Question 1

Freud believed that dreams functioned to satisfy unconscious _____ and _____ desires.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud, dreams served as a way to satisfy unconscious sexual and aggressive desires. He believed that these desires were repressed in the waking state and only allowed expression in the disguised form of dreams.

Question 2

What two categories of dream content did Sigmund Freud describe?

Accepted Answer

Sigmund Freud described the two categories of dream content as latent (hidden, unconscious meaning) and manifest (visible and conscious content).

Question 3

Skyla Smith is going camping with her mom and dad. She asks if her friend Jessica can come along. Jessica's parents agree, but inform the Smiths that Jessica has somnambulism. This means that _____

Accepted Answer

Jessica has somnambulism, which means she walks in her sleep.

Question 4

The bizarre, illogical events of dreams can be explained in part because the prefrontal cortex is _____ during REM dreams.

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex is associated with rational thought. The fact that it is suppressed (less active)during REM dreaming would be consistent with the irrational nature of many REM dreams.

Question 5

Certain neurotransmitters that exert inhibiting influences on impulsive thoughts and acts during the day are less plentiful during REM dreaming. They are _____ and _____

Accepted Answer

Serotonin and norepinephrine are both neurotransmitters that inhibit impulsive thoughts and acts during the day, but their levels are decreased during REM dreaming.

Question 6

Pete cannot figure out why he is tired all of the time, because he sleeps for about 8 hours a night. His wife wants him to go see a doctor because of his terrible snoring and the gasping she hears throughout the night. Pete likely has which of the following sleep disorders?

Accepted Answer

The snoring, gasping, and feeling tired even after 8 hours of sleep suggests sleep apnea.

Question 7

The _____ theory proposes that dreams are thinking while asleep and represent a broad range of the dreamer's _____

Accepted Answer

The cognitive theory of dreaming suggests that dreams are essentially a form of thinking that occurs when we are asleep, reflecting the dreamer's preoccupations, worries, or concerns. This theory emphasizes the continuity of waking and dreaming cognition, suggesting that our dreams are shaped by our problems, anxieties, and thoughts.

Question 8

Jeff has been having unpleasant, recurring dreams and is feeling a bit depressed. His friend, a good therapist, suggested he try to _____ in order to stop them in a healthy way.

Accepted Answer

Lucid dreaming has been recommended as a method of controlling unwanted, recurring, dreams and as an intervention for depression. While not always successful, it is a harmless method to try.

Question 9

The uninhibited, _____-stimulated activity of dreaming has been compared to a psychotic mental state.

Accepted Answer

The uninhibited, dopamine-stimulated activity of dreaming has been compared to a psychotic mental state because dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in reward, motivation, and many aspects of the psychotic mental state, including hallucinations and delusions that can occur in dreams.

Question 10

Brain imaging studies support the conclusion that meditation _____

Accepted Answer

Brain imaging studies have shown that meditation induces an altered state of consciousness, indicating changes in the brain's activity and structure. It is not considered a form of sleep and is not a quick fix for health problems. In fact, regular meditation practice has been shown to have numerous health benefits.

Question 11

A newspaper advertisement describes a book that offers interpretations of dreams. In attempting to tell readers the meaning of the symbols of their dreams, the author intends to describe the _____ content.

Accepted Answer

Latent content is the hidden content represented by symbols.

Question 12

The idea that dreams consist of random firing of brain cells during REM, but are significant in terms of the meaning we give them, represents which theory?

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory suggests that dreams are a result of random firing of brain cells during REM, which the brain then tries to make sense of by creating a narrative or storyline. This theory emphasizes the biological and neurological aspects of dreaming, rather than psychological or symbolic meanings.

Question 13

From an evolutionary perspective, dreams should serve a protective function. The fact that we often dream about _____ supports that view.

Accepted Answer

Dreams do often involve threatening situations in which we could conceivably find ourselves. Such dreams would be protective because they allow us to rehearse strategies for managing those threats.

Question 14

According to Freud, the important, underlying meaning of our dreams is found in the _____

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's psychoanalytic theory, the important, underlying meaning of our dreams is found in the latent content. This refers to the hidden, unconscious thoughts, desires, and fears that are symbolically represented in the dream. The manifest content, or the actual events and experiences that are remembered upon waking, are thought to be a distorted or censored version of the latent content.

Question 15

While having a vivid REM dream, forebrain activity resembles that of _____

Accepted Answer

The answer of While having a vivid REM dream, forebrain...

Question 16

Janae was having a bad dream in which she was watching the dream while a tiger was about to jump on her. She turned the tiger into a beautiful striped butterfly and it floated down to rest softly on her finger. Janae was having a _____ dream.

Accepted Answer

In lucid dreaming, the dreamer has developed the ability to maintain a level of awareness and control over their dream content.

Question 17

Jeff and Franco are both involved in a sleep study. Jeff wakes up screaming early in the night. The researchers notice that although his eyes are open, he doesn't seem to be totally awake. Additionally, recordings show Jeff's heart rate is very fast. Franco wakes up much later in the sleep period because he was frightened by the content of his dream. He was able to report to the researcher a vivid account of the dream upon waking. Jeff likely experienced a _____, whereas Franco experienced a _____

Accepted Answer

The description of Jeff's experience exemplifies a sleep terror, whereas Franco, because he can remember it and is awakened by it, is having a nightmare.

Question 18

Brain activity is taking place _____ during REM dreams.

Accepted Answer

Brain activity during REM dreams is not limited to memory areas or association areas, but also involves activation in visual, emotional, and other areas of the brain. This is why dreaming often involves vivid visual imagery and intense emotions. While the prefrontal cortex is less active during REM sleep, other regions of the brain are highly active.

Question 19

Interpretation of the _____ content of a dream is expected to reveal the _____ content.

Accepted Answer

Freud believed that the manifest, or known, content of our dreams reflected their latent, or hidden, content.

Question 20

Modern psychologists, for the most part, _____ Freudian interpretation of dreams.

Accepted Answer

Modern psychologists have moved away from Freudian interpretation of dreams as they consider it a limited and overly simplistic approach. They believe dreams have multiple meanings and purposes, and should be analyzed in the context of the individual's personal experience and psychological makeup.

Quiz 4: Consciousness

Freud believed that dreams functioned to satisfy unconscious _ and _ desires.