What do you think dreams are?

Question

I'm doing dreams in A-Level Psychology and because of my dream last night I began to think which theory did i think was most right.

These are two psychological theories.

Freud- Believed our personality is made up of three parts theID,Ego and the superego. Dreaming comes from the ID which is assosiated with our impulses wishes and fantasies. These wishesare unnacceptable to the adult mind and 'like sleeping with someone elses wife as a fantasy. So we represse them So we act out our desires and dreams in our dreams.

Or Cartwright whose theory was that dreams have symbols that convey our real concerns. That dreams are used for problem solving and when we sleep on things thats why they become clearer when we wake up.

My question is which do you think is more likely and in relation to my dream. Or if you know another theory i'd like to hear it.

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AqjcxjTSK6aGomkGjDTo9QggBgx.?qid=20061123232713AAlhzlI

If you feel like interpreting my dream feel free. This is the dream that got me thinking.

Answer 1

Probably a bit of both I dream if I have concerns in my life but I have also had dreams that are just that dreams I could never fulfill
Also I always dream of death about 2 weeks before a family member announces a birth Don't know what thats all about

Answer 2

It is the mind working through the materials, concerns, issues of the day that the waking mind either refuses to deal with, or has no time to deal with. It's a way of working around and through our issues using symbols we wouldn't normally associate with the situation.

For example, when I dream of being pregnant, it means there is a situation beyond my control that I am waiting to resolve, yet that I cannot manage to make resolve any faster. Being in labor is my mind thinking that we might be at or near that resolution. These are things my waking mind isn't registering, or I'm not even paying attention to.

Tornados is a control issue as well - espeically when I dream tornadoes and I just can't get the family to respond immediately to the threat. However, tornadoes always mean something good - that I cannot control as well - is coming may way, and the unconscious mind picked up a hint or spark of it along the way. The time of year tends to be when this is going to happen. And it's not failed yet. However, I could be making these things happen myself, knowing about the dream I had months or even a year earlier.

Getting away from the zombies? Purely a 'get me the hell out of the city for a while" dream. Means I'm sick of people.

All issues I tend not to deal with during the day.

Rest of the time? The mind at play in ways it doesn't get to do during waking.

Answer 3

Dreams are believed to be the product of memory consolidation. Research suggests memories from the day are relayed in the hippocampus and then permanently stored in the neocortex. This is believed to happen by something called "Long Term Potentiation" which is basically a way of saying the neurons in the brain form stronger synaptic links.

All of this happens during deep or REM sleep and this is when most dreams are produced. Therefore, it follows that dreams are likely to reflect something that was encountered during the day. I often dream about things I have to do the next day or things on TV, because that is what I have been thinking about just before I went to bed.

Answer 4

Cartwright and Jung are probably the closest to correct. I am doing a Master's in psychology and have passed tests by saying "dreams are largely our unconscous minds working on things during our sleep. The unconscious part of us, like the lower lymbic system never rests."

Answer 5

My theory is a long one.
It begins with spectrums of reality.
Matter
Energy
Thought
Sub1
Sub2

Normally we see the world as matter energy and thought. In a dream state we shift, thought takes the role of matter, sub1 (somthing like the Ego) thoughts take the place of energy, and sub 2 (somthing like the Id) thoughts take the place of our thoughts. Thus we get a reality where our concious thoughts are the material objects around us, the energy for us to act is given through what we think is right, and our thoughts are primal urges that we might not normally understand.
My theory also takes into account ghosts, death, Gods and more.
If you would like more information e-mail me at [e-mail]

Answer 6

My dreams consist of fantasy and problem solving and so i have something of both theories. I would like to add some food for thought. The Bible says in the book of Acts 2:17, " And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. " ( cf. Joel 2:30) If you believe the Bible and God then dreams have both meaning and purpose and the source of dreams is from God Himself. And, if you know your Bible you will see that God gives dreams to both believers and unbelievers alike.

Answer 7

at a guess i would say Cartwright's theory, you know yourself if something is playing on your mind your dreams are more vivid and out of proportion, IE knowing you are going on holiday hate flying your dreams could be that there are problems on the way-car breaks down break a bone etc? do you see what i mean?

Answer 8

I would go with the first one, because a dream is something that you want, something that you,desire!! If you are in love with some one and you want to be with them,but you never told them you dream about the one you love. You want them... You need them. It also happens in the day.Only you are wide awake when your dream occurs.Your fantasy awakes and entrances your mind... thus making you fall into a hypnotic state where fantasy takes control.DREAM

Answer 9

Spirita explains your dreams
Visit http://spirita.blogspot.com/ and post your question as a comment. You'll get your FREE dream interpretation (as a comment, too) shortly. Just remember where you posted your question, your dream interpretation will be under the same section

Answer 10

It is simply our memories which get mix-up and combine with other memories. For example if you seen the beach and snow you can actually dream about a snowy beach.

But if you have NEVER seen, (for example) a horse (including TV, books, movies, etc.) you will Never have a dream about it.