Psychology

BS (CS)-8

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SHAKEELA IBRAHIM
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MYSTERY OF DREAMS
A Study through Cognitive Psychology
INTRODUCTION Defining Dreams
WHAT ARE DREAMS? WHY DO WE DREAM? Dreams have been a subject of mystery dating as far back as 4000 B.C and have recently emerged as a whole new study in the field of psychology. Dreams have been around for as long as the first civilization came to be and have been a normal part of human existence, yet it is a riddle to many. In our dreams, we can go anywhere, we can be anybody, and we can do anything. Dreams have influenced mighty kings, given insights to world-changing scientists and inspired gifted artists. The curious artists and the scientists throughout time have studied dreams and searched for people who could interpret them. Dreams are an endless fascination for humanity. A dream, according to modern psychology, is defined as a "sequence of sensations, images, thoughts, etc, passing through a sleeping person's mind". Researchers agree that there is a purpose and importance to dreaming. Its how we process our outer and inner worlds. Most times the dreams make sense to us. Then there are those highly symbolic dreams that trouble, frighten or engage us. In modern society, dreams have been studied by famous psychiatrists like Freud, Jung, Hobson, etc. The importance and power of dreams is well established. Research has showed that people who are deprived from entering the dream phase of sleep exhibit symptoms of irritability and anxiety. In one dream study, volunteers are woken up right before they enter into the dreaming phase. This study shows the importance of dreaming and its role in your well-being and health. Some researchers believe that dreams help you to tackle stress and that dreaming is a necessity and helps to recharge the mind and revitalize the body. On one side, prominent scientists argue that we dream for physiological reasons. On the other side, people claim that dreams are essentially mental nonsense devoid of psychological meaning. The idea that dreams are nothing more than "meaningless biology" does not sound logical as everything in this universe has a meaning and purpose. Dreams are, at very least, meaningful biology. Interpretation of dreams differs among people because of their different situations, perception and way of thinking.

Thesis statement: From the ancient era to the modern days, humans have tried to

decipher the mystery of dreams. This research report is an attempt by undergraduate university students, taking the course of psychology, to explain dreams in detail and also describe theories, processes, interpretation, analysis and application in real life.

Research methodology
This research report is based upon:- Theoretical study - Group discussions - Questionnaires and surveys Theoretical study through books and articles was done. A poll was also conducted by distributing 20 survey forms. Group discussion with volunteering peers was also put into account.

PICTURE DEPICTING HEARTBEATS OF A PERSON DURING LUCID DREAMING

LITERATURE REVIEW Dream Theorists

Sigmund Freud:

According to Freud, dreams always have a manifest and latent content. The manifest content is what the dream seems to be saying. It is often bizarre and nonsensical. The latent content is what the dream is really trying to say. Dreams give us a look into our unconscious. Freuds theory states that dreams carry our hidden desires .
Carl Jung:

Carl Jung also believed in the existence of the unconscious. However, he did not see the unconscious as animalistic, instinctual, or sexual; rather spiritual. According to Jung, dreams are a way of communicating and acquainting yourself with the unconscious. They serve to guide the waking self to achieve wholeness and offer a solution to a problem you are facing in your waking life.
Calvin Hall:

Calvin S. Hall focused his study of dreams on the content, aptly referred to as content analysis. Because dreams are in essence thoughts, it is a cognitive process. Dreams provide a map or route to the inaccessible regions in your mind, otherwise known as the unconscious. Hall believed dreams are the best way to discovering personal thoughts and to explain your behavior.
Edgar Cayce:

Cayce theory states that dreams are our bodys means of building up of the mental, spiritual and physical well-being. It is a way of quickening the dreamer to his/her own human potential. By getting a good nights sleep, any person can develop more mature values, stretch their thinking, and right one's self.
Crick and Mitchinson:

Crick and Mitchinson based their theory on the fact that the cortex, unlike other parts of the brain, is made up of richly interconnected neuronal networks in which each cell has the capacity to excite its neighbors. It is believed that memories are encoded in these networks and when one point of the web is excited a pulse travels through the network prompting recall. These networks have a tendency to become overloaded. If a lot of memories with extreme emotions are sent for encoding the brain needs an output source which is in the form of dreams. Too many memories in one network may produce either bizarre associations to a stimulus, which creates our fantasies, the same response whatever the stimulus, creating obsessions, or associations triggered without any stimulus, which creates hallucinations.

