Dreams and Problem Solving

Term Paper # 117577

Psychology > Dreams
Psychology > Freud
Psychology > Jung

This paper discusses the ability of dreams to initiate creative thought and solve problems.

1,360 words () | 8 sources | MLA | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the topic of whether dreams can be useful tools in solving problems by examining examples of such incidents in history and literature. The paper begins by citing an example from a passage in the bible. The paper also discusses how Dmitri Mendeleev, Thomas Edison, and Austrian Otto Loewi had similar experiences of discovering solutions to problems through dreams. This paper also discusses findings in research on the topic and the negative effects of sleep deprivation.

From the Paper:

"Previous studies have shown that sleep deprivation contributes to accidents, poor health and lower test scores. Scientists found that people who had gotten eight hours of sleep were three times more likely than those who were sleep-deprived to figure out a hidden rule for solving a simple math problem. Researchers believe brains process data at night, allowing people to find innovative solutions when they wake up. According to modern theories about sleep, it is a way to subconsciously process knowledge and analyze events, transforming waking behavior and intuition. Certainly, people who get enough sleep memorize things much better than those who do not. By day, people try to solve problems analytically with the dominant part of their brains. It is possible that at night data is sifted in the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex, while there are more parts of the non-dominant brain at work."

Sample of Sources Used:

Dreaming: Journal of the Association for the Study of Dreams. Vol 11(2) 93-95, June 2001.
Hamilton-Parker, Craig. The Hidden Meaning of Dreams. Barnes & Noble, 1999.
Health: Study Confirms Sleep Essential for Creativity. Associated Press, 2004.
Loewi, O. From the Workshop of Discoveries. Lawrence: University of Kansas Press, 1953.
Rock, Andrea. The Mind at Night: The New Science of How and Why We Dream. Basic Books, 2004.