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MCAT Behavioral Sciences > 4. Consciousness, Stress, and Sleep > Flashcards

4. Consciousness, Stress, and Sleep Flashcards

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MCAT flashcards
1
Q

Consciousness

A

awareness; awareness of the world around you, and your place in the world

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2
Q

Four stages of consciousness

A
  1. Alertness
  2. Sleep
  3. Dreaming
  4. Altered States of Consciousness
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3
Q

Electroencephalography

A

(EEG), readout of the brain waves/ electrical activity to measure different states of consciousness

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4
Q

Types of brain waves (list)

A
  • beta
  • alpha
  • theta
  • delta
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5
Q

What characterizes alpha waves?

A

During awake and relaxed state, expressed as alpha waves

Found during stage 1

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6
Q

Stages and wave types

A
  1. Stage 1: Awake and Relaxed – alpha
  2. Stage 2: REM – theta
  3. Stages 3& 4: NREM 3 and 4 – delta
  4. REM: beta
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7
Q

Where, generally, are alpha waves found in the cylce?

A

Awake state/ towards first hour or so of sleep

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8
Q

Alertness

(def, which parts of brain, reading on EEG)

A
  • Conscious state, able to think; able to organize thoughts and make sophisticated decisions
  • Maintained in:
    • prefrontal cortex
    • reticular formation - active when we’re alert
  • EEG: alertness expressed as Beta waves
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9
Q

Effects of long-term sleep deprivation?

A
  • Leads to diminished cognitive performance
  • Increases liklihood of chronic diseases, e.g. diabetes, obesity
  • Chance of depessive episode increases
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10
Q

Stage 1

(def, wave, characteristics)

A
  • Stage 1: Early sleep stage, more relaxed, more calm
  • Wave type: theta waves
  • Characteristics
    • sleep spindles
    • K complexes
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11
Q

Alert phase – wave type(s)

A

During the awake/alert phase (prior to stage 1 of sleep cycle), you see alpha and beta waves

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12
Q

Stage 2

A

Falling alseep more deeply, you see theta waves, along with sleep spindles and K complexes

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13
Q

Stages 3 and 4

(what wave type? what occurs in these stages?)

A
  • NREM 3, 4
  • also known as slow-wave sleep (SWS)
  • Delta waves: low frequency, high-voltage sleep waves
  • Purpose: for Declarative memory are “things you can recall explicitly,” e.g. facts, figures
    • Cognitive repair
    • Memory consolidation
    • Increased growth hormone
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14
Q

What does NREM stand for? Which stages are associated?

A

NREM = non-rapid eye movement sleep

(Stages 1-4)

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15
Q

REM

(def, wave type, purpose)

A
  • REM = rapid eye movement sleep, dreaming occurs,
    • paradoxical sleep
  • Characterized by:
    • Beta waves (also occur when you’re awake)
    • Normal HR and breathing patterns
  • Functions:
    • associated w/ memory consolidation, specifically procedural memory
    • stage in which dreaming is most likely to occur
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16
Q

Why is REM called “paradoxical sleep”?

A

bc one’s HR, breathing pattern, and EEG mimic wakefulness

arousal levels reach that of wakefulness, but the muscles are paralyzed

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17
Q

Summary Mnemonic for Sleep Stages

A

BATs sleep in the Day

Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta

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18
Q

Relationship between sleep duration and REM

A

the longer you are asleep, the greater proportion of sleep is spent in REM

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19
Q

Which two hormones are associated w/ circadian rhythm?

A
  • Morning - high levels of CORTISOL in the morning
  • High levels of MELATONIN at night to feel drowsy
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20
Q

Circadian rhythm

A

internally generated rhythms that regulate our daily cycle of waking and sleeping

Humans, it’s approx. 24 hrs and somewhat affected by external cues like light

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21
Q

When does dreaming occur?

A

occurs during REM, EEG resembles waking

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22
Q

Dream theories?

A
  • Activation-synthesis theory
  • Problem-solving dream theory
  • Cognitive process dream theory
  • Neurocognitive models of dreaming
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23
Q

Activation-synthesis theory

A

dreaming is random firing of neural circuitry

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24
Q

Problem-solving dream theory

A

dreams are a way to solve problems

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25
Q

Cognitive process dream theory

A

sleeping counterpart of stream-of-consciousness

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26
Q

Neurocognitive models of dreaming

A

seek to unify bio and psych perspectives

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27
Q

Two types of altered states of consciousness

A
  • Hypnosis: highly suggestible state; there’s a part of your brain that is partly-asleep, but you’re awake
  • Meditation: quieting the mind; slow down the processes in the brain
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28
Q

Dyssomnias

(def, types)

A

disorders that make it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or avoid sleep

Types:

  • insomnia
  • narcolepsy
  • sleep apnea
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29
Q

Insomnia

A

inability to sleep

30
Q

Narcolepsy

A

spontaneous sleep

31
Q

Sleep apnea

A

failure to breathe during sleep

32
Q

Parasomnias

(def and types)

A
  • abnormal movements or behaviors during sleep, include night terrors and sleepwalking
  • Most occur during NREM sleep
  • Types
    • night terrors
    • sleep walking
33
Q

