Freud had many ideas that are impossible to prove scientifically, but it is enticing to think that we can understand why we behave as we do: it would be so cool to be able to explain our seemingly inexplicable behaviors. This week's prompt allows you to try:
As you read in the mini-lecture, Freud believed that our dreams were "the royal road to the unconscious." What do you think your dreams are revealing to you about your unconscious?
Describe a dream that you had recently, or one that often recurs. Be sure to choose a dream that is specific and vivid - not just a series of random images. Using Freud's idea that our dreams reveal our true feelings, try explaining what your dream is telling you about your true feelings. Provide support for your explanation by tying the dream to your history or a recent event, or discuss why (in your opinion) Freud's theory is a sham.
Don't feel that you have to identify sexual or aggressive components of the dream - any "socially unacceptable" feeling would count as worthy of being pushed into the unconscious. You also don’t have to necessarily see the dream as a “wish;” you are looking for a “true feeling.”
If you're not comfortable revealing your own dream, ask a friend to tell you about his/her dream. It'll be... um... interesting.
Please don't create a hypothetical dream; to do so would miss the point of understanding how dreams can be connected to a real person's past.
You'll see that the links to your group say Nature/Nurture; that's because you are in the same groups. (Yay! You'll be with people you already know!) Yes, it's annoying that I can't give it a different name, and I don't even know if it will work, but let's see what happens!
There are 3 parts to this forum assignment; be sure to complete all 3 parts:
- (35% of your score) describe the dream (detail is always good)
- just recently, i dreamt that i was in a swimming competition and while i was trying to put on swimming gloves (yes, i know, there are no such things as swimming gloves), Wayne Brady (yes, the one from "Let's Make a Deal") was laughing at me.
- my example dream is too short and would not score well. your dream should include what you were thinking and feeling in the dream and other details of the dream. it should include how you felt when you woke up.
- just recently, i dreamt that i was in a swimming competition and while i was trying to put on swimming gloves (yes, i know, there are no such things as swimming gloves), Wayne Brady (yes, the one from "Let's Make a Deal") was laughing at me.
- (50% of your score) explain how a therapist might explain it (include at least 3 components/details of the dream)(see below "30 common dream symbols" for a list of interpretations)
- (#1 component of the dream) being in a swimming competition - in real life, i actually don't know how to swim, so to be in a swimming competition makes no sense to me. in the dream, i felt panicked and frustrated.
- i think Freud would say there is something in my life where i have to "show" my skills publicly. but i don't know how to swim! I know that this is not going to turn out well...
- (#2 component of the dream) putting on swimming gloves - what the heck were those for? these gloves had scale-like protrusions - like something Aquaman would have. i haven't actually seen the Aquaman movie, but i clearly was having trouble putting on the gloves and knew i was falling behind in the competition... but i could "look" like a swimmer with these gloves, even if i can't really swim.
- i think Freud would say that i wanted to wear the gloves to make me look like a "cool" swimmer - someone as good as Aquaman! in reality, the gloves would not make one bit of difference - in fact, they were hindering my progress.
- (#3 component of the dream) Wayne Brady laughing at me - i love Wayne Brady and think he's hilarious. as a comedian, he takes everyday situations and shows how silly they are. i know that he was once married to a Chinese American woman, so i feel like he's a safe person who might appreciate who i am and how i might feel. the fact that he's laughing at me (or at my situation) makes me start to laugh too.
- i think Freud would say that there is silliness in this competition - this need to prove i'm competent by doing something i'm clearly not good at doing.
- (#1 component of the dream) being in a swimming competition - in real life, i actually don't know how to swim, so to be in a swimming competition makes no sense to me. in the dream, i felt panicked and frustrated.
- (15% of your score) provide support for the theory by tying it to real life, OR discuss why you don't think the theory is supported by the dream by tying it to real life
- if you do or don’t believe the theory is supported by the dream, you can’t just say, "I do believe it" or “I don’t believe it;” provide evidence by showing how real life supports or contradicts the dream’s “message.”
- in real life, i often feel like i'm in a race to prove myself - this is especially true at the beginning of a school semester when i am meeting new students and vice versa. i often feel incompetent (story of my life! lol) - like i'll be revealed as unable to... well... swim! or know my stuff. i think having a "friend" laugh at me reminds me to relax and have a good time just being me - not some "fake" me wearing a costume. i think the dream is in fact a reflection of what's going on in my unconscious and the struggles i've had around being "good enough" - even in a job that i've been doing for 30 years.
- OR if i didn't feel like the dream represented my unconscious, i might say,
- in my real life, i always feel confident in everything i do, so i don't know why i would feel frustrated and panicked in the dream. even though i don't know how to swim, i always go into a competition prepared. for example, a few years ago, i was asked to take over a class i never taught, and i just said Yes, and did great (this example provides evidence of how i don't believe the dream is really about an unconscious issue). i just watched Wayne Brady two days ago on reruns of "Whose Line," so i think that's why he was in the dream. this dream was not about any issues in my unconscious - it was just random. maybe because I haven't seen Aquaman yet and i want to, and i was thinking about it, so the idea of swimming showed up in my dream. that's why i think that dreams have no hidden meanings.
- if you do or don’t believe the theory is supported by the dream, you can’t just say, "I do believe it" or “I don’t believe it;” provide evidence by showing how real life supports or contradicts the dream’s “message.”
Let me say this again: there is NO research that suggests that the wish fulfillment theory of dreams has any truth to it; this assignment is just for fun and gives you a chance to b.s. the way Freudian* therapists like to b.s. I will, however, score you based on your understanding of the theory - so be sure to give this some effort.
Don't forget to complete your two response posts. You can "add" to the discussion by sharing a similar dream, or suggesting a different interpretation, or saying more about dream symbols, or...
Have fun, therapists!
*to be strictly Freudian would mean that you are only interested in the sex and aggression issues hidden in the unconscious; but for this assignment, you don't have to be Freudian. For this assignment, remember that many types of issues can be buried in the unconscious - things like insecurities (my example) or fears or hurts from one's current life or from the past.