Sleep and dreaming

• Activation synthesis theory: a biological theory

  Uses brain functioning to explain dreaming: the brain is active during REM sleep where our muscles are not working and so there is paralysis (movement inhibition). Also, sensory information is not coming into the brain (sensory blockade).
• Activation part of the theory

  Despite no sensory information coming into the brain, random thoughts are sent to the brain. They come from neurons in the brain being randomly activated and 'firing', which means an electrical impulse in a neuron releases neurochemicals. These cross the synaptic gap and messages (thoughts) are sent.
• Synthesis part of the theory

  Random thoughts are what we dream. The firing of the neurons, which send the random thoughts, is seen as internally generated information. The brain generates 'nonsense' and then automatically works to make sense of it.
• Strength of the activation synthesis theory

  Research evidence- When people are observed in a sleep lab, they all show rapid eye movement periodically during their night's sleep, but muscles are paralysed and sense data is not received. It makes sense to conclude that dreaming comes from the brain and generating and making sense of random information.
• Weakness of the activation synthesis theory

  Generalisability- used animal studies and found that certain areas of the brain were active during dreaming in cats. Issues with generalisability- animals are different from humans- humans are far more complex.
• Weakness of the activation synthesis theory

  When reporting dreams, people often make links with things that happened the day before. Random firing of neurons during REM sleep has some meaning. Research has found that 34% of about 200 dreams did not make logical sense. Dreams seem to have meaning and this goes against this theory.
• Conscious mind


  What we are aware of
• Pre conscious mind


  what we can make ourselves aware of with thinking
• Unconscious mind


  Inaccessible part of the mind- accounts for 90% of our thinking and holds thoughts and wishes that are not acceptable e.g. sexual wishes and desires.
• The id


  Unconscious wishes and desires which is shown by a baby's 'I want' thinking- the selfish and pleasure part of our personality.
• The superego


  Our moral thinking which is shown by 'you cannot have' thinking- knowing you can't always get what you want.
• The ego


  Our realistic thinking- makes decision to balance the id and superegos demands.
• Manifest content


  The story of the dream that the dreamer tells (the things you see).
• Latent content


  The deeper meaning behind what is seen- it uncovers unconscious thinking and on which dream analysis focuses to look for symbols behind what you see in dreams.
• Dreamwork


  The way the mind keeps unconscious thoughts hidden during dreaming and is used as a term for uncovering meaning behind dreams but in Freud's theory it refers to the protective work of the mind during dreams.
• Condensation in dreamwork


  Many ideas appear as one idea in a dream. These separate elements are important in uncovering repressed material, so the one idea needs to be unpicked.
• Displacement in dreamwork


  In a dream, something unimportant seems to be important, shifting attention away from the important thing. E.g. a new aim or a new person becomes the focus to move away from something threatening.
• Secondary elaboration in dreamwork

  Using muddled ideas to build a whole story. The mind will add bits to the dream in order for it to make sense. This gets in the way of understanding the latent content of the dream.
• Strength of Freud's theory of dreaming

  Used qualitative data which was detailed and focused on real individuals, so there was validity in the findings.
• Weakness of Freud's theory of dreaming

  The qualitative data that forms the basis of this theory was drawn from case studies which lack generalisability.
• Weakness of Freud's theory of dreaming

  Not scientific- dreaming and many Freud's concepts such as the unconscious, cannot be scientifically tested so cannot be shown to be true or false.
• Background to Freud's study on Little Hans: Psychosexual stages


  Theory of child development consisting of oral, anal. phallic, latency and genital stages.
• Background to Freud's study on Little Hans: Phallic stage


  The third of Freud's stages during which the Oedipus complex is worked through at age 3-5 years old.
• Background to Freud's study on Little Hans: Oedipus complex


  A boy has unconscious feelings for his mother and hates his father, who he sees as a rival and fears will castrate him.
• Aims of Freud's study on Little Hans

  To help Little Hans who had a phobia and to read about a child's development with the intention of seeing his theory in practice.
• Procedure of Freud's study on Little Hans

  Detailed reports were sent to Freud from Little Hans's parents and he has some direct information from Little Hans. Freud looked at Han's phobia of horses and what it was in his unconscious that was causing the phobia in order to try and cure it. He used traditional psychoanalysis: he listened to what was said and dreamed, considered how these issues are symbols of hidden unconscious desires.
• Results of Freud's study on Little Hans: Phobia of horses

  Hans feared horses with black bits around its mouth. Freud thought this could mean his fathers moustache and that the horse symbolised his father. The fear of horses showed Hans's unconscious fear of his father as his father would be angry with Hans for wanting his mother (Oedipus complex).
• Results of Freud's study on Little Hans: An early dream


  He woke up in tears saying he thought his mummy was gone. Freud said this showed anxiety that his mother would leave as his father would take her away- Oedipus complex- unconscious wishes (in this case, to sexually possess his mother) would be repressed and would leak out into the dream.
• Results of Freud's study on Little Hans: The giraffe dream


  Freud thought the big giraffe was Hans's father and the crumpled giraffe was his mother. When the big giraffe shouted at Little Hans for taking the crumpled one away, this was interpreted as showing that Little Hans wanted to take his mother away from his father. This was taken as evidence for the Oedipus complex- a young boy has sexual feelings for his mother while fearing his father and feeling guilt.
• Conclusions of Freud's study on Little Hans

  Little Hans case study supports Freud's theory that they go through psychosexual stages including the phallic stage and the Oedipus complex.
• Strength of Freud's study on Little Hans


  Case studies gather in depth and detailed information which gives validity to the data.
• Weakness of Freud's study on Little Hans

  Case studies are unique to an individual and so there are issues with generalisability.
• Weakness of Freud's study on Little Hans

  The information from his father provided to Freud may have been biased as he was aware of the Oedipus complex and what Freud wanted to find and so making the data unreliable and invalid.
• Insomnia


  Problems with sleeping at night that cause difficulties during the day and affects around 1 in 3 people.
• Acute insomnia


  A brief period of problems with sleep
• Chronic insomnia


  When difficulty with sleep occurs 3 or more nights a week, lasting at least 3 months.
• Symptoms of insomnia


  Difficulty with falling asleep, waking up a lot during the night. Not feeling refreshed on waking. Feeling irritable and unable to concentrate.
• Lifestyle factors causing insomnia


  Flying frequently and having jet lag or working shifts can affect bodily rhythms
• Health conditions causing insomnia

  Mental or physical ill health, such as depression or heart problems.
• Medication, food and drink causing insomnia


  Caffeine, diet pills and smoking cigarettes can contribute. Antidepressants can stop REM sleep. Alcohol keeps people in the light sleep stages.