Reference: Articles from Sigmund Freuds theory of dream analysis Internet source http://www.realmeaningofdreams.com/what-are-dreams-theories.html

MAIN STUDY The Dreaming Process

The Stages of Sleep:

The stages in the sleep cycle are organized by the changes in specific brain activity.
Stage 1: Entering into light sleep. This stage is characterized by Non-rapid eye

movements (NREM), muscle relaxation, lowered body temperature and slowed heart rate. The body is preparing to enter into deep sleep.
Stage 2: Also characterized by NREM, this stage is characterized by a further drop in

body temperature and relaxation of the muscles. The body's immune system goes to work on repairing the day's damage. The endocrine glands secrete growth hormones, while blood is sent to the muscles to be reconditioned. In this stage, one is completely asleep.
Stage 3: Still in the NREM stage, this is an even deeper sleep. Metabolic levels are

extremely slow.
Stage 4: In this stage of sleep, eyes move back and forth erratically as if watching

something from underneath eyelids. Referred to as REM sleep or delta sleep, this stage occurs at about 90-100 minutes after the onset of sleep. Blood pressure rises, heart rate speeds up, respiration becomes erratic and brain activity increases. Involuntary muscles also become paralyzed or immobilized. This stage is the most restorative part of sleep. The majority of dreaming occurs in this stage. If you are awakened during this stage of sleep, a person is more likely to remember dreams. These stages repeat themselves throughout the night during sleep. As the cycle repeats, less time is spent in stages 1 to 3 and more time dreaming in stage 4. In other words, it will be quicker to get to stage 4 each time the cycle repeats. While dreaming, the human body undergoes noticeable changes. Adrenaline rises, blood pressure increases, and heart beats faster. Given this hyperactivity, it should be no surprise how someone with a weak heart can die in their sleep. During REM, blood pressure and heart rate fluctuate and increase. It sounds like the body is goes through a lot, but in fact, it is quite the contrary. During REM, human bodies are completely immobile and your muscles remain completely relaxed. A person may shift in bed throughout the night, but when in REM, he or she is completely still. The mind is as

active as it is during waking. However, chemically it is different. REM is controlled by the excitability level of the cholinergic neurons. Noradrenalin and serotonin are missing in the brain when in the dream state. These chemicals allow the brain to carry out task, solve problems and remember things. This is a reason why people find it so hard to remember your dreams.
Reference: Brain basic: understanding the sleep (NINDS.com)

Characteristics of Dreams (Hobsons Study)

A sleep researcher, J. Allan Hobson, identified five basic characteristics of dreams.
1. Dreams often feature intense emotions:

It is quite normal to have highly evocative dreams featuring extreme emotions. Whether one dreams of intense fear (being chased by a crazed axe murderer) or public humiliation (finding yourself naked on stage). Hobson's dream research found that the three most common dream emotions are anxiety, fear and surprise. 2. Dreams are often disorganized and illogical: When dreaming (non-lucidly), certain parts of conscious brain are shut off, allowing fantastical thought processes to run wild. The resulting dreams are illogical scenarios with disorganized content. Hobson formally identified that dreams contain "illogical content and organization, in which the unities of time, place and person do not apply, and natural laws are disobeyed".
3. Dream content is accepted without question:

Dreaming minds fully accept the bizarre and illogical characteristics of dreams due to powerful emotional state. According to Hobson, people create strong emotions and perceptions in the dream world that support what we're experiencing, no matter how strange. 4. Dreams often contain bizarre sensory experiences: In dreams, the human mind has to "let go" of the experience of lying asleep in bed and submit to a full range of sensations produced internally by the dream world. One may experience the realistic sensation of flying, falling, or even running in slow motion. Despite these being rare experiences in waking life, they are quite common among dreamers. 5. Dreams are often difficult to remember: REM sleep is characterized by low levels of serotonin and high levels of

acetylcholine, making dreams difficult to store in short term memory. In fact, dream research suggests that 95% of regular dreams are forgotten upon waking.
Reference: Time Magazine- Article on REM dreaming

