心理学与生活-第45章
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elongated objects such as trees and pencils symbolize the penis； containers； such as closets； rooms；
ovens； and automobiles represent the vagina； and sexual intercourse is disguised as riding a horse
or shooting a gun。
Carl Jung was a member of Freud’s inner circle； and later broke away from Freud because of
theoretical disagreements。 He believed that the “general function of dreams is to restore
psychological balance；” and that important messages in dreams could only be interpreted from a
series of dreams that occurred over time。 Jung estimated that he analyzed at least 80；000 dreams
during his professional career。
Anecdotal evidence to support Freud and Jung’s ideas about dreams exists； but their theories
cannot be experimentally supported or rejected because of problems in doing the necessary
research。 Research on dreaming was stimulated in the early 1950s when two investigators；
Aserinsky and Kleitman at the University of Chicago； established the relationship between REM
sleep and dreaming； but their research does not answer the questions posed by the theories of Freud
and Jung。 Some of the more frequently asked questions about dreams and dreaming follow。
DOES EVERYONE DREAM？
Some people claim that they never dream； but research tells us that everyone dreams。 People who
claim that they do not dream simply do not remember their dreams。 Dreams are usually not stored
in long…term memory； and they are lost unless they are reviewed or recorded immediately on
waking； before other material replaces them in the short…term memory。
ARE WE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE GOOD DREAMS OR BAD DREAMS？
Investigators who have collected and studied dreams have found that bad dreams are more
monly recalled than good dreams。 Dreams are more likely to involve failure； misfortune； and
frustration than success and pleasant emotions。
WHAT DO PEOPLE DREAM ABOUT？
Falling or being chased are among the most mon dream themes reported。 The appearance of
celebrities in dreams is also mon。 Many dreams involve frustration： trying repeatedly but
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PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
unsuccessfully to do something； finding yourself nude in public places； arriving late to catch a
plane or to take an exam； and losing important papers or treasured objects。 Sex is not among the
more mon dream themes。 The occurrence of penile and clitoral erections during dreams is a
conitant of the REM state； and is apparently unrelated to the content of the dream。
CAN PEOPLE CONTROL THE CONTENTS OF THEIR DREAMS？
Research shows that people do have some control over their dreams； and that this ability to have
“lucid dreams” can be taught。 Stephen LaBerge； the leading researcher on lucid dreams； relates the
experience of lucid dreaming to the “Holodeck” on Star Trek the New Generation。 Once a person is
lucid in a dream； they can take control of it and direct its content and conclusion。 LaBerge also
suggests that lucid dreaming may have more pragmatic uses than just entertainment。 The
additional time of consciousness while dreaming can be used to work through personal problems；
planning； and reviewing past events。 Such lucid reflection while in a relaxed sleep state may in the
future be shown to enhance psychological health。 It has been reported that the Senoi people of
Malaysia teach children to control their dreams from an early age。 Have you ever had a “lucid”
dream？
One simple technique used to teach lucid dreaming is to bee more “mindful” of your state of
consciousness by repeatedly asking yourself； “Am I dreaming？” during the day。 Once in the habit
of asking yourself this simple question while awake； you may ask the same question while
dreaming。 Answering the question “yes” may lead to the onset of a lucid dream。
WHY DO PEOPLE DREAM？
Several explanations for dreaming have been offered。 Freud thought dreams preserved our sanity
by allowing us to gratify forbidden or unrealistic wishes。 Information…processing theorists suggest
that the function of dreams is to assimilate new data into memory and to jettison mental garbage。
The activation…synthesis theory says that dreams result when the brain tries to make sense of
random neural firing that occurs during sleep。
DO PEOPLE NEED TO DREAM？
A number of studies have been done on dream deprivation。 Participants are awakened as soon as
rapid eye movements begin to occur。 The results show that as dream deprivation continues； REM
periods occur more and more frequently； and participants bee harder to arouse。 In addition；
participants who have been dream deprived dream more than usual when they are allowed to sleep
normally。 Although some participants have bee irritable after a night or two of dream
deprivation； most seem to adjust to it。 We do not know what effect it would have on a person if
dream deprivation were continued over an extended period。
WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU WANT TO REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS？
Dreams are fragile； so if you want to remember them you will need to be able to record them with a
minimum of effort。 If remembering your dreams is important to you； try the following tips：
1。 Keep writing material or a tape recorder next to your bed； and be sure that you can turn on
a light to write by without getting out of bed。
2。 Before going to bed； tell yourself that you are going to wake up after a dream。 If you are
unable to obey your mand； try setting a gentle alarm for two hours after retirement and
every two hours thereafter。
3。 When you wake up； keep your eyes closed； and review the dream before you record it。
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CHAPTER 6： MIND； CONSCIOUSNESS； AND ALTERED STATES
4。 Make a questionnaire or checklist to remind you of the information you want to record。
This might include such things as the setting； actors； activities； outes； and； perhaps
most important； the emotional tone of the dream。
THE PARADOXICAL NATURE OF REM
REM sleep has been referred to as paradoxical sleep； meaning that during REM sleep； the activity of
the brain closely approximates that of waking state activity。 We know that we dream during REM；
and that we have rapid eye movements for which this state is named； but what other things are
happening that make this state “approximately” that of the waking state？ Several manifestations of
this sleep state insofar as we are able to determine； are unique to REM。 These things apparently
happen during REM and at no other time during the sleep cycle。 What are they？
ATONIA
During REM sleep； we experience atonia—we lose muscle tone； our muscles bee flaccid； and we
are virtually paralyzed。 This manifestation disappears within a fraction of a second following
waking； but can be a bit scary if we try to get out of bed immediately on waking； only to find that we
cannot do so； at least instantaneously。 The reason for atonia is that neural messages from the brain
stem going to the major muscle groups are inhibited during REM。 These messages originate in the
pons； a structure that sits just at the top of the brain stem； and the inhibition of these neural
impulses has probably kept many of us from injuring ourselves if we were to wander around in a
not quite conscious state。
SEXUAL AROUSAL
Both males and females experience sexual arousal—evinced by tumescence in males and
lubrication and engorgement of genital tissues in females—during REM sleep。
OTHER PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES
Increases in both blood pressure and heart rate occur during REM。 These functions increase from
the low levels seen during Stage 4 sleep to levels that closely approximate those of a waking state of
consciousness。
MEMORY PROCESSES
Thought and memory organization also occur during REM； as housekeeping type of functions。
Most of us have awakened to discover that a problem that was vexing us the night before suddenly
seems to have “solved itself” over the course of the night； and we wonder why we did not see the
solution yesterday。 Perhaps this aspect of REM explains why our mothers told us not to worry
because “everything will be better in the morning。”
INCORPORATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STIMULUS
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