Final answer:
The main theories explaining why we dream include the psychoanalytic theory, activation-synthesis theory, and problem-solving theory. Freud's psychoanalytic theory sees dreams as insights into the unconscious, while Hobson's activation-synthesis theory views them as our brain's interpretations of neural activity. Cartwright's problem-solving theory views dreams as reflecting personal life events and aiding in working through issues.
Step-by-step explanation:
Theories Explaining Why We Dream
Theories on why we dream have puzzled psychologists and neuroscientists for centuries. Here is a brief overview of the main theories:
- Psychoanalytic theory: This was advocated by Sigmund Freud, who believed that dreams are a window into our unconscious mind, revealing desires and thoughts that we repress during our waking life. Dreams, for Freud, were full of symbolism that represented our unconscious fears, wishes and conflicts.
- Activation-synthesis theory: Developed by neuroscientist Alan Hobson, this theory suggests that dreams are our brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity during REM sleep. Hobson's theory has evolved over time to posit that dreaming could be seen as a form of protoconsciousness, where our brain constructs a virtual reality that could help us in our waking life.
- Problem-solving theory: This perspective, discussed by researchers like Rosalind Cartwright, suggests that dreams reflect life events that are important to the dreamer. Dreams, in this regard, are believed to help us work through issues and problems in our lives.
In addition to these theories, Carl Jung proposed that dreams connect us to a collective unconscious, comprising shared knowledge and archetypes common to all human beings. Descartes also contributed to the discussion by questioning whether we can truly distinguish between being awake and dreaming due to the realistic nature of some dreams.