Types of Dreams
Daydreams:

Day dreaming occurs when we are half awake. Daydreaming is often disregarded and neglected aspect of dream study because it is often overlooked as fleeting and wandering thoughts. When daydreaming, a person accesses the right part of brain, which is the creative and feminine side of personality. Daydreams are often viewed as light-hearted in nature. They are just silly fantasies and wishful thinking. Even worrying over things can be classified as a form of daydreaming.
False awakening dreams:

In false awakening dreams people think they have woken up and gone about daily morning routine: getting up, brushing your teeth, eating breakfast and going to work, only to wake up "again" and realize that what just happened is just a dream. That sensation is referred to as false awakening dreams.
Lucid dreaming:

This is consciously perceiving and recognizing that one is in a dream while one is sleeping, and having control over the "dreamscape", or dream world within a dream. A person in a lucid dream with full control may morph the dreamscape into any virtual reality that person pleases, all with properties that feel identical to that of wakeful consciousness.
Nightmares:

Nightmares arouse feelings of intense terror or distress. Bad dreams are often lengthy and occur in the latter part of night (REM). During a bad dream, the person sleeping, usually experiences a feeling of having a threat to his life or safety. Bad dreams are common among children and the frequency of their occurrence decreases, as one grows older. Bad dreams are caused by an unstable emotional state. Bad dreams occur under great mental stress and pressure.

Recurring dreams:

Recurring dreams are the ones that are said to have incomplete and unsatisfactory endings. Even if it is a happy dream, if it has an incomplete end, it will recur. Recurring dreams tend to occur when you are vulnerable to something, and they stop in a state of relaxation.
Healing dreams:

Healing dreams serve as messages for the dreamer in regards to their health. The Ancient Greeks called these dreams "prodromic". Many dream experts believe that dreams can help in avoiding potential health problems and healing when you are ill or when you are grieving. Research shows that asthma and migraine sufferers have certain types of dreams before an attack. Bodies are able to communicate to mind through dreams. The dreams can "tell that something is not quite right with your bodies even before any physical symptoms show up. Dreams of this nature may be telling the dreamer that he or she needs to go to the dentist or doctor. If you can understand the language of dreams, your dreams will serve as an invaluable early warning system. They can help inform advice and heal.
Signal dreams:

Signal dreams help you how to solve problems or make decisions in your waking life
Epic dreams:

Epic dreams (also referred to as Great Dreams, Cosmic Dreams or Numinous Dreams) are so compelling and vivid that one cannot ignore them. The details of such dreams remain with a person for years, as if he or she just dreamt it last night. These dreams possess much beauty and feels like a life-changing experience.
Progressive dreams:

These show different options and various approaches to a problem, situation or relationship. Progressive dreams occur when a person has a sequence of dreams that continue over a period of nights. Such dreams are problem-solving dreams and help to explore ones abilities.
Mutual dreams:

Mutual dreams are described as such when two people have the same dream. Mutual dreams may be planned, meaning that two people actively work toward achieving one dream scenario or goal. It is a way to improve communication and build trust. Mutual dreams can also be spontaneous. A friend, a significant other, faraway relative, or someone can also have the same dream on the same night as as another person.

Premonitory dreams:

Premonition is an early warning about an event in the future; an indication of something evil that is about to happen, a forewarning about something unpleasant, a boding of bad news.
Precognition:

Precognitive dreams are dreams that foretell incidents of the future. Precognition dreams are often correlated to premonition dreams; there's a small difference though. While premonition is necessarily used to refer to a feeling of evil to come, precognition implies knowing the future. Precognitive dreams are those types of dreams which give knowledge of the future. Precognitive dreams give future sight; which means that an individual acquires future information that cannot be deduced through sensory perception. Precognitive dreams convey information that is not derivable from presently available data. This is something beyond normal human understanding and this makes precognitive dreams, a psychological process of perception. Precognitive dreams provide the means to obtain information that is not quite obtainable through one's physical senses.

