Freudian theory of dreaming

• thinks mind is mostly made of unconscious mind, which controls our dreams
• * Freud thinks we have urges we need to repress bc they're aggressive or sexual

  * when repressed, they're put into unconscious mind, but repression only deals with thoughts temporarily

  * argues thoughts are released in dreams
• * thinks we dream about things we secretly desire

  * dreams release some anxiety
• * dreams don't reflect desires in obvious way

  * they have manifest content which is what happens in dream

  * latent content is meaning behind what happens
• criticisms?

  * too subjective bc dream analysis is open to interpretation

  * evidence for theory is weak bc it's difficult to test bc relies on case studies

  * potentially historically and culturally biased as people's views on sexual matters were different in 1900s