14- Consciousness Flashcards
dualism
mind and brain are two separate things
consciousness
- our awareness of ourselves and our environment
- Wakefulness is necessary for consciousness (except in dreaming), but consciousness is not necessary for wakefulness
core consciousness
- overall arousal state of wakefulness not concerned with the past or the future
- being asleep or awake
extended consciousness
- content of processing in the aroused/ awake stat, providing a sense of self
- Our conscious experience
- Understanding that we are in our body and what we are feeling is ourselves feeling
core consciousness neural correlates
- RETICULAR ACTIVATING SYSTEM: involved with arousal, regulating sleep/wake cycles, and attention
- THALAMUS: intralaminar nuclei
- LOCUS COERULEUS: prevents sleep when active
- HYPOTHALAMUS: fatigue, sleep, and circadian rhythms
- PONS AND MEDULLA
extended consciousness neural correlates
-cerebral cortex (whole brain)
- Provides an elaborate sense of self
- Memories from past activities and emotions to predict future experiences
- Places us in context of our past and future
altered states of consciousness
- dreaming
- drug/alcohol
- meditation
- hypnosis
- persistent vegetative state
in what states do we lack consciousness
- undreaming sleep
- coma
- general anesthesia
- death
what do split brain patients all us about consciousness
- not just one system generating our consciousness
- Right brain has a narrower state of awareness without access to language
- Right brain can interact with the environment but can’t verbalize it
***There may be a difference btw verbal consciousness and nonverbal consciousness
what does blindsight reveal about consciousness
- That there is a difference between being able to act on information entering the brain and being consciously aware of it
- Visual consciousness may be separate
what does neglect reveal about consciousness
- right parietal lobe important in spatial awareness
- spatial consciousness may exist = being aware of what’s around us in space
what does Clive Wearing’s amnesia case tell us about consciousness
- hippocampus important for extended consciousness
- implicit memory outside the realm of consciousness
-something about a sense of our self doesn’t rely on memories
do normal individuals have unconscious cognitive processes
yes
- implicit memory
- cognitive control (\we are not aware oof how our brain is controlling all of our thoughts)
- dreams
- problem solving (epiphany)
- language
- motor control (walking)
subliminal perception
- A photo is flashed quickly, below the threshold for awareness (subliminal)
- When the subject is asked to describe the neutral picture below, they are biased by the previous photo
*little girl holding cake pink shirt
unconscious priming
- We see priming effects for both extended and brief presentations of a stimulus
- Brief presentations were not remembered consciously as being seen
- Both lead to priming even though one was consciously seen and one was not
what allows a stimulus too enter our conscious awareness
- Stimulus has to be sufficiently strong
- Signals must be amplified by goal-driven attention to reach threshold of awareness
describe neuroethical problems associated with consciousness
- can brain function be improved?
- is eyewitness testimony trustworthy?
- when does consciousness end? should brains be sustained without a body?
- where does the soul lie?
- should criminals be held responsible for their behaviors?
- at what point in embryonic development does consciousness begin ? what is the moral status of the embryo?
damage to what area can turn off core consciousness
BILATERAL LESIONS IN INTRALAMINAR NUCLEI
Mood and anxiety disorders like stress, emotions, depression affect which area
locus coeruleus
