• Quick note - the problem with Youtube videos not embedding on the forum appears to have been fixed, thanks to ZiprHead. If you do still see problems let me know.

skeptical resources on dream interpretation

bug_girl

Master Poster
B
Joined
Nov 30, 2003
Messages
2,994
Can anyone direct me to some skeptical resources on dream interpretation?
All I seem to find is how-to stuff, not anything that explains why some of the interpretations are silly.

My favorite is "dreaming of spiders means betrayal."

yeah, or it could be that you just don't like spiders......
 
From what I have learned, only you can interpret your own dreams. Psychologists and therapists can sometimes help their patients with this because they know a lot about the patient. There is no absolute guide for meaning. Just reflect on your dream and what it could mean and you may find the answer.
 
bug_girl said:
Can anyone direct me to some skeptical resources on dream interpretation?
Click to expand...

You want to make sense of the nonsensical. Hmmmm........... I would start with Alice in Wonderland and end with Through the Looking Glass.

My second best answer is "freeform dress rehearsal"
 
I really don't think there is such a thing on account of the fact that dream interpretation is such rubbish :D Perhaps someone else will come along who's had to deal with the issue in their own family that can tell us how they resolved it. I'm assuming that someone close to you is obsessed with dream interpretation and you would like to prove that it's bunk so that they will stop.
 
Autolite said:
Oh my, that's a tough one. Wouldn't that be the same as asking for Atheist resources on Creationism???
Click to expand...

Uh, there are plenty of those around here, actually.
I think you're misunderstanding my question.

What I want is a debunking on the BS ways in which dreams are interpreted. I agree they are rubbish, but was hoping someone else had done the work of writing the "why" of that for me.
 
I'd look at what psychiatrists are saying about dreams. There might be some research papers available. You could check with some psychiatric professional organisations.
 
You also might begin by showing that no two "Dream Interpretation" manuals interpret dream symbols as having the same meanings. For instance, one book may say that, if you dream about a cat, the cat represents your hopes and fears for the future, while another book may say that the cat represents your hidden, subconscious desires.

I looked around and there doesn't seem to be a skeptical treatment of dream interpretation.
 
Me neither. I found a lot about correlates of waking experiences with dream reports, differences between dreams reported by males and females. A lot of criticism of Fraudian dream theory.
Maybe there is nothing there concrete enough to debunk.
 
Last edited:
I don't get into trying to figure out dreams too much but I don't think they are something to totally ignore either. I find when I wake up from a dream it's usually when I have been worrying or thinking too much about something. Dreams definitely have a way of exposing what's going on inside our hearts or our minds.
 
I definitely did find some quantitative studies of dreams--very interesting!
Thanks for the suggestion, Sir Robin.

I'm back to a busy week, but when I get a chance, I'll collect up some links and post them.
 
My wife will occasionally look up what her dream meant. I find it complete nonsense. "I dreamt I was pregnant, so according to this book, that means someone I know is going to die.." "yea, ok dear..."
 
I have the same dream at least 3x a week for the last 4 years of my life, where my teeth are either falling out or being pulled out. Not that any of you care, just thought I would share :)
 
Showmeproof said:
I have the same dream at least 3x a week for the last 4 years of my life, where my teeth are either falling out or being pulled out. Not that any of you care, just thought I would share :)
Click to expand...

I have that dream sometimes - online dream analysis thingies say that it means you're worrying about money, or about to come into some money, or about to lose money.

As I've been worrying about money since I was 16, I should be having that dream every night!
 
sthomson said:
I have that dream sometimes - online dream analysis thingies say that it means you're worrying about money, or about to come into some money, or about to lose money.

As I've been worrying about money since I was 16, I should be having that dream every night!
Click to expand...

I have that dream too, except I attribute it to the fact that I knocked out my front teeth when I was 12 :D

I think I'm more worried about my bridge shattering or falling out than I'm worried about money. However, technically, since having the bridge replaced costs roughly $4,000, maybe I really am worried about money? I'm so confused....:confused:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top Bottom