Intro to Psych
2014-2015 Student Learning Objective (SLO)
Understand psychological principles &connect class material with daily life.
Analyzing Your Dreams
For this SLO option, intro. to psych students are asked to use the knowledge
acquired from the course to form their own analysis of the function and meaning of
dreaming.
Throughout the year you will be asked to match something in your life experience
to something that we have done in class for a particular unit. For the current unit
we are working on, Biology of Behavior, we will do a dream analysis.
This paper must be submitted in APA format. (10 points)
Due:
Directions
Analyze your dreams. In other words, what did you learn about yourself by
recording your dreams? Has your outlook on the purpose or meaning of dreams
changed based on the three theories covered in the textbook? Has your outlook on
dreams changed based on the information about sleep covered in this unit.
Paragraph 1: (10 points) Introduction What did you learn about yourself by
recording your dreams? Has your outlook on the purpose or meaning of dreams
changed based on the three theories covered in the textbook? Has your outlook on
dreams changed based on the information about sleep covered in this unit. Create
a thesis regarding your theory of the purpose and function of dreams.
Paragraph 2: (15 points) Analyze your dreams based on Freudian psychoanalytic
(wish-fulfillment) theory. Include relevant dream symbols in this analysis. (15
points)
Paragraph 3: (15 points) Choose one: (1) Analyze your dreams based on Dreams
for Survival Theory? Or (2) Analyze your dreams based on Activation Synthesis
Theory. (
Paragraph 4 (may be more than one paragraph if needed): (30 points) Discuss
your theory on the purpose and function of dreams. You may want to summarize
the overall content of the dreams. Consider comparing settings, plots, characters,
emotions, and colors.
Some of the questions you may address in your paper include:
a. Are there any common threads (people, objects, ideas, moods) running
through dreams? What might these common threads mean?
b. What seems to be the main function of your dreams? To review your day?
To solve a problems? To warn you of something? To remind you of
priorities?
c. Are your dreams bizarre, boring, both? What does this say about your
personality or do you see it as a connection to something you ate or drank
that day?
d. What common symbols or objects did you record? What do you think these
symbols mean?
e. Are any of your dreams disturbing to you? Why
f. Are you able to control your dreams as you remembered more and more of
them?
g. How are your dreams relevant to your waking life?
Paragraph 5: (20 points) Compare your theory on the purpose and function of
dreams with the other two you discussed in your paper. Conclusion
FCA’s
a. Create a clear thesis sentence and a strong conclusion
b. Use content specific information (theories and terms covered in the unit) to
explain your thesis.
c. Vary sentence beginnings and lengths (structure) and proper punctuation.
(10 Points- throughout)
Total points: 100