Freuds Theory of the Dream Work - Assignment Example

Freud, Sigmund Theory on Dream Work Name Course Professor Date Freud’s theory of the dream work Introduction Sigmund Freud is considered by many as the founder of psychoanalysis. This is a result of his revolutionary works undertaking studies of dreams in his work. He came up with the theory of dreams and the interpretation to the dreams. According to Freud, nothing is by chance, but rather each event is propelled by the subconscious part of the mind. This is a unique way that the subconscious part of body that reveals itself in hidden signs. Before Freud’s theory, the general notion about dreams held in the scientific world indicated that dream was a manifestation of the mental activity while sleeping. The condition of being asleep was considered a prominent factor causing disorganization and thereby leading to the dream experience. According to this, the non-psychological sleep condition determines the scientific perspective for attempting to discover what propelled the occurrence of the dream. This paper has been developed to discuss how Freud created a shift in this context and through the introduction of dream theory. The paper discusses the process and dream work, interpretations of dreams and critiques to the wish-fulfillment theory of dreams. The dream theory Freud main interest in psychology, especially keen interest in psychological work, contributed to his discoveries in dreams. His main concern to gain an understanding of the symptoms and began to engage openly with the patients who began bringing out the issues of dream. From this, he started viewing dreams as symptoms and would try to create links and susceptible to interpretation. Freud would enquire from the patients specific characteristics of the dream. The free association criteria were found to be important in carrying out the mind’s action of judging, evaluating and criticizing and finally hindering the dream. The same method was used by patient in bringing to light their thoughts and feelings in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. This assisted Freud in offering clarification of the manifestation of dream. Freud indicated that behind the manifested dream lie uncovered latent thoughts which are converted through a means of dream work that is converted into a real dream. Analysis of the dream using the method known as free association could reveal that the dream could be decoded to imply a chance to make the desires come true in manner that the dream is not consciously aware (Freud, p 2). This wish fulfillment theory was further supported by Freud by indicating that one may have small number of dreams that are wish fulfilling. Freud gives an example of medical student who ought to wake early and go and carry out some ward round. The student may dream being in a ward bed and continuing enjoying his sleep. This is regarded as dream of convenience where the wish fulfilled is the universal desire to continue to sleep. Freud indicated that most dreams are not readily remembered as the manifest content. The manifest content is recognized as a final product of a rigorous process of disguise bad distortion. The masking of the dream has been attributed to the nature of the wished presented being unacceptable to the dreamer’s ego. The objection by the dreamer is normally on moral grounds and is deemed as unacceptable as they cultivate the process of lower self-esteem, or causes anxiety, guilt, shame, disgust and embarrassment. The mind puts censorship mechanisms that interfere with the process of ready access to conscious awareness. It is for this reason that most dreams experienced during night’s sleep are forgotten and fade away. The mind puts up other defensive mechanism to distort the clear identification of wish fulfillment. The dream work This refers to the mechanism by which the latent dream ideas are turned to manifest dream content. The latent dream thoughts that are revealed in the process of dream interpretation adheres to the laws of logic and day to day speech. These latent thoughts are understandable are forms of expression that would only be true in a given condition. DreamWorks I considered as a vessel and language that helps the dreamer express their thoughts. The language occurs as a pictographic puzzle rather than occurring in the written form. The process of dream work occurs in forms such as condensation, displacement, plastic representation, and secondary revision. The first three modes indicate archaic, and periodical modes of thinking, the final mode is a combination of rational and logical thought. Condensation represents the process tendency when a certain number of latent dreams thoughts are brought together to form a succinct element. Displacement is a process that allows the dreamer to shift the emotional strength from a specified dream and thought to another. Freud continued to echo ion the essence of psychological value of latent dreams thoughts. The value is as a result of the direct judgment, shared humanity, empathy, and introspection. During the process of dream formation , the accent changes, where the psychologically essential element is dealt with casually while the manifest content stands out as being emotionally intense. Displacement is enabled by the process of dream censorship, resistance, and defensive needs to hide the antagonizing thoughts from the individuals’ ego. To explain this, Freud uses the example of a tailor in a town who committed an act punishable by death. The town only and three butchers and it was settled that one butcher be killed instead. During the processes of constructing a dream, the contents of the latent dream are made known. The basic process means is not enough to express the relations between dream thoughts, which make them be expressed through formal means present to the dreamer. Therefore close ties between two occurrences or people may be brought out by occurrence at the same time of juxtaposing of details in a parallel means during the manifest dream. The dream work process may also follow the universal way of depiction of the psychologically crucial individual, body part or reality through the use of common symbol. The third way in which the dream work operates is through creating the plastic representations of the dream thought. In this scenario, the individual experiencing the dream tends to experience visual images as opposed to expression of formal ties among thought. At times, the images may be experienced in the other sensory modes such as visual, audio among other. The dream work process is also under influenced by the secondary revision. This mechanism attempt to introduce confusion and chaos of images experienced in the dreams. This is the factor that causes the dream to be in form of an organized narrative with story like quality. In some occasion the individual will fit the content of the dreams to a day dream form a waking life. The above described process of dream work is an indication of the process by which the dreams are created. On the other