PubMed · 14808466
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F A WEISS. 1950. [Constructive forces in dreams].. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14808466/
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The discovery of the close association between rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and dreaming and development of sleep laboratory techniques ushered in a new era in the study of dreams. For the first time, direct and systematic investigation could be made of such topics as the occurrence, qualities, recollection, and childhood development of dreaming. Experimental methodologies permitted investigation of the responsiveness of dreams to external stimulation and the effects of deprivation of REM sleep. Much effort was devoted to searching for parallels between physiological aspects of REM sleep and characteristics of associated dreams, with modest results. The leading theory of dreaming in the early decades of this research was the psychoanalytic, which views dreams as highly meaningful reflections of unconscious mental functioning. With developments in understanding of the neurophysiology of REM sleep, new theories of dreaming were proposed. The most prominent, the activation-synthesis hypothesis, derived its view of dreaming directly from the neurophysiology of REM sleep, in particular the role of the brain stem, and in its original form regarded dreams as not essentially meaningful. Further developments in neurobiological research, including lesion and brain imaging studies, have established a clearer view of the functional neuroanatomy of REM sleep and dreaming. To what degree, and in what way, implications can be drawn from these findings for the psychology of dreaming is controversial. Some more recent theories of dreaming emphasize an adaptive function related to emotion and a role in learning and memory consolidation.
Accepting the common lay definition of nightmare as any form of upsetting, dreamlike cognition occurring in the midst of sleep, the author argues for a classification of nightmares that would be based, not on physiological findings, but on what the upsetting nocturnal occurrence turns out to mean to the dreamer. Three types of nightmare identified on this basis are illustrated through dream sequences from classic Hollywood movies and amplified by clinical examples: (1) the dream that symbolizes the next stage of life as unusually daunting, (2) the dream that exposes the shadow of another person in a shocking way, and (3) the 'empathy dream', in which the dreamer experiences directly the anxieties of another subject. It is suggested that the accurate interpretation of a particular upsetting dream depends upon which type of nightmare the dream turns out to be.
This paper examines some difficulties inherent in the process of integration of potentially divergent theoretical positions. It is noted that there is an increasing tendency toward integration of Jungian theory with various models from psychoanalysis and other scientific disciplines. This trend can be understood as relating to the larger post-modern current operating in the scientific and cultural communities. As an element of the Zeitgeist, theory integration can proceed with a lack of critical stance on the process itself. An argument is developed on theoretical grounds for urging caution in the implementation of theory integration. The integrative process is examined using dream material from D. W. Winnicott in conjunction with his review of Memories, Dreams, Reflections. Through this discussion, some implications are examined as to the viability of linking Jungian and developmental models.