Reference: The dream journals by Chandler and Sharp Internet source http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/the-health-benefits-of-dreams

Causes of nightmares
Prolonged use of certain medications may lead to bad dreams. Beta-blockers, tranquilizers and antidepressants could be a reason behind bad dreams. Also, recent withdrawal from sleeping pills may cause nightmares. They could also be a side effect of certain medicinal drugs. For example, drugs that are administered for physical factors that contribute to bad dreams include fever as also sleep and breathing disorders. Sleep apnea (abnormal breathing during sleep) and Narcolepsy can cause unpleasant dreams. Sometimes, pregnant women are found to have bad dreams. When people are stressed from daily life or for anyother reason they tend to have nightmares.
Reference: Internet sourcehttp://www.webmd.com/mental-health/features/the-health-benefits-of-dreams

Ways to stop nightmares

Step 1: Fix a specific bedtime for yourself and strictly maintain that under all

circumstances. That means you must go to sleep at a certain time every night. At the same time, you must get up in the morning at a scheduled time.
Step 2: Stop watching television one hour before your bedtime. A scary movie, sad news

on TV can influence your thoughts and stimulate bad dreams. Rather, spend the last one hour of the day with some pleasant thoughts. Never mind even if those thoughts belong to your fantasy world and is slightly weird for real!
Step 3: If you get nightmares every night or very often, then you must analyze them.

Write down every detail about the bad dream that you can remember. Then try to figure out the cause by understanding dreams. If you think it is triggered by stress or anxiety, then talk to your friend or relative about it. This will ease off the tension in your mind.
Step 4: Keep yourself stress free. Meditation just before you sleep is a great way of

relaxing the mind. You can reverse count from 100 to zero with your focus on the breathing. Regular aerobic exercises also help you to control mental stress in a much better manner.

Step 5: Eliminate the external factors that can cause bad dreams. Avoid excessive

consumption of alcohol. If you suspect that you are getting bad dreams after starting any new medicine, then talk to your doctor about its possibility. They may change the medicine.
Reference: The dream journals by Chandler and Sharp

Dream Interpretation
Dream interpretation is the process of assigning meaning to dreams. Symbols are the language of dreams. A symbol can invoke a feeling or an idea and often has a much more profound and deeper meaning that any one word can convey. At the same time, these symbols can leave you confused and wondering what that dream was all about. Acquiring the ability to interpret dreams is a powerful tool. In analyzing dreams, one can learn about deep secrets and hidden feelings. Every detail, even minute elements in a dream is important and must be considered when analyzing your dreams. Each symbol represents a feeling, a mood, a memory or something from your unconscious. Look closely at the characters, animals, objects, places, emotions, and even color and

numbers that are depicted in your dreams. Even the most trivial symbol can be significant.
Articles from Sigmund Freuds interpretation of dreams

ANALYSIS
We conducted a survey and after analyzing the results we found that similar age groups have almost similar dream experiences. We arrived to a conclusion that this might be because of the common circumstances these people are in. Upon having discussion with people we learned that people often experience dreams which are opposite to reality and their personality or actions. Some people claimed that they mainly dream of their fears coming true, while others dream of everyday situations. Survey showed that many people dream of familiar disturbing situations. Through our survey we learned that women get more disturbing nightmares than males. Many have similar nightmares such as earthquakes or wild animals. This basically relates to their fears or some experience that they might have had in past. Research shows that dreams are both influenced by environment and state of mind.

BOOKS FOR PERSONAL INTEREST If you are interested to learn more about dream psychology then here are some books that might be of interest:

CONCLUSION
Dreams have been thoroughly researched and studied in the field of psychology. Dreams are a very important part of life but no one really bothers to give them more then moments thought. Its easy to see how you overlook them once you know what they are, where they come from, and how to interpret them. A very important point about dreams was said in the Internet article Dream Centrals Unique Method of Dream Analysis Sometimes youre sleeping mind can arrive at conclusions far better than our normal thinking process. Thank you all for your undivided attention and hope you all got some new knowledge about your dreams.