hand, dream analysis and interpretation are techniques by which the meaning is attached to the dream. Dream analysis Freud indicated that dreams have a secret meaning that is connected to the expression and attainment a wish. Freud applies the use of dreams in the psychoneurotic patient analytical treatment to create an understanding of the symptoms (Freud, 1920, p. 45). Interpretation of dreams Freud indicates the possibility of interpreting dreams using a psychological technique where every dream is indicated as psychological structure with tied significance. Freud further notes that people of classical antiquity did not highly regard how dreams were connected to the world of supernatural being. Aristotle indicate that dream are constitutes of the problem of psychology. Dream in considered a psychic activity experienced by an individual while asleep. Some people divided dreams into two broad categories depending on the source of inspiration into the dreams influenced by the present and past events as well as the moved by future (p. 4). The Method of Dream Interpretation The Analysis of a Specimen Dream Following this method, Freud intends to show that the interpretation of dream is possible. The unscientific fields have applied two methods to interpret dream. The first method considers the dream content as whole and attempts to replace it by other information that is more intelligible. This forms a symbolic dream interpretation that ties the meaning of the dream to the future. The second method of dream interpretation considers the dream as secret code message that may be translated into another sign of known meaning. The process addressed here seeks to create a connection related to the future through methods that are deciphered. These methods considered the dream content, personality and social position of the dreamer. The process of this interpretation is not considered to the whole dream but rather assigned to various sections of the dream content. This indicates that the dream is a conglomerate of different fragments with each section requiring special treatment. Freud however, proposes a different approach to the dream interpretation. The process first requires the breakdown the dream to individual components of its content. The method differs from the historic and conventional method of interpretation on symbolism by concentrating on the detail as opposed to the mass, where a dream is thought to be a collection of different components bound together. The method by Freud differs from the cipher method on having an established key for a specific dream-content, by indicating that the same dream-content may hide diversified meaning to different people and in different circumstance. According to Freud, dreams are thus made up of many and convenient material, provided by a normal person, and connected to different incidents in everyday life (Freud, 1900, p. 38). Criticisms of Freud’s theory of the dream work Dreams and Lips The theory by Freud is informed by the phenomena of dreams and slips which also formed the basis of his books on “Interpretation of Dreams” and “Psychopathology of Everyday Life”. Freud uses these topics over and over again to argue his case on unconscious. The critiques indicate that the Freud’s idea fails to identify their primary function as being evidentiary one. This is a way creates a misunderstanding as the notion of dreams and slips diverted attention from the more quality intellectual goals on gathering evidence for the unconscious. Freud argued that all dreams could be interpreted as means of satisfying he unconscious wishes created by unconscious impulses. The critiques indicate that the situation can be accounted using other justifiable ways thereby making these Universalist hypotheses be considered as wrong (Grunbaum, 2004). The argument by Grunbaum against the theory of Fred in dream work holds that dreams and lips are not genuine and autonomous evidence of unconscious as Freud suggested. This critic is justified through the insubordination of the suggestions by Freud that holds that dreams and slips to being analogous to the process of neuroses. Critique by Jung Jung and Freud had in the early days collaborated in providing interpretation of dreams. They got opposing ideas with regard to dream work. Jung differed with Freud on the aspect of differentiating the content and meaning of a dream. Jung critiqued Freud implication that dreams has disguised meaning and indicated that dream was a mere reflection the current state of mind. The main diversion in Jung’s critique to Freud work was sue to Freud’s emphasize in the negative characteristic of the unconscious impacts on visual dreams. Jung provides that it is the positive and helpful quality of these contributions that should be considered. Other critics based their arguments against Freud’s theory based on the notion of Freud using his ideas on sexual instinct ad considering it as highly relevant in the progress of a person. Freud leans more on this development perspective to describe other descriptions of his theory especially on the formation of personality. Conclusion According to the works of Freud described on the discussion above, dream has been considered as a manifest and latent content. Manifest content relates to the idea that the dream is leading to. The latent content indicates the actual implication that can be connoted from deeper analysis and interpretation. Freud indicated that the dream’s manifest proponents can be used to identify the arising importance and its corresponding latent by making use the free association technique. This technique implies the use of a single indicator of the dream and the follow up done with what is automatically recorded in the brain to see where it would lead to. To interpret the visual images in the dreams, Freud describes five processes which include displacement, Projection, symbolization, condensation, and rationalization. Grunbaeum critiques the idea of Freud using dreams and lips to for his foundation for the theory of dream work. On the other hand, the Jung, who was a fellow associate of Freud on interpretation of dreams critiqued the idea of Freud by stating that dream are representation of their current state and have no hidden meaning References Esterson, A., Warnotck, R., & Power, P. (2005). Freud and His Critics: A Discussion. Retrieved from http://www.butterfliesandwheels.org/2005/freud-and-his-critics-a-discussion/ Ewen, R., 2014. An introduction to theories of personality. Psychology Press. Freud, S. (1920). Dream Psychology. Feedbooks. Freud, S., 1912. Recommendations to physicians practising psycho-analysis. Frued, S. (1900). The Interpretation of Dreams. Vienna. Freud, S., 2013. The interpretation of dreams. Read Books Ltd. Freud, S., 1924. Metaphysical supplement to the theory of dreams. The Psychoanalytic Review (1913-1957), 11, p.77. Grunbaum, A. (2004). The Philosophical Critique of Freud. In Freud and His Critcs. University of California Press. Hall, C.S., 1953. 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