensive understanding of the
psychology of dreams.

Different types of Dreams

Lucid Dreams
In the psychology subfield of oneirology, a lucid dream is a type of dream in
which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming while they are
dreaming. It is a trainable skill.[1] During a lucid dream, the dreamer may gain
some amount of control over the dream characters, narrative, or environment,
although this control of dream content is not the salient feature of lucid
dreaming. Lucid dreaming has been studied and reported for many years.
Prominent figures from ancient to modern times have been fascinated by lucid
dreams and have sought ways to better understand their causes and purpose.
Many different theories have emerged as a result of scientific research on the
subject and have even been shown in pop culture. Further developments in
psychological research have pointed to ways in which this form of dreaming
may be utilized as a form of sleep therapy.
Falling Dreams

Falling dreams can jolt you awake and leave your heart
racing. Psychologist Ian Wallace says that these dreams indicate “that
you are hanging on too tightly to a particular situation in waking life.”
Dreams like this can also represent a loss of control. If you experience
falling dreams frequently, take a look at your career, school work, or
personal relationship. Are you holding a grudge against someone? Do
you feel you’re falling behind in school? Either of these situations
could play out in your dreams as falling. “You need to relax and let go
of it,” says Wallace.
Unprepared for a test dreams

Similar to dreaming of yourself back at school, dreaming of being ill-

prepared for a test relates to work stress. Loewenberg says that this sort
of dream “can mean you are not feeling prepared for something big at
work that will be testing you.” This can be anything from a big
presentation to putting yourself out there to get a promotion.

Teeth falling out

Believe it or not, anxiety dreams about teeth falling out are pretty
common and they can represent a variety of things. This specific type
of dream is said to be brought on by psychological stress. While this
sort of dream is caused by extreme stress or anxiety, it has also been
tied to personal loss — whether that be the death of someone close to
you or the loss of a job or home. Dreams of teeth falling out have also
been tied to stress around religion. If you’re paranoid about the future
or a certain aspect of your beliefs, these emotions may play out in your
dreams in the form of tooth loss.

False awakening
A false awakening is a vivid and convincing dream about awakening from sleep,
while the dreamer in reality continues to sleep. After a false awakening, subjects
often dream they are performing daily morning routine such as showering, cooking,
cleaning, eating, and using the bathroom. False awakenings, mainly those in which
one dreams that they have awoken from a sleep that featured dreams, take on
aspects of a double dream or a dream within a dream. A classic example is the
double false awakening of the protagonist in Gogol's Portrait
Nightmare
A nightmare, also known as a bad dream,[1] is an unpleasant dream that can cause
a strong emotional response from the mind, typically fear but also despair, anxiety,
disgust or sadness. The dream may contain situations of discomfort, psychological
or physical terror, or panic. After a nightmare, a person will often awaken in a state of
distress and may be unable to return to sleep for a short period of time.[2] Recurrent
nightmares may require medical help, as they can interfere with sleeping patterns
and cause insomnia.
Nightmares can have physical causes such as sleeping in an uncomfortable position
or having a fever, or psychological causes such as stress or anxiety. Eating before
going to sleep, which triggers an increase in the body's metabolism and brain
activity, can be a potential stimulus for nightmares.[3]
The prevalence of nightmares in children (5–12 years old) is between 20 and 30%,
and for adults is between 8 and 30%.[4] In common language, the meaning
of nightmare has extended as a metaphor to many bad things, such as a bad
situation or a scary monster or person.

Conclusion
People have always tried to figure out the meaning of their dreams, but
dream interpretation as a field of psychological study emerged in 1899,
when Sigmund Freud published The Interpretation of Dreams. Today, most
experts disagree with Freud’s conclusions, and some don’t believe dreams
signify anything at all. But people continue to mine them for clues to their
inner lives, creative insight, and even hints of the future.