B1c1 A biological theory of dreaming

Question 1

Activation-synthesis model

Answer 1

a model of dreaming proposed by Hobson and McCarley where the brain is active but no sensory information is coming into it. The brain puts the information it has together to make sense of it and this is the dream

Question 2

Random activation

Answer 2

during REM sleep, when neurons are active randomly but not deliberately

Question 3

Sensory blockade

Answer 3

during REM sleep, when no information enters through the senses

Question 4

Movement inhibition

Answer 4

the state, during REM sleep, when the body is paralysed and there is no movement

Question 5

REM sleep

Answer 5

a stage of sleep that occurs five times each night, were there is rapid eye movement (REM) which indicates that dreaming is taking place
During REM sleep, there is sensory blockade and movement inhibition

Question 6

Neurons

Answer 6

Neurons in the brain are how messages are passed using electrical (impulses down the axon) and chemical (neurochemicals crossing the synapse) transmission

Question 7

Synthesis

Answer 7

The brain tries to make sense of the random activation of neurons- and this ‘sense’ is the dream

Question 8

EEG

Answer 8

An electroencephalograph, used to measure electrical brain activity in brain during REM sleep