Sleep Lab: A Dream Analysis

By: Emma Mackie, Hayley Schimpf, and Conner Laquindanum

Question: When analyzing the content of dreaming for meaning, do people report
common themes?

Background Information:
Theories of Sleep
Repair and Restoration
Suggests that NREM sleep is essential for repairing physiological
functions and REM sleep is used for restoring mental functions.
The brain also does housekeeping by removing toxins that have
been built up in the central nervous system.
Evolutionary Theory of Sleep
Sleep was thought to help conserve energy. Sleep also is used to
help evade hazardous times of the day.

Stages of Sleep
Stage 1:
pulse slows, muscles relax, breathing becomes uneven and brain
waves irregular (theta waves: low frequency and amplitude)
Phase can last about 10 minutes, marked by the theta waves.

Stage 2:
Brain waves begin to shift from low amplitude, high frequency to high
amplitude, low frequency.
Eyes start to roll from side to side.
Phase can last approx. 30 minutes.
Stage 3:
Consists of large amplitude delta waves.
Stage 4:
Deepest level of sleep, and is difficult to be awaken from.
Delta waves (usually large and regular) occur approx. 50% of the time
Talking and walking during sleep can occur during this stage, memory
loss of the time during sleep is common during this stage.
Important to the physical and psychological well-being.
Muscles completely relaxed, eyes move rapidly

REM Stage:
REM: Rapid Eye Movement, known as active sleep.
 Pulse and breathing are irregular, levels of adrenal and hormones
increase. Sometimes fingers and face twitch, and muscles can become
paralyzed.
Phase can last from 15 to 45 minutes
On average people spend 75% of sleep in these 4 stages.

A person will continue this cycle every 90 minutes, each time REM interval is increasing.
Circadian Cycle: the rhythm of activity and inactivity lasting about a day.
Sleep Disorders:
Insomnia:
the inability to get enough sleep in the night, to feel rested.
Sleep Apnea:
a sleep disorder where a person has issues breathing during sleep.
Narcolepsy:
a condition where a person can suddenly fall asleep or feels very tired
throughout the day.
Nightmares and Night Terrors:
nightmares are unpleasant dreams whereas night terrors are sleep
disruptions where a person may scream, and panic during sleep (usually
involved in Stage 4 of sleep cycle).
Dreams:

o Everybody dreams, although most dreams are not remembered.

o A few dreams during the night, are vaguely related to thought/activities done
during the day.
o Contents In Dreams:
Dreams we remember are more coherent, sexual, and usually more
interesting.
A large percentage of emotions that are competent in dreams are
negative, i.e. anxiety, sadness, and anger.
Dreams filled with fear or dread are usually called nightmares.
Nightmares can be related to the intensity of brain activity and
stimulations of those parts, this emotional reaction can create the content
of the dreams.

Hypothesis
It is foreseen that there will be some common themes but several variations.

Materials
Data Collection Sheets (5 Sheets of 3 Scenarios)
Participants (15) aged 12+

Method
Obtain the materials listed above
 Have 5 different people analyze each scenario so a total of 15 sheets are being
analyzed.
Distribute the data collection sheet.
Have each person fill in the demographic information.
Then have them read the scenario and write a brief analysis of the dream.

Data
See attached scenario responses
Results
Above chart links to actual graph...

Analysis
The data demonstrates that although people develop their own themes and connections
they often report common themes, connections and abstract ideas. The most prevalent
theory was that of the dreamer being the young girl.In each individual scenario there
were many common themes since scenario one for common themes can be found.
Scenario two also demonstrated four common themes. Scenario three only
demonstrated two common themes.

Conclusion
Our hypothesis that when analyzing the content of dreams for meaning do people report
common themes proved correct by the evidence demonstrated in the participants
responses which we have gathered to show commonality between them in organized
bar graphs. Through all of the scenarios the theory of the dreamer being a young girl
was always a common theme although independently each scenario demonstrated a
unique set of themes that were shown and several responses. Scenario one
demonstrates the common themes of:
Dreams of having a mother
Has emotional baggage
 Dreams of childhood
Wagon is the sign of memories
Scenario two demonstrates common themes of:
Respects her own upbringing, plans to raise her son similarly
Connecting current experience to past experience
Dreaming of childhood
Scenario three demonstrates common themes of:
Items falling out to signify the problems the girl has faced

Sources for Error

Possible sources for error include the influence of results by participants.
Participants changing their age.
If we were to redo this experiment in order to limit influence of results between
participants they could be placed in isolation. Participant should also be asked their
actual age.

Questions for Further Investigation

1. This experiment was performed in a paragraph based response it would be
interesting to see how the results would differ if performed in a multiple-choice or
question-and-answer based setting.
2. How would results have differed if participants were asked to write a minimum
number sentences in order for them to elaborate.
3. If the same scenario was presented to two different age groups how were the
results differ.
4. Is there a correlation of positive outlook to a specific age of participant.
5. If male and female responses were separated how would this affect the data.