s of dream theory as it has been developed over the last fifty years. Specifically, this analysis will entail: (1) providing descriptions of dream theories developed during the years from 1960 through 1996; (2) delineating modifications, expansions and refinements of theories (as well as descriptions of new theories) which have resulted as a function of advancements in psychobehavioral and neurobiological sciences; and (3) describing and evaluating empirical support (or lack thereof) for all discussed models.
The conducted historical analysis, and the various research methods and procedures used to conduct it, has several purposes. These purposes consist of offering the psychobehavioral sciences:
1. A conceptualization of the relevance of dream theory for the general field.
2. A comparative understanding of diverse dream theories.
3. A more comprehensive understanding of general dream theory by grounding it to a chronological context.
4. An articulation of basic patterns of scientific thought giving rise to contemporary perspectives of dreams and dreaming.
For the last several decades, scientists have debated the structure, functions, and meaning of dreams. However, LaBerge (1993) reports that this debate has not provided a holistic understanding or approach to dream/dreaming phenomena. Rather, what has happened is that dream theorists have divided themselves into two discrete camps. LaBerge describes these camps thusly:
In one camp, we have a number of prominent scientists who argue that we dream for physiological reasons alone, and that dreams are essentially mental nonsense devoid of psychological meaning...[In the]...opposing camp, a coalition of Freudians and other dream workers are committed to the view that we dream for psychological reasons and that dreams always contain important information about the self that can be extracted by various methods of interpretation...(LaBerge, 1993, p. 197)
L...