Introduction
Sleep is one of the main functions of the human body, contributing to its recovery and improvement. This determines the importance of this process in a person’s life. However, in addition to the biological function, the main component of sleep is dreams, which represent the psychological state of the individual. The meaning and interpretation of dreams are of considerable interest among researchers, as they contribute to gaining awareness about how the human psyche works and why people dream.
First, it is necessary to determine the central issue of this study in order to further study the literature. Henceforth, this question becomes, “How can the meaning of dreams that individuals see be interpolated?” The resolution of this inquiry provides an opportunity to determine which research methods can be applied in the course of work. Moreover, it provides an opportunity to determine a hypothesis that will be proved or refuted based on the information and data collected during the literature examination. This study hypothesizes that “interpretation of the meaning of dreams contributes to understanding the human psychological state.”
Methodology
After determining the hypothesis of the study, the method to be used to collect information is chosen. Within the framework of this work, a qualitative approach can be most effective. This is because this kind of data collection process is based on the study of evidence-based sources that provide verified, credible, and reliable information. Moreover, it is essential to note that to ensure relevance, scientific papers written in the last five years will be involved in this empirical work.
A literature review is one of the most common and productive approaches to qualitative research. With this approach to collecting information, researchers can obtain various verified information that can provide different points of view regarding the problem under study. Thus, the keywords for searching for sources will be “dreams,” “meaning of dreams,” “interpretation of dreams,” and “the connection of words and psychological state.” This step will provide an opportunity to significantly narrow the literature that can be used and contribute to the best process of proving or refuting the hypothesis and question posed at the beginning of the work.
Literature Review
The scientific literature provides a relatively large amount of information about the role of dreams in the psychology of individuals and how these aspects interact with each other. Thus, the mental state of individuals significantly impacts what dreams they see and what messages they carry. This is especially evident in the studies conducted during the recent coronavirus pandemic. It was highlighted that people saw more of the imagery component, such as virus-related aspects, places, and animals.
MacKay and DeCicco (2020) indicated that an “increased amount of imagery related to the virus, food, and head imagery suggests that specific aspects of COVID-19 and the global response are reflected within sleep mentation” (p. 222). This circumstance was significant because of the increased concern for well-being, which was reflected in the increased level of stress and the occurrence of mental problems and pressure.
Interpretation and meaning of dreams are valuable when working with individuals with psychological abnormalities or disorders. The research emphasized that “for those suffering from nightmares, interpreting dreams and ultimately influencing them are ways of partly treating their condition” (Fogli et al., 2020, p. 2). This is especially important for individuals who have problems such as depression and constant anxiety. This is because dreams are a continuation or representation of what is happening to people in real life.
Moreover, it is worth noting that “the dream content is a replication of the individual’s self-image that was actualized in the waking state” (Beck, 2019, p. 17). Therefore, one must consider one’s experiences, self-esteem, and self-perception to understand why people dream this or that dream.
When considering dreams, it is necessary to pay attention to lucid dreams. These types consist of “dreams in which one is cognizant of the fact that one is dreaming” (Soffer-Dudek, 2020, p. 1). Several assumptions about this kind of experience exist, the most obvious of which is a violation of sleep quality and disrupted reality–fantasy boundaries.
The literature also notes that individuals can independently provoke lucid dreams and that they are becoming increasingly popular (Soffer-Dudek, 2020). This circumstance is because people pursue the goals of wish fulfillment and problem-solving. Thus, instead of interpreting what they saw in a dream, individuals attempt to resolve the issue directly while in this state.
However, there is also an opinion that lucid dreams can harm a person’s psychological state. Therefore, it is noted that for “the psychotic population is not recommended because they may further empower deliria and hallucinations, favoring internal over external reality” (Soffer-Dudek, 2020, p. 2). Despite the need for further research on the harmful effects of these dreams, increasing attention is being paid to how they help communicate between everyday life and dreams and solve problems within them.
Interpretation of the meaning of dreams has been of interest among researchers for a long time. One of the scientists who made a significant contribution to the development of this field was Carl Jung, who, in his research, relied on the importance of the unconscious. He pointed out that to understand the causes and messages people see in a dream, it is necessary to conduct self-reflection and refer to external factors (Jung, 2019). In other words, the scientist emphasized that dreams focus on a certain problem or issue in a person’s life, but this happens with the help of mythic narratives. Thus, he applied these concepts formed during human development to indicate that he wanted to convey the unconscious through dreams.
