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4 Theories on Interpretation to Dreams | DreamApp
Denys Chumak

Denys Chumak

15 Sep 2023

4 Theories on Interpretation to Dreams | DreamApp

Carey Morewedge and Michael Norton, who are very committed dreams interpreters, did a big study on the dreams of more than 1,000 people from the United States, India, and South Korea.

They discovered something interesting: many college students in the study didn't think their dreams were just random brain activity. Instead, they believed what Freud (one of the brilliant dreams interpreters) believed - that dreams show us what we secretly want and desire.

But what's even more interesting is that how important people think their dreams are is greatly affected by their own opinions. Dreams with people we don't like are often remembered more, while dreams with friends or loved ones are seen as more important.

Let’s examine four theories of interpretation to dreams by psychologists.

Four Theories to Help you to do a Dream Analyse

Let's explore each of these theories to learn how they help unravel your dreams' mysteries.

1. Sigmund Freud

Dreams as a Route to the Subconscious:

Sigmund Freud wrote a book called "The Interpretation of Dreams" where he said that dreams are connected to fulfilling our wishes.

Dreams are what we wish for:

Freud thought that dreams have two parts: the manifest content, which is what you actually see and experience in the dream, and the latent content, which is the hidden desires or wishes of the dreamer. Simply put, Freud thought that the things you dream about reveal your deepest desires.

He talked about four parts of this process that he called "dream work":

  1. Condensation: Dreams have lots of different ideas and concepts in them. Information is made shorter and put into one idea or picture.

  2. Moving things around: This part of dreaming makes the hidden feelings in dreams harder to understand by mixing up the important and unimportant parts of the dream.

  3. Symbolisation: This operation also hides the hidden ideas in the dream by using objects that represent the hidden meaning of the dream.

  4. Freud said that in the last part of dreaming, the strange parts of the dream are rearranged to make it easier to understand. This creates what we call the dream's manifest content.

Also read: Dream Analysis: The Secret Truths Dreams Reveal

2. Carl Jung

Jung's theory of "Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious":

Carl Jung and Freud had some similarities, but Jung believed that dreams were more than just repressed wishes.

Dreams Explore the Underdeveloped Mind:

Jung said dreams show both personal and collective unconscious. He thought dreams make up for parts of the mind that aren't well-developed when we're awake.

Jung's Four Archetypes:

Jung said that archetypes like the anima, the shadow, the animus, and the persona are often shown as symbols or figures in dreams.

He thought that these symbols stand for feelings that the conscious mind hides. Freud and Jung had different ideas about dreams. Freud thought that certain symbols always meant specific hidden thoughts, but Jung believed that dreams are unique to each person. Jung thought that understanding dreams required knowing a lot about the person who had the dream.

Also read: How to Analyze a Dream Using Jungian Dream Analysis

3. Calvin S. Hall

Hall: Dreams and How Our Mind Works:

Calvin S. Hall studied lots of dream diaries from people and found common themes and patterns. He made a system to organise the different things we dream about into categories.

Dreams Have Patterns That Are Relevant to Waking Life:

Hall said that dreams are a way our brain thinks about our personal lives. To understand dreams, according to Hall's theory, you need to know the following things:

What the dreamer does in the dream. The things and shapes in the dream. The way the dreamer and the characters in the dream interact with each other. The place where the dream happened, how it changed, and what happened in the end.

The main aim of interpreting dreams is not to comprehend the dream itself, but to understand the person who had the dream. Hall's research showed that the characteristics people show when they are awake are also the same as the ones they show in their dreams.

4. G. William Domhoff

Domhoff believes that dreams are a way to show what happens in our daily lives.G. William Domhoff is a well-known person who studies dreams. He learned from Calvin Hall at the University of Miami.

Dreams Reflect Daily Life:

Dreams show what people think and worry about when they are awake, according to Domhoff's research on dreams. According to Domhoff, dreams happen because of how our brains work and the way we organise information. He says that dreams come from these thinking processes.

