Discernment Theory: Nonsense Theory

Nonsense Theory Some cultures, like the urban Guadalcanaldwelling Malaitans in the Solomon Islands, think that dreams do not mean anything. They believe that there is no rhyme or reason to why we dream. The only thing a dream could do would be to merely tell interesting stories. Since people usually do not record nonsense or unimportant events or experiences, there might be a lot of cultures who believe this nonsense theory that ethnographers just do not know about (Barret 41-42).
Discernment Theory Cultures that believe in the discernment theory believe that a dream is a state of consciousness that is more powerful than waking thoughts. One culture, the South American Jìvaro, considers dreams have a truer reality behind the illusory images people perceive in waking life (Barret 42). These …show more content…
Some believe that a dream can determine the occurrence of future like events just because it has been dreamt (Barret 42). For example, if one dreams they won a bet, this might push them to actually bet someone and they might actually win for taking the chance.
Soul Travel Theory In this theory dream images are explained as the experiences and perceptions of the dreamer’s soul, or other culturally assumed aspect of the self, as it wanders outside of the body (Barret 43). This model emphasizes how dreams feel so real and the changing scenes that characterize the dream experience.
Visitation Theory Some cultures believe that dreams represent spiritual visitations to a stationary dreamer. This explains dream images as coming from somewhere else or someone else. They do not think it is themselves who is dreaming rather other spirits coming to visit them (Barret 43). In this theory the identity of the people seen in dreams are the focus, as well as, the sense of oneself as a passive recipient of the dream rather than an active agent (Barret