What's covered
Key facts
Insomnia and its treatment
Endogenous pacemakers are internal body clocks (such as the SCN) that control biological rhythms, while exogenous zeitgebers are external cues (such as light, temperature and meal times) that reset those rhythms to the environment.
The Freudian theory of dreaming
Freud's study of the Wolfman was a longitudinal case study gathering in-depth detail on one individual; his methods for accessing the unconscious included free association, dream analysis and slips of the tongue.
The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming
The activation-synthesis model accounts for dreams combining 'day residue' (recent situations and experiences) with much older memories, and explains both common dream themes and individual differences through how each brain interprets the activation.
The function of sleep and theories of dreaming
The activation–synthesis theory of dreaming was proposed by Hobson and McCarley (originally 1977): during REM sleep, circuits in the brain stem (pons) generate near-random neural activation, and the cerebral cortex then synthesises and interprets this activity, producing the bizarre, illogical features of dreams.
The nature of sleep
Melatonin is the hormone released by the pineal gland that induces sleep, and its release rises in darkness — darkness triggers melatonin which makes us feel sleepy.
Insomnia and its treatment
Causes of insomnia include stress and anxiety (raising the alerting hormone cortisol), a poor sleep routine, a poor sleeping environment (too light, noisy or uncomfortable), caffeine, and underlying health problems such as physical pain or mental illness.
The Freudian theory of dreaming
Freud argued dreams are a form of wish fulfilment expressing repressed unconscious desires; the OCR spec specifies the unconscious mind, repression, wish fulfilment and manifest vs latent content as key elements of the Freudian theory.
The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming
The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming was proposed by Hobson and McCarley (originally 1977): circuits in the brain stem (pons) generate near-random neural activation during REM, and the cerebral cortex then synthesises and interprets it, producing the bizarre features of dreams.
The function of sleep and theories of dreaming
A standard evaluation point against Freud's theory of dreaming is its subjectivity: dream interpretation cannot be objectively verified or falsified, and different analysts could reach different conclusions — the OCR spec explicitly lists 'the issue of subjectivity' as a criticism.
The nature of sleep
NREM sleep progresses through stages: Stage 1 is light transitional sleep; Stage 2 shows sleep spindles and K-complexes; Stages 3-4 are deep slow-wave sleep dominated by high-amplitude, low-frequency delta waves.
Sample questions
A taste of the 46 questions in this topic, answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
Which of these is a recognised cause of insomnia?
- •A dark, quiet bedroom
- •A regular sleep routine
- •Avoiding screens before bed
- ✓Stress raising the hormone cortisol
In the Wolfman's childhood dream, what did he see outside his window?
- •A flock of white sheep grazing
- •Black dogs running through snow
- •Foxes hunting in a forest
- ✓White wolves sitting in a walnut tree
Why do dreams carry intense emotions, according to activation-synthesis theory?
- ✓Activation spreads to the limbic system
- •Melatonin floods the bloodstream
- •The cortex switches off completely
- •The eyes move rapidly in REM
Who proposed the activation–synthesis theory of dreaming (originally 1977)?
- ✓Hobson and McCarley
- •Sergei Pankejeff
- •Sigmund Freud
- •Williams and colleagues
Roughly how many sleep cycles does a typical night contain?
- ✓Four to six cycles
- •One single cycle
- •Ten to twelve cycles
- •Twenty or more cycles
How can neurological damage to the hypothalamus lead to insomnia?
- •It floods the body with melatonin
- •It removes the need for sleep
- ✓It stops the SCN signalling melatonin release
- •It strengthens the body clock
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