Dream Interpretation Webquest

Name ________________________________ Per: _________ Date Due: ________________ Part I: Go to www.andreadoherty.com/dreams. Using the sections, How We Dream and Dream Experts, find and answer the following questions. 1. How much time does the average person spend dreaming in their lifetime? _____________ 2. What is REM sleep? What is happening during that time? 3. According to Freud, what are dreams? What is the difference between manifest content and latent content?

4. Name two ways Jungs theory of dreams differs from Freuds.

5. According to this website, what might the following things signify in a dream: MonkeyGun-_____________________ _____________________ Snake-_____________________ Rock- _____________________ the color blueDoor-_____________________ __________________ Dwarf-_____________________ Part II: Read about the following two dream theories. You will need this information to answer questions later. Activation-synthesis: Sleep researchers, Hobson and McCarley, proposed the activation-synthesis hypothesis for dreams in 1977. According to this hypothesis, dreams are the brains attempt to make sense of the random firing of neurons during sleep. Some contend that the random firing is the brains attempt to keep neural circuits fresh. Remember we learned that repeated use of specific regions of the brain can actually caused those areas to expand and become more complex? Information processing: Proposed in 1993, social scientists claim that dreams allow people to review and address problems they faced during the day. As such, dreams aid in memory (allow for rehearsal during the night) and problem-solving. Part III: www.sleepnet.com/index.shtml
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In this exercise, imagine that your middle-aged aunt is worried about her sleep. She claims that she sleeps only three or four hours a night, feels alert only in the morning, and has stopped dreaming altogether. Fearing that her loss of sleep and dreaming will lead to psychological problems, she has tried napping during the day to "catch up," late-night aerobics to tire herself out, and even having a "nightcap or two" before going to bed. Although she claims her insomnia is affecting her health and mood, you haven't noticed any changes in either. Moreover, she seems to have no difficulty concentrating while conversing. 1. Are your aunt's concerns valid? Should she be worried about her insomnia? Explain.

2. If your aunt would like to improve her sleep patterns, what steps should she take?

3. Is it likely that your aunt has stopped dreaming altogether? How can she find out for sure?

4. Suppose that your aunt is correct in her belief that she has stopped dreaming. What are some of the probable effects of such a condition according to Freud? According to activation synthesis hypothesis? According to information processing theory? Freud:

Activation-synthesis:

Information processing:

Part IV: www.sleepnet.com/index.shtml (same website) 1. What is narcolepsy? 2. How common is it? 3. What are the common symptoms? 4. What brings on a bout of narcolepsy in someone with the disease?
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5. What is sleep apnea? 6. Why are so many people unaware that they have this disease?