Sleep and dreams past paper questions

Question 1

Describe non-REM sleep and REM sleep.

Four marks

Answer 1

Candidates are asked to describe non-REM sleep and REM sleep.
Candidates may be awarded a maximum of 3 marks for either non-REM or REM
Non-REM:
* heart rate/blood pressure/body temperature drops (1)
* sleep gets deeper (1)
* delta waves/slow wave sleep happens (1)
* there is a surge of growth hormone (1)
* during non-REM sleep the muscles are active (1), hypnogogic jerks occur (1)
* the brain is resting (1)
* sleepwalking/bedwetting may take place during non-REM sleep (1)
REM:
* in REM sleep eye movement takes place (1)
* beta waves/fast wave sleep happens (1)
* REM sleep is most associated with dreaming (1)
* during REM sleep the muscles are almost paralysed (1), the brain is active. (1)
Any other valid response.

Question 2

Explain one strength and one weakness of the Restoration Theory of Sleep
(Oswald, 1966).

Four marks

Answer 2

Candidates are asked to explain one strength and one weakness of Restoration
Theory. Candidates may be awarded a maximum of 3 marks for either strength or
weakness.
Strength
* ultra-marathon runners slept for 90 minutes longer than usual (1) which supports
the theory because their muscles needed repair (1)
* rats who were deprived of sleep died (1) which supports the biological
importance of sleep (1)
* sleep deprivation studies show an increase in sleep following sleep deprivation
(1) with participants recovering both psychologically and physically, (1) which
shows the restorative effects of sleep. (1)
Weakness
* some research suggests that sleep deprivation does not result in physical
impairment (1) which refutes the need for non-REM sleep (1)
* many studies supporting the theory were conducted in laboratories (1) and
therefore are low in ecological validity. (1)
* Many studies supporting the theory were conducted with animals (1) and
therefore cannot be generalised to humans. (1)
Any other valid response

Question 3

Describe the Dement and Kleitman (1957) study of sleep. In your answer you
must include:
* aim(s)
* method/procedure
* results.

Six marks

Answer 3

Candidates are asked to describe aims, method/procedure and results of the
Dement and Kleitman (1957) study. All components must be addressed for full
marks.
* aims: to investigate the relationship between eye movement and dreaming. (1)
To investigate the relationship between estimates of the duration of dreams and
the actual duration of the dream. (1) To identify at which stage dreaming occurs
(1)
* method/procedure: It was a lab experiment, (1) with 9 participants. (1)
Participants slept attached to an EEG/polysomnography. (1) They were wakened
several times during the night/by a doorbell (1) and asked if they had been
dreaming/what their dream had been about/how long it had lasted (1)
* results: more dreams were reported in REM than in non-REM sleep. (1) There
was an association between eye movement and the reported content of the
dream. (1) Participants were able to estimate for how long they had been
dreaming. (1)
Any other valid response.

Question 4

Explain how Freud’s (1909) study of Little Hans supports the psychoanalytic
(Freudian) theory of dreams.

Four marks

Answer 4

Candidates are asked to explain how Freud’s (1909) study of Little Hans supports
the psychoanalytic (Freudian) theory of dreams. A maximum of 2 marks if
candidates do not make a link between the study and psychoanalytic theory.
* in one dream Hans married his mother and had his own family. (1) This shows
Hans’ desire for his mother, (1) and evidence of the Oedipus complex. (1)
Dreams reveal our unconscious wishes and desires (1)
* Freud believed the id is in the unconscious mind (1) This allowed expression of
unacceptable thoughts. (1) In one dream Hans was crumpled by a large giraffe
(1). This showed Hans’ fear of his father (1) and that the id is dominant when
we sleep (1)
* the manifest content is the crumpled giraffe, (1) and the latent content is the
fear of his father/desire for his mother. (1)
Any other valid response.

Question 5

Explain one strength of the Little Hans (1909) study.

Two marks

Answer 5

Candidates are asked to explain a strength of the Little Hans study.
* the case study method allows for a rich and detailed analysis of information (1)
Freud was able to focus on analysis of Little Hans’ dreams in depth (1) and
therefore could identify the deep underlying cause of Little Hans’ problem (1)
and draw conclusions on his theory of the Oedipus complex/psychosexual stages
of development (1)
* data could be cross-checked between the different methods (1) as observations,
letters and interviews were used. (1)
Any other valid response.