An Introduction to the Psychology of Dreaming - by Kelly Bulkeley (Hardcover)

About the Book

This text is a one-stop resource on modern dream psychology, from the pioneering theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung to the revolutionary findings of the sleep laboratory.

An introduction to the 20th century's major psychological theories about dreams and dreaming, this work offers a detailed historical overview of how these theories have developed from 1900 to the present. To help readers understand the many different approaches modern psychologists have taken, the book examines each approach in terms of three basic questions: How are dreams formed? What functions do dreams serve? How can dreams be interpreted?

The book begins with a brief historical review of the most important ideas about dreams proposed in Western antiquity. It then presents comprehensive descriptions of the dream theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and other clinical psychologists. It further discusses the revolutionary discoveries of the modern sleep laboratory and the most important research findings of experimental psychologists. The book concludes with an examination of dreams in contemporary popular psychology, a multifaceted analysis of a sample dream, and an extensive bibliography on dream research.

Book Synopsis

This text is a one-stop resource on modern dream psychology, from the pioneering theories of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung to the revolutionary findings of the sleep laboratory.

An introduction to the 20th century's major psychological theories about dreams and dreaming, this work offers a detailed historical overview of how these theories have developed from 1900 to the present. To help readers understand the many different approaches modern psychologists have taken, the book examines each approach in terms of three basic questions: How are dreams formed? What functions do dreams serve? How can dreams be interpreted?

The book begins with a brief historical review of the most important ideas about dreams proposed in Western antiquity. It then presents comprehensive descriptions of the dream theories of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and other clinical psychologists. It further discusses the revolutionary discoveries of the modern sleep laboratory and the most important research findings of experimental psychologists. The book concludes with an examination of dreams in contemporary popular psychology, a multifaceted analysis of a sample dream, and an extensive bibliography on dream research.

Review Quotes

"A superb introduction. It is remarkably comprehensive and comprehensible....[It] covers all of the important landmarks in the area of dreams [in an] understandable fashion. It would be a magnificent book for a course on dreaming. One of the truly amazing characteristics of the book is the author's capacity to present the widely diverse material in such an even-handed fashion. Each area is presented [without] apparent bias, criticism, or exaggeration....A remarkable coverage from the science end to the 'pop' end."-Wilse B. Webb, Professor Emeritus of Psychology University of Florida

"This is an easy-to-read, elegant and well-organized text on an important but often neglected topic. Kelly Bulkeley has written a dream of an introduction to dreaming!"-Ernest Hartmann, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry Tufts University School of Medicine

?Bulkeley provides a valuable summary of the major psychological theories about dreaming from about 1900 to the present time....Recommended for public and college libraries.?-Choice

?Probably the best introduction to the psychology of dreaming to date. The author summarizes with remarkable clarity the various approaches to this topic starting with Oneirocriticon of Artemidorus and finishing up with the various "new age" and pop culture treatments....An excellent bibliography is appended. Even though this text is intended as an introduction to the topic, it provides a sufficiently in-depth approach to satisfy the needs of the busy practitioner.?-American Journal of Psychotherapyu

"Bulkeley provides a valuable summary of the major psychological theories about dreaming from about 1900 to the present time....Recommended for public and college libraries."-Choice

"Probably the best introduction to the psychology of dreaming to date. The author summarizes with remarkable clarity the various approaches to this topic starting with Oneirocriticon of Artemidorus and finishing up with the various "new age" and pop culture treatments....An excellent bibliography is appended. Even though this text is intended as an introduction to the topic, it provides a sufficiently in-depth approach to satisfy the needs of the busy practitioner."-American Journal of Psychotherapyu

About the Author

KELLY BULKELEY, President of the Association for the Study of Dreams, teaches at Santa Clara University and is the author of several works on the subject of dreams.