Page 119 - 2024-bfw-MyersAP4e-TE

Module 1.5c

Dreams
1.5-10 What do we dream, and what functions have theorists proposed for
1.5-10 What do we dr eam, and what functions have theorists pr oposed for

dreams?
dreams?
Now playing at an inner theater near you: the premiere of a sleeping person’s vivid dream. This
never-before-seen mental movie features captivating characters wrapped in a plot so original dream a sequence of images, CONNECT 1.5-10
and unlikely, yet so intricate and so seemingly real, that the viewer later marvels at its creation. emotions, and thoughts passing
REM dreams are vivid, emotional, and often bizarre ( Loftus & Ketchum, 1994 ). Wak- through a sleeping person’s Tell students that Stanley Krippner and
ing from one, we may wonder how our brain can so creatively, colorfully, and completely mind. his colleagues compared the dreams
construct this alternative world. In the shadowland between our dreaming and waking con-
sciousness, we may even wonder for a moment which is real. Awakening from a nightmare, of more than 400 Argentinean, Brazilian,
a 4-year-old may be sure there is a bear in the house. and American adults. Following are
Discovering the link between REM sleep and dreaming began a new era in dream some of the results they reported:
research. Instead of relying on someone’s hazy recall hours later, researchers could catch
dreams as they happened, awakening people during or • Americans tended to dream
shortly after a REM sleep period to hear a vivid account.
about animals and food, whereas
What We Dream Brazilians had more sexual and
Many of our dreams are anything but sweet. For women emotional dreams.
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Not for redistribution.
and men, 8 in 10 dreams are marked by at least one neg-
ative event or emotion ( Domhoff, 2007 ). Common themes • Americans and Argentinians
include repeatedly failing in an attempt to do something; reported more dreams about
being attacked, pursued, or rejected; or experiencing misfor- architecture than Brazilians did.
tune ( Hall et al., 1982 ). Dreams with sexual imagery occur
less often than you might think (though more often after • Argentinians reported more
consuming sexual media [Van den Bulck et al., 2016 ]). In one dreams about aggression and
study, only 1 in 10 dreams among young men and 1 in 30
among young women had sexual content ( Domhoff, 1996 ). good fortune than Brazilians or
More commonly, a dream’s storyline incorporates traces of Americans did.
recent experiences and preoccupations ( Nikles et al., 2017 ):

• Trauma and dreams. After suffering a trauma, people
commonly report nightmares, which help extinguish Information from Casto, K. L., Krippner, S., &
daytime fears (Petrov & Robinson, 2020). Survivors of Tartz, R. (1999). The identification of spiritual
the Auschwitz concentration camp, Palestinian children content in dream reports. Anthropology of
living amid conflict, and Americans after the 9/11 terror- Consciousness, 10(1), 43–53.
ist attacks all have experienced frequent trauma-related Mark Parisi/Atlantic Feature Syndicate
dreams ( Owczarski, 2018 ; Propper et al., 2007 ; Punamäki &
Joustie, 1998 ). Copyright © Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers.
• Music and dreams. Compared with nonmusicians,

musicians report twice as many dreams of music ( Uga
et al., 2006 ).
• Vision loss and dreams. Studies in four countries have found people who are blind AP Science Practice
®
mostly dreaming of using their nonvisual senses ( Buquet, 1988 ; Taha, 1972 ; Vekassy,
1977 ). But even people born blind sometimes “see” in their dreams (Bértolo, 2005). Research
Likewise, people born paralyzed below the waist sometimes dream of walking, stand- By conducting studies on blind-
ness and dreaming in multiple
ing, running, or cycling ( Saurat et al., 2011 ; Voss et al., 2011 ). countries, the researchers ensure
• Media experiences and dreams. In a study of 1287 Turkish people, “participants who that their results are more gener-
alizable to all individuals who are
consumed violent media tended to have violent dreams, and participants who con- blind and not just a select group.
sumed sexual media tended to have sexual dreams” (Van den Bulck et al., 2016 ).
Sleep: Sleep Loss, Sleep Disorders, and Dreams Module 1.5c 109

03_myersAPpsychology4e_28116_ch01_002_163.indd 109 15/12/23 9:24 AM
PRACTICE
• What are some possible causes of
Argumentation (SP 4) SIDS? How might one explanation be
(Out of class) Tell students that some related to sleep apnea?
researchers have theorized that sleep apnea • What is the current advice to parents
is related to sudden infant death syndrome about preventing SIDS? How has this
(SIDS). SIDS occurs when infants seem to advice changed over the years?
die without cause in their sleep. Parents have • What are some recent research projects
been given conflicting advice throughout the that have explored the causes and
years on how to avoid this disturbing and prevention of SIDS?
controversial problem. Have students explore • Based on your research, what
what researchers currently know about SIDS recommendations would you make to
and its link to sleep disorders. Ask them to new parents?
answer the following questions:
Be sure students cite scientifically derived
evidence to support their conclusions.
Sleep: Sleep Loss, Sleep Disorders, and Dreams Module 1.5c 109

03_HammerTE4e_47547_ch01_2a_163_4pp.indd 109 07/02/24 5:26 PM