Literary sources greatly emphasize aspects such as emotions and experiences in interpreting dreams and their meanings. A special place is given to emotions as one of the main determinants of what people see in their dreams. Research stated that “emotions likely play the role of order parameters: they control and guide combinations of dream elements; they can therefore serve as a springboard in comprehending dreams” (Zhang & Guo, 2018, p. 4). Thus, when interpreting dreams, it is necessary to pay attention to the experiences and feelings that individuals experience during the day or in recent times.
Emphasizing this aspect will help identify the reasons why people have had a positive or negative dream and how they can be analyzed and understood. There are a large number of emotions that individuals prefer to keep to themselves and not show when living life. This is because they remain unresolved and not confronted, which leads to people encountering them in a dream. This aspect shows a close connection between the psychological state and dreams.
As mentioned earlier, researchers focus on the fact that dream interpretation is based on the unconscious. Thus, one of the messages of this process is the disclosure of hidden desires and conflicts that the individual is experiencing. This concept was most promoted by representatives of psychoanalysis, such as Freud, and has had quite a lot of success at the moment.
In addition, this point of view on the analysis of dreams is also based on suppressed emotions and experiences associated with specific events in a person’s life. Research stated that “humans spend one-fifth of sleeping time dreaming; it may be assumed that it fulfills cognitive roles in humans as a possibility to digest information and unsolved conflicts using mental processes” (Fischmann et al., 2021, p. 2). Therefore, this information re-confirms the assumption that an individual’s mental state is reflected in dreams and focuses on positive or negative emotions.
One interpretation of dreams may be a trauma response. In particular, this problem has relevance and prevalence among individuals who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In this case, a critical and seriously traumatic experience adversely affects the psychological and physical condition of patients. It leads to the development of other issues that require a comprehensive approach to treatment.
One of the consequences of this disrupted human psyche is obstructive sleep apnea, which is reflected in sleep-disordered breathing (BaHammam & Almeneessier, 2019). These kinds of circumstances and welfare problems can cause frightening nightmares in people with PTSD, which then affects their mood, emotional, and physical condition. Interpretation of these dreams contributes to the awareness of the severity of the disorder and the factors that particularly critically affect the individual during sleep.
Theoretical Background
Attention drawn to the theories derived in psychology is of particular importance in the study of the meaning and interpretation of dreams. This step will provide an opportunity to realize the various points of view that have been formed over time to explain how dreams can be related to individuals’ mental states. Moreover, the theoretical basis has value in providing the credibility and reliability of the research work so that it can be used to further examine this topic.
One of the most well-known theoretical approaches that allows people to gain an understanding of the meaning and interpretation of dreams is psychoanalytic. It was developed by Sigmund Freud and is based on the concept that “the sleeping brain is a self-organizing system that can combine discontinuous and incongruous neuronal signals into a relatively continuous narrative during sleep” (Zhang & Guo, 2018, p. 2). In other words, the scientist considers what a person sees during sleep and how external and internal factors, such as experience, environment, and mental state, affect it.
In addition, Freud determined that dreams’ content approximates reality but is not its complete duplication. In his opinion, the primary motivator for the emergence of dreams is the unconscious. Thus, dreams were considered in the context of psychoanalysis as a way to approach the unconscious of individuals to better understand their psychological state.
Regarding interpretation, the scientist focused on the existence of two types of dreams, manifest dreams and latent dreams. The latter often carried an unpleasant character for the individual, but could provide an understanding of the hidden meaning and message for the person. Among these aspects, hidden desires, experiences with ways to solve unfinished real-life conflicts, or thoughts and emotions that the individual suppresses but have a substantial degree of impact, may stand out significantly.
Carl Jung’s theory of the collective unconscious provides unique insight into the study of dream interpretation. This approach has similarities with Freud’s views, as it also focuses on the role of the unconscious. However, the main unique feature of this theory is that Jung defines dreams and their meanings as built from symbols and archetypes universally shared by all humans throughout history (Rees & Whitney, 2020).
