Final answer:
According to Sigmund Freud, 'manifest content' and 'latent content' are terms for two distinct levels of consciousness within dreams; the former is the actual dream story, while the latter is the hidden psychological significance.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Sigmund Freud, manifest content and latent content refer to two distinct levels of consciousness in the context of dreams. The manifest content is the actual storyline of a dream, whereas the latent content represents the hidden psychological meaning of the dream. For example, a dream about being chased may be straightforward on the manifest level, but on a latent level, it could symbolize underlying fears or anxieties such as fear of sexual intimacy.
In Freudian theory, dreams are seen as a pathway to the unconscious mind. The manifest content of a dream acts like a smokescreen for the true, hidden psychological significance that can be revealed through the dream's latent content. Through this lens, psychoanalysts attempt to interpret dreams to uncover buried feelings and desires.