PSYCO 432: Psychological Studies of Dreaming
Final Assignment
You are required to analyze two of the theories of dreaming that we’ve discussed this
semester, demonstrating your understanding of each theory, and comparing and
contrasting these theories. Specifically, you must discuss Freud’s theory of dreams (as
discussed in the first half of the course) and either Jung’s theory of dreams OR Lacan’s
theory of dreams. Please note that compare/contrast essays require the comparison of
theoretical ideas, not superficial comparisons or differences between the perspectives (i.e.
Freud uses the word condensation, and Jung uses some other word- this is too superficial).
Instead, you should summarize both perspectives and subsequently describe the similarities
and differences.
Keep in mind, you must clearly explain both perspectives and then clearly explain how these are
similar (i.e. from the same general theoretical tradition, namely psychoanalysis) and how these
are different. In writing, you should assume that your reader is not familiar with these
perspectives, so be certain that anyone could read the paper and understand the argument that
you’re making. Remain focused on the task, and ensure that your writing is clear, concise, and
precise. This paper may require some external research to fully explain these perspectives- be
sure that you clearly cite sources when you draw from someone else’s work or ideas- failure to
do so constitutes plagiarism regardless of whether or not you intended it. Finally, please note that
while there are many possible perspectives on dream studies, this paper must only focus on those
perspectives that we’ve discussed in class. You should not include any opinion concerning which
perspective is better or worse. See below for a grading rubric.