sleep and dreaming key terms

manifest content

the actual content of the dream

latent content

the symbolic meaning of the dream - what it really represents

physical repair

returning the body to a normal, healthy state

emotional stability

feeling normal and psychologically healthy

healthy brain

a brain that functions normally

slow wave sleep

a type of deep sleep where brain activity is slow

REM sleep

Rapid Eye Movement

Stage at the end of sleep cycle where person’s eyes jerk and brain activity is high, leading to more dreaming

NREM sleep

Non-Rapid Eye Movement

Pineal gland

An endocrine gland, found in the brain, that produces melatonin

Melatonin

Hormone that induces sleep

Released by pineal gland

Exogenous zeitgebers

Features of the environment that manage circadian rhythms

Endogenous pacemakers

Internal biological clocks that manage circadian rhythms

Sleep onset insomnia

Problems falling asleep

Sleep maintenance insomnia

Problems staying asleep

Repression

Process of pushing unpleasant thoughts and experiences into the unconscious mind

Dream analysis

Method used by Freud to help uncover unconscious thoughts by analysing dreams and uncovering symbols

Psychoanalysis

A type of therapy that attempts to resolve psychological problems by accessing unconscious and conscious conflicts

Activation Synthesis Theory

An explanation of dreams that focuses on the random activation of neurons and the brain’s efforts to make sense of this through synthesis

Pons

A part of the brain that operates as a message station

Brain stem

The central trunk of the brain that continues down to the spinal cord

Synthesis

To make sense of and give meaning to dreams

Occipital lobe

Tells you what you see

Located at the back of the head

Neurons

Receives and sends messages from the body to the brain and back to the body

Limbic system

Set of brain structures involved in memory, behaviour regulation and processing emotions

Cerebral cortex

Outer layer of the brain, composed of folded grey matter

Reductionism

Viewing complex human behaviour from a simple perspective

Holism

Recognising the importance of seeing people as individuals and that not one approach or theory can fully explain human behaviour

Discontinuity

Lack of continuity, disjointedness

Fantasy

Products of imagination where impossible/improbable occurrences are imagined

Incongruity

Out of place, not agreeing or in harmony, doesn’t fit in it’s location

Inter-rater reliability

Measuring the external consistency of a test

Insomnia

Inability to get to sleep or stay asleep

Relaxation techniques

Strategies for making people feel more relaxed, both physically and psychologically

Sleep hygiene

Strategies that support a good nights sleep

Sympathetic nervous system

A division of the nervous system that controls the fight or flight response when faced when stress

Parasympathetic nervous system

A division of the nervous system that regulates organ and gland functions during rest, and counters the response of the sympathetic nervous system

Hypothalamus

Controls key bodily functions

Unconscious mind

Part of the mind that people are not aware of but holds thoughts and memories

Wish fulfilment

Satisfying urges and desires

Dreams

A series of thoughts, images and sensations occurring in a person’s mind during sleep