If you want to uncover the hidden meanings in your dreams, it's important to understand these four theories. Just so you know, figuring out what dreams mean isn't a precise science. The meaning of a dream can be different for each person. But if you look into these theories, you can learn important things about your own subconscious mind.

If you ever think about your weird and clear dreams, you can explore these ideas about understanding dreams discovered by interpreters of dreams. Imagine all the interesting things you could learn about your own thoughts and feelings! Dreams aren't just made-up stories; they're like doors that show you what's really going on inside your mind, and you can discover it.

Also read: Beginners Guide To Dream Interpretations & 8 Common Dream

Interpretation to Dreams

Dream interpretation has become more popular since the 1970s. In 1974, Ann Faraday wrote a book called "The Dream Game." It was a very important book because it taught people simple ways to understand their dreams. Anyone who wanted to learn about their dreams could use the techniques and ideas in the book. These days, people can find lots of books that can help them understand their dreams. These books have things like dream dictionaries, symbol guides, and tips to help figure out what their dreams mean.

To Sum Up

Basically, people usually understand their dreams based on what they already think about themselves, the world, and the people in their lives. Dreams may or may not have a deeper meaning, but one thing is for sure: a lot of people find dream interpretation interesting and enjoy doing it.

DreamApp is a website that can help you better understand your dreams. It offers a large collection of dream symbols and what they might imply. So, if you've ever wondered what your dreams are trying to tell you, DreamApp.io can assist you. It's like having a tour guide to help you discover hidden messages in your dreams and learn more about yourself.

FAQs##

What are dreams and why are they difficult to understand?

Dreams can be weird, exciting, or scary, but understanding what they mean is usually confusing. Their purpose is yet unknown, which makes interpreting dreams more difficult.

Are there any ideas that explain why dreams are important?

Yes, there are many theories that try to explain what dreams mean, but none of them are certain. Dreams interpreters made four important theories about understanding dreams.

How did Sigmund Freud understand dreams?

Freud thought dreams hid our deepest wants. He said that dreams are made up of two parts: manifest content (what we see) and latent content (hidden desires).

What did Carl Jung think about dreams?

Jung studied dreams to understand the collective unconscious, which is a place where universal symbols and archetypes are found. These symbols show hidden thoughts and feelings that are different for each person.

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14 Jun 2026

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Family
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Color
Graduation

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1. Graduation Dream I was in a hotel room for a 12th-grade graduation, even though I’m actually homeschooling. I knew some of the other graduates. Someone said my “Cuban lunch” I made got a 97, which surprised and pleased me. When I went to the beds to get my grades/diploma, I was nervous because I know I’m not done with my lessons yet. Instead, they handed me papers with words and blank spaces—summer make-up work I wasn’t planning to do. I never got my diploma or final grades in the dream. 2. Billie Eilish Dream (my favorite) Billie Eilish appeared again (her third time in my dreams). We seemed to be girlfriends. We were in a medieval palace-like library with tall ceilings, chandeliers, and walls full of bookshelves. A podcast interview was happening with a combative host. I walked up to Billie (who had blue hair), looked at the host, and said, “Yo. Hey babe. who’s this guy?” The host and I got into a little bit of a confrontation for a few seconds. Billie and I then went to the front of the house to see her new car: a black Koenigsegg with black interior, no roof, and a self-adjusting seat. She had her short blonde hair and had this blue and red bikini on even though she wasn't going in the car with me. She put the key in the ignition and let the car drive itself. The car was insanely fast, like a rollercoaster. I was screaming from fun, not fear, and even shouted, “slow down!!! woooooooooooo!!!” My seat teleported from front passenger → front middle → back middle without me moving. I tried playing louder music because I wanted the car to vibrate more and for everyone to know I was in a Koenigsegg. At a red light, the light stayed red too long, then turned green, and we flew past a white Corvette. That was the end. 3. Unsettling Family Dream I was at my aunt’s dimly-lit one-bedroom duplex, not going inside, with my mom in front of me; the TV was lit inside and visible through the window. Then we were back at my old apartment from when I was ~12. My mom was on the phone with my aunt, fussing at her. She got off and told me my aunt had moved out of that apartment and went somewhere else. I was scared she’d live with us again (she did for about a month in real life and I hated it). I was confused because in real life my mom was happy she found a new place. I got a text from Auntie Carmen with videos and photos from a party back in Florida. They were cussing, drinking, using the n‑slur, and Auntie Damaris said “hello (f‑slur)”, which shocked and disappointed me. They laughed and carried on. I showed it to my mom; she didn’t say anything, and I assumed she was mad. The dream ended there. 4. Liminal Spaces Dream I dreamed of a liminal, weirdcore place: rows of perfectly aligned single-family homes in a straight line, colorful and slightly fuzzy, like “an apple and a unicorn as a gradient.” The whole area felt surreal and beautiful. I was tending my little lawn, and then I helped someone a few houses down move their stuff to the front of their lawn. That was the end.