Research indicated that “because dreams contain images that are not created with conscious intent, they provide self-portraits of the psychic life process and can be utilized for their objective insights into the psyche’s teleological directedness” (Rees & Whitney, 2020, p. 24). The uniqueness of this theoretical approach also lies in the fact that when determining the meaning of symbols and archetypes, Jung turned to various traditional practices, such as shamanism, philosophy, religion, and art. Because these aspects are an integral part of people’s lives, they provide an understanding of how dreams can be interpreted.
Activation-synthesis theory makes a valuable contribution to the study and interpretation of dreams. This approach was developed by scientists John Allan Hobson and Robert McCarley, who were interested in interpreting dreams and their meaning for humans. Within the framework of their theory, it is argued that “dreams are meaningless and are a side effect and do not have a purpose” (“Activation Synthesis Theory,” 2022, para. 7). The study of the opposite point of view provides an opportunity to compare and identify different points of view regarding the topic under study. Thus, the Hobson and McCarley theory proves its opinion by focusing on the fact that during sleeping, individuals activate certain areas of the brain, such as the frontal lobe, which interprets what people see in a dream.
Cognitive theory is one of the most widely used in interpreting the meaning of dreams. This theoretical approach determines that dreams are a way for individuals to process and organize the events and experiences they receive in everyday life. This aspect includes both professional experiences and emotions, which can be negative and positive. In addition, cognitive theory focuses on the fact that dreams help people solve problems or difficult situations they have encountered while awake. Despite the absurdity of some dreams, they can be interpreted in such a way as to provide an answer to unresolved issues.
Within the cognitive theory framework, it is necessary to pay attention to people with psychological abnormalities. Henceforth, patients who had problems with depression and other mental problems often had negative dreams. It is stated that “dreams did consistently portray the dreamer in negative images, consistent with the conscious negative self-image” (Beck, 2019, p. 17). On the other hand, this aspect was not shown in individuals who did not have any critical psychological disorders. Like Freud’s and Jung’s theories, cognitive theory relies heavily on the role of the unconscious in dreams, which determines their content and meaning.
Consideration of theoretical approaches provided an understanding of how dreams have been interpreted and researched throughout history. Various scientific researchers have attempted to determine the causes and messages of dreams. Theories such as cognitive, collective unconscious, and psychoanalysis provide tools to help understand what people experience in their sleep. However, it is also essential to pay attention to approaches such as activation-synthesis theory, which states that dreams do not carry any meaning and result from the activity of certain brain areas during sleep.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the central hypothesis of this research was the study of how interpreting the meaning of individuals’ dreams can help them understand their psychological state. To refute or confirm this statement, a qualitative study based on a literature review was necessary. This approach provided an opportunity to explore different points of view regarding the problem of dreams and their analysis and contributed to the acquisition of the most relevant and credible evidence-based information.
After determining the methodology of the academic paper, the next step was to search and isolate the most valuable data from their scientific papers. The literary review provided a large amount of information about the causes and meanings of people’s dreams. Thus, attention was focused on the fact that this area is of considerable interest to researchers. However, despite various attempts to comprehensively analyze this topic, research is still required that will completely solidify it.
Another aspect is acquiring a theoretical basis for analyzing the role of dreams. In this way, the theories of such scientists as Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, John Allan Hobson, and Robert McCarley were investigated. The latter was considered the opposite opinion since, according to their activation-synthesis theory approach, dreams have no meaning and are a consequence of brain activity during sleep. On the other hand, other theories have contributed to expanding awareness regarding the influence of external and internal factors on what people experience during dreams and how it can be interpreted.
The information collected during the literature review contributed to the conclusion that the hypothesis about the connection between an individual’s psychological state and dreams is correct. In other words, interpreting what people see in dreams can provide insight and identify the possible presence of psychological problems. Hence, those who have severe psychological disorders are more likely to face nightmares.
Additionally, emotions play a valuable role, especially those that remain suppressed by individuals in real life. Scientific works have also emphasized that through dreams, the unconscious gives a person an answer to the problems that have arisen in daily life. Another interpretation of dreams may be the point of view that, in a dream, a person’s mind organizes and arranges the events experienced.
References
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Zhang, W., & Guo, B. (2018). Freud’s dream interpretation: A different perspective based on the self-organization theory of dreaming. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1-4. Web.