The Definition Of Dreams

What are dreams?

The Oxford dictionary defines a dream as a series of pictures or events in a sleeping person’s mind.

I agree with this definition because throughout my dreaming experience, I have realised that when I sleep different events happen. For example, I dreamt  that I was singing in a primary school choir and then it became a reality,  I was singing in the choir.

Dreams simply represent our brain’s attempt to form some sort of order out of a chaotic cognitive world of images left over from the day. (The Complete A-Z Psychology Handbook. Second Edition).

I  accept this second description because some of the dreams that have come from my subconscious have helped me solve real life situations. For instance, when my friend had problems with her best friend, I had a dream where I gave them advice as to whether or not to save their friendship.

Primary Research

Face to face responses

A dream is a thought that is very inexplicable and can sometimes feature things that are related to real life or impossible actions. – Jane, 12

I agree to disagree with this statement on the grounds of personal experience.When I dream about unfamiliar to me, so I can’t figure out what it means.

However on some occasions, I can dream and I do know what it means. I do agree that dreams do tend to feature things that are related to real life, also, impossible actions that dreams help you occasionally solve.

A dream is something you imagine doing in a few years time (an ambition), it broadens your train of thought, motivating you to achieve. – Davina, 17

I agree with this comment because an ambition is based on dreams and goals, which you think about  and prepare yourself to achieve through specific procedures and processes.

Also, I had asked many people on Instagram for their definition of what the definition of dreams are.

Alen, 15

I agree with parts of this statement. I acknowledge that a dream is something in which you hope can happen. However, I agree to disagree with the rest because it is kind of confusing. I think he means that sometimes you have negative thoughts that prevent you from achieving your goals, which I agree with.

Atef, 17

I think this explanation of dreams is confusing and don’t quite understand what he means, so I don’t think this definition is going to be useful for me.

Deng, 29

Deng’s definition of what dreams are, is simple explanation based on the aspirational definition of dream, which I comply with.

Patrick,16

This definition is simple and true. Many dreams that I have had were in my local area, for example I was going to school or I was at school having fun with friend.

Carla, 16

I feel that Carla’s explanation is valid because some dream to escape their present reality, for example, day-dreaming.

If a class is boring, I tend to day dream about different things such as talking to my school friend or something along those lines. The point is that I dreamt up a fantasy to get away from me being in class.

Furthermore, when she writes that dreams are something you want to happen in real life, it could be based on ambition for instance if you want to a doctor. So I agree with what she has written to me even though it is not clear I know what she is trying to get across.

Tasnia, 15

I agree with this statement because, she talks about dreams,in ambitious way, rather that going to sleep and dreaming.

Moses, 19

Moses’s definition of what dreams are is based on ambition; I agree with the statement because everyone has a dream to achieve something in life for example, I dream to be singer, cameraman or video editor in the future and I hope that I will be successful, so I think this is a good definition of dreams.

Nasrin, 16

This definition of dreams is to do with goals and achieving them, which I agree with because you can’t achieve your dream straight away, there’s different things you have to do before you achieve that dream.

Jerry, 16

I agree to disagree with this explanation because believe that we can control our dreams sometimes however, I don’t believe that it is or could be a parallel universe. But I could use the idea of a parallel universe in my project depending on what I am going to do.

Hannah, 15

I agree with this short definition in the sense of ambition.

Ricardo, 16

Ricardo didn’t know what dreams are, maybe it was because he couldn’t define or maybe he just didn’t know.

Another social media site that I have used is Facebook

Clara, 16

I agree with Clara’s detailed definition of what dreams are because I feel it is something that your mind creates to deal with the many times you image things from the day (reality) and if not that then you create your on world/location to go to. Also, I agree with the fact that she writes that dreams can be random, strange and or even uncomfortable, because people (I) have had dreamt were it is uncomfortable for reason or another.

In addition to that, random sometimes, I have a dream that I was in a land full of ice cream, how random is that. The explanation is detailed and there are many reason why I enjoyed reading this response. I could use some of the elements described in this response for my final project.

Shanakay, 17

Shanakay’s assurance of dreams doesn’t quite make sense, so, I don’t know how to reply to this explanation.

Luis, 17

Luis’s definition is good, I agree that the brain process information while we sleep, which creates an alternate reality that we have.

Hung, 16

To a certain degree, I agree with Hung’s statement ‘ you dream of things that you like’, because I have had dreams where things that I have liked appear. However, I have had dreams where things I don’t like have appeared. I can use Hung’s statement ‘you dream of things that you like’ in my final idea for the reason that I like concept of my main character falling asleep and dreaming up things that she/he likes.

Hollie, 17

Hollie gave me a definition of dreams based on the ambitious side of the word, which is very cynical but not every definition has to be cute and fluffy. There are many people who don’t achieve their dream and have to do something else to get by.

Kevin, 17

Kevin’s explanation on a dream is based on ambition/goals.

Niamh, 17

Niamh didn’t have a definition of dreams, but it’s okay because some people may not know or can’t think of anything, which I can use as evidence in my research.

Meg, 16

Meg didn’t know what her definition of a dream was, so I can’t use this response for my project. However, I have learnt that it is still good to keep record of comments like these.

So, I can give the people who haven’t got a definition, an idea, which may or may not influence their opinion (definition) of dreams.

 A Pie Chart on Dreams

After selecting a few people for feedback using social media sites such as Instagram and Facebook on what their definition of dreams are. Here is a pie chart of the results

This pie chart shows the amount of people who based their definition of dreams on ambition, sleep and I don’t know answers.  8 people based their definition on Ambition/Goals, 5 people based their definition on dreams that we have when falling asleep and 3 people gave I don’t know answers meaning they couldn’t think of a definition or weren’t bothered to give me one.

Even though the majority of definitions were based on ambition, I think my final project is going to be based on the definition of dreams when people go to sleep.