Final answer:
The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming, developed by Alan Hobson, identifies the lower brain stem as the source of neuronal firing that results in dreams.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming, the source of a dream is neuronal firing in the C. lower brain stem. Developed by neuroscientist Alan Hobson, the activation-synthesis theory posits that dreams are created as the brain attempts to make sense of random neural activity occurring during REM sleep. This theory moves away from Freudian interpretations of dreams as symbol-laden messages arising from our subconscious.
Instead, Hobson argued that dreams are the result of our brains synthesizing a narrative from the sporadic neural activation in the lower brain stem, thus creating a 'virtual reality' that can be experienced as dreaming. Further research, including studies on lucid dreams, where the dreamer is aware they are dreaming, supports and expands upon Hobson's initial ideas of how dreams form and function.