The Psychology Of Dreaming

Why do we dream? What is the connection between our dreams and our mental health? Can we teach ourselves to have lucid dreams? The Psychology of Dreaming delves into the last 100 years of dream research to provide a thought-provoking introduction to what happens in our minds when we sleep. It looks at the role that dreaming plays in memory, problem-solving, and processing emotions, examines how trauma affects dreaming, and explores how we can use our dreams to understand ourselves better. Exploring extraordinary experiences like lucid dreaming, precognitive dreams, and sleep paralysis nightmares, alongside cutting-edge questions like whether it will ever be possible for androids to dream, The Psychology of Dreaming reveals some of the most fascinating aspects of our dreaming world.

Introducing students at all levels to the key concepts of modern dream psychology, this concise book provides an overview of major theories regarding the formation, function, and interpretation of dreams. Why do people dream, and what do dreams mean? What do the most recent neuroscientific research and studies of patterns in dream content reveal about the functionality of dreams? How do the ideas of earlier generations of dream psychologists continue to influence the research of psychologists today? An Introduction to the Psychology of Dreaming covers all major theories in dream psychology from 1900 to the present day. It provides readers with a unique resource that focuses specifically on this lineage of research in dream psychology and is concise and accessibly written. Each chapter of the book analyzes a particular theory of dream psychology in terms of three basic questions: How are dreams formed? What functions do dreams serve? How can dreams be interpreted? By examining each theorist's answers to these questions, readers can clearly see how dream psychology theorists have both incorporated concepts from previous researchers and developed new ideas of their own. A breadth of psychological approaches are considered, from Freud and Jung to contemporary brain studies, giving readers an appreciation of the wide range of theories regarding this fascinating area of study.

This classic work by the Father of Psychoanalysis, is essential reading for any serious student of psychology. Dr. Freud covers the hidden meanings within our dreams, especially repressed sexual desires, the purpose of our conscious and unconscious minds, and the importance of dreams to our wellbeing. This title is, in essence, a comprehensive analysis of Freud's psychoanalytical studies, research and empirical observations. Freud begins by explaining the meaning of dreams through presentations of varied real examples. He then proceeds to explain the causes of dreams and their relation to past and on-going events in our lives, he analyses dream elements, and then explores specified topics such as sexual thoughts in dreams and humans desires and wishes.

A comprehensive neurocognitive theory of dreaming based on the theories, methodologies, and findings of cognitive neuroscience and the psychological sciences. G. William Domhoff’s neurocognitive theory of dreaming is the only theory of dreaming that makes full use of the new neuroimaging findings on all forms of spontaneous thought and shows how well they explain the results of rigorous quantitative studies of dream content. Domhoff identifies five separate issues—neural substrates, cognitive processes, the psychological meaning of dream content, evolutionarily adaptive functions, and historically invented cultural uses—and then explores how they are intertwined. He also discusses the degree to which there is symbolism in dreams, the development of dreaming in children, and the relative frequency of emotions in the dreams of children and adults. During dreaming, the neural substrates that support waking sensory input, task-oriented thinking, and movement are relatively deactivated. Domhoff presents the conditions that have to be fulfilled before dreaming can occur spontaneously. He describes the specific cognitive processes supported by the neural substrate of dreaming and then looks at dream reports of research participants. The “why” of dreaming, he says, may be the most counterintuitive outcome of empirical dream research. Though the question is usually framed in terms of adaptation, there is no positive evidence for an adaptive theory of dreaming. Research by anthropologists, historians, and comparative religion scholars, however, suggests that dreaming has psychological and cultural uses, with the most important of these found in religious ceremonies and healing practices. Finally, he offers suggestions for how future dream studies might take advantage of new technologies, including smart phones.

This is Freud's greatest and most important work in which he introduces his theory of the unconscious with respect to dream interpretation, and also first discusses what would later become the theory of the Oedipus complex, and it is widely considered one of his most important works. Freud said of this work, "Insight such as this falls to one's lot but once in a lifetime." Dreams, in Freud's view, are all forms of "wish fulfillment" — attempts by the unconscious to resolve a conflict of some sort, whether something recent or something from the recesses of the past. Because the information in the unconscious is in an unruly and often disturbing form, a "censor" in the preconscious will not allow it to pass unaltered into the conscious. Freud refers to dreams as "The Royal Road to the Unconscious". He proposed the 'phenomenon of condensation' - the idea that one simple symbol or image presented in a person's dream may have multiple meanings. Content: THE SCIENTIFIC LITERATURE ON THE PROBLEMS OF THE DREAM METHOD OF DREAM INTERPRETATION THE DREAM IS THE FULFILMENT OF A WISH DISTORTION IN DREAMS THE MATERIAL AND SOURCES OF DREAMS THE DREAM-WORK THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE DREAM ACTIVITIES Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the father of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst.

"A truly comprehensive, scientifically rigorous and utterly fascinating account of when, how, and why we dream. Put simply, When Brains Dream is the essential guide to dreaming." —Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep Questions on the origins and meaning of dreams are as old as humankind, and as confounding and exciting today as when nineteenth-century scientists first attempted to unravel them. Why do we dream? Do dreams hold psychological meaning or are they merely the reflection of random brain activity? What purpose do dreams serve? When Brains Dream addresses these core questions about dreams while illuminating the most up-to-date science in the field. Written by two world-renowned sleep and dream researchers, it debunks common myths that we only dream in REM sleep, for example—while acknowledging the mysteries that persist around both the science and experience of dreaming. Antonio Zadra and Robert Stickgold bring together state-of-the-art neuroscientific ideas and findings to propose a new and innovative model of dream function called NEXTUP—Network Exploration to Understand Possibilities. By detailing this model’s workings, they help readers understand key features of several types of dreams, from prophetic dreams to nightmares and lucid dreams. When Brains Dream reveals recent discoveries about the sleeping brain and the many ways in which dreams are psychologically, and neurologically, meaningful experiences; explores a host of dream-related disorders; and explains how dreams can facilitate creativity and be a source of personal insight. Making an eloquent and engaging case for why the human brain needs to dream, When Brains Dream offers compelling answers to age-old questions about the mysteries of sleep.

A fascinating look at how your wiser, inner self sends you dreams that target your anxieties yet hold positive messages to guide you through obstacles. What causes our worst nightmares? Stase Michaels applies her signature out-of-the-box perspective on dreams that shake us out of sleep and mirror our real-life worries, breaking down their symbolism, trajectory, and unspoken logic. She supplies the tools for nuanced readings of each nightmare, as well as fascinating thoughts on nightmares of trauma victims and ones that occur in troubling times. She also offers strategies for shaking yourself free of recurring nightmares and preventing your daily anxieties from translating into invasive bad dreams.

Comprehensive guide to an understanding of dreams in light of the basic principles of analytical psychology. Particular attention to common motifs, the role of complexes, and the goal and purpose of dreams.