14 Jun 2026

Apartment
Auditorium
Being chased by murderer
Girlfriend
School
Aunt

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I was being chased by a man and hid in my apartment bathroom while trying to call 911, but I couldn’t speak. The apartment looked like my real apartment, but it felt like mine in the dream instead of my mom’s. The dream then changed to a hotel room with my mom and aunt, and I had invited a girl who felt like my girlfriend. Later, my aunt questioned me about throwing away toilet paper, and I got defensive because she was digging through the trash. I then saw my mom doing her hair in the bathroom mirror, and I felt embarrassed and tense, then went back to bed. I was in a white liminal hallway with red velvet floors, high windows, and repeating doors with pillars between them. I was poorly dressed (messy bun, black robe, hairy legs) and felt insecure. I saw Billie Eilish, who looked gorgeous and masculine-presenting, and I freaked out. She was cordial but a bit awkward with my intensity. She invited me to follow her down the hallway, but then other fans ran toward us for her event. I was led into the auditorium where she thanked fans, showed a film from her “Hit Me Hard and Soft” tour, and got emotional. During the hug line, I hugged her and latched onto her hand; she held on. Her hand was warm and slightly grippy. I felt like I was in heaven and amazed she held my hand. Afterwards, we sat down and she showed a movie. I was in an unfamiliar public-school-like building where I was a teacher for half the class while an older woman was the real teacher for the full class. I taught math, then a girl claimed my desk, made a big deal, and I left the school. At the back, I met a girl who also skipped school, and we saw sports guys laughing like they were on LSD. We teleported to a Walmart where one guy was on the floor laughing, then teleported back to school. I got a phone call from someone whose last name started with G, not my mom’s Anderson, so I hung up. Then I got a text from my mom on Instagram with a photo of me and my girlfriend at the same hotel, with the ominous message “I know.” I went through many locked doors into a vault-like area, then into a pink, glittery, Barbie-style dream room. I “stole” Cheetos, chains, and a Hello Kitty item, threw them at the woman when she returned, and she accepted my excuse. I explored her bathroom, found a tile that lifted into a hidden place, commented on a pink butt plug, and she was flattered. I put on glittery pink-and-black lingerie (off-the-shoulder, flowy), she said I looked pretty, and we got intimate on the bed. The woman wasn’t Billie Eilish but felt familiar. The dream felt rebellious and awesome.

13 Jun 2026

dream-about-haunted-doll-and-colosseum
Mountain lion
Flirting
Friend
Church
Living Room
Mirror

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I had a dream i owned a haunted doll u could open it up like a locket i dont remember if u could open it from its body or head but when you’d open it thered be an inner circle and the doll would start laughing slowly and creepily and play a creepy tune like a music box. I found that out bc i thrifted it and when i ooened it it did that. Then i wanted to show my mom and she was in a different room i think on a couch so i went to the living room where the doll was on a table and i opened it and it laughed creepily and slowly. I went back to the room with my mom and she told me “I heard it omg.” And then i met this asian guy from a garage ok wait this is bc i went to lana it was her bday party and we were going to the colosseum in greece ok and she told me to climb the mountains and slide down the riverbeds and wait for her in the colloseum. When i arrived the colloseum seemed like a church and there were writings on the limestone walls in the building i didnt read them tho. There was a room and inside my dad was there, an asian boy, and some grown white man. He was rly creepy he asked for my number. “I dont have your number. You want my number? its ____.” Like buddy i didnt ask for it. And then my dad said “no she’s okay.” And then the asian guy stepped in and started flirting with there was this tall mirror and it showed his reflection he looked like dave, filo, curly hair, but lore chinito eyes js like a regular teen but not my type like when i saw him i thought “this would be sam’s type” (my friend). And this asian guy came up to me and said “Now that I’ve seen you i’m coming to your house more often on trash day.” And im like on trash day?? You’re gonna look thru my trash or something? And i remember laughing and then told him im gonna curse him by giving him the haunted doll. Omg and samuel (mutual friend of the guy who played me last year) was in my dream again as a lover its irritating me but i was too sleepy to like write it down

13 Jun 2026

Game
Mirror
Coins
Face
Highway
Lashes

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First dream was I was walking with my little sister and my dad at this big highway with cars coming in (because there was some sort of treasure chest at the end) and we were talking about how unsafe it is for eden because what if there are pedophiles who are looking out their window at her or something?… I had a second dream where we were at someones house it was a gathering and everyyone i knew were there sitting criss cross applesauce in a circle and yosh had a brother who came up to me and yosh followed and told him “She looks so asian right?” And he said “She doesn’t look THAT asian..” and yosh’s brother looked at me and smiled and then my grandma also came and stayed by me and i went to look at the mirror happy bc he said that until i saw my puffy face and uncurled lashes sobi went to grab my lash curler…. Then i saw some 2 orher people and we were suddenly in a scary game i think it was nat and some other girl and we defeated this creature and reached a place where we can thrift stuff with robux but i thought it was coins or vice versa idek

13 Jun 2026

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Art
Conversation
Girl
Jealousy

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I had a dream about someone I think I have feelings for and her name is Lexi Bennett. So like we were in art and she was like “you drawing looks good can I see?” And I said sure and then she offered to help me with it so ofc i said yes. She gets up to get some supplies and then I look at Jayce and say “hell yeah” and gives me a weird look like I shouldn’t be talking to her. Lexi comes back and helps me with my art and then the dream cuts to when I’m at home and she face times me and we’re talking but she’s kind of mean until she says “before I hang up… I need to know what you’re wearing tomorrow.” And I ask why and she gets super defensive about it and then tries to guess what I’ll wear.I eventually tell her what I’m wearing then her mom walks in the room and she hangs up

13 Jun 2026

dream-about-sexual-assault-and-jail
Mother
Police
Prison
Lesbian
Bed
Sexual Abuse

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I had a dream that I emailed the school reposting thst my ex boyfriend sexually assaulted me and they respond with smth lik “ok well handle it” and then a few hours later the police came to my classroom and told me to come with him and I was like ok and he sends me to this bus and I go in and I see my friend so I sit next to her and we’re both confused until we get to the jail, then it skips to us at lunch and I ask “what are you in for?” And she said she got raped and I was like omg I’m so sorry for that, I got sexually assaulted. When it’s time to go outside we head outside and just talk until someone comes up to us and is like “your new here right?” And we go “yes” and the person is like “how is it?” And my friend stays quiet but I say “it’s not that bad, their are a lot of lesbians here, not really a problem because I’m a lesbian.” And then SHES like ooo me too. And then I get a flash back to when the police was walking me through the cells and there were a bunch of lesbians checking to see if I was also lesbian. And in the corner of my eye I see my lesbian teacher smiling at me but I look away quickly. Anyway it’s dark outside and we go inside and I meet my cellmate and SHES a really pretty masc lesbian and then it cuts to us having sex…. Then it cuts to me in my room in my bed waking up and my mom is like “I’m so proud of you for telling someone you got sexually assaulted” and then the bus comes again to pick me up to go back to jail and when I’m rushing to get my clothes I get a flashback of me and my cell mate scissoring

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