Night terrors

A

anxiety during slow wave sleep (stages 3 + 4)

34
Q

Sleep walking

A

Also called somnambulism (ambulating in sleep)

performing waking tasks during slow wave sleep (stages 3 + 4)

35
Q

Sleep deprivation

A
  • Characterized by:
    • irritability
    • mood disturbances
    • decreased performance
    • slowed reaction time
    • (extreme deprivaton can cause psychosis)
  • Compensated w/ REM rebound (earlier onset of REM and longer-lasting)
36
Q

Implicit vs. Explicit memory

A
  • Implicit - the ability to do the skill w/out thinking
  • Explicit
    • Episodic - needs to tap into memory very precisely; (e.g. personal experiences, events)
    • Semantic - (e.g. facts)
37
Q

Stress

A

biological and psychological response that we feel as if we are not equipped to handle

38
Q

Stages of Stress

A

Stage 1: Primary appraisal

Stage 2: Secondary appraisal

39
Q

Primary appraisal

A

Stage 1

is there a threat?

E.g. Irrelevant, or benign-positive, or stressful

40
Q

Secondary Appraisal

A

Stage 2 -

how severe of a threat is it?

E.g. harm, threat,

41
Q

Yerkes-Dodson Theory

A
  • Arousal theory
    • Performance vs. level of stress
    • You see diff’t levels of arousal and performance
42
Q

General adaptation syndrome

A

model of physiological response to stress

  1. Alarm
  2. Resistance
  3. Exhaustion
43
Q

General Adaptation Syndrome: Stage 1

A
  • Stage 1 - alarm; “shock”
  • Activation of sympathetic nervous system
  • Release of stress hormone
  • Hormones: Epi, Norepi (adrenaline), Cortisol
44
Q

General Adaptation Syndrome: Stage 2

A
  • resistance; above normal level of resistance to stress
  • Continous release of stress hormones
  • “fight or flight”
45
Q

General Adaptation Syndrome: Stage 3

A
  • exhaustion
  • Inability to maintain response; susceptibility to illness
46
Q

Emotional and Behavioral Response: what happens if organism can’t cope w/ stress?

A
  • If organism can’t cope w/ the stress, the exhaustion phase persists in the organism experiences emotional and behavioral changes
    • Impacts emotions
    • Impacts behavior
47
Q

Coping and Stress Management Matrix

A
  • adaptive - healthy
  • emotionally focused - changing your feelings about the stressor
  • maladaptive - unhealthy
  • problem-focused - “solving” the problem
48
Q

Examples of types of stressors encountered by marathoners after they finish a race?

A

The stressors are eustressing (good stress) and distressing (damaging to body) in nature

49
Q

Eustress

A

a positive form of stress having a beneficial effect on health, motivation, performance, and emotional well-being

50
Q

Distress

A

pain or suffering affecting the body, a bodily part, or the mind

51
Q

Emotion

A

natural instinctive state of mind derived from one’s circumstances

has physiological, behavioral, cognitive components

52
Q

Where in brain is emotion caused?

A

Limbic System: set of structures”Hippo w/ HAT” -

  • Hippocampus - emotional memory
  • Hypothalamus - associated w/ endocrine; hormones (fight or flight response)
  • Amygdala - fear, aggression
  • Thalamus - sensory processing, relay center; involved w/ autonomic process
53
Q

Examples of the 3 possible response elements to stimulus

A

Physiological

  • E.g. sweating, inc. HR

Behavioral - how you respond to it, actions

  • E.g. cover eyes, scream

Cognitive - appraisal; thinking through the threat

54
Q

Theories of emotion (3)

A
  • James- Lange Theory: Stimulus –> physiological –> emotion
  • Cannon-Bard Theory: Stimulus –> physiological/emotion simultaneously
  • Schachter-Singer Theory: Stimulus –> physiological/cognitive –> emotional
55
Q

James- Lange Theory

A

Stimulus –> physiological response –> emotional response

(I feel threatened BC my heart is elevated)

Emotion is DUE TO physiological effect

56
Q

Cannon-Bard Theory

A
  • stimulus leads to physiological arousal AND the sense of emotion simultaneously
  • (I see a threat AND my heart is racing. I must be afraid)
57
Q

Schachter-Singer Theory

A
  • Emotion depends on both the physiological response to a stimulus AND the cognitive appraisal of the environment
    • E.g. Stimulus –> physiologica/cognitive –> emotional
  • Does the environment give me clues regarding why my heart is racing? Is this indicative of excitement or fear?
58
Q

Confirmation bias

A

the tendency to focus on information that fits an individual’s beliefs, while rejecting information that goes against them; can contribute to overconfidence, or a tendency to erroneously interpret one’s decisions, knowledge, or beliefs as infalliable

59
Q

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

A
  • a psychotherapy based on modifying cognitions, assumptions, beliefs and behaviors, with the aim of influencing disturbed emotions.
  • techniques vary according to the particular kind of client or issue, including keeping a diary of significant events and associated feelings, thoughts and behaviors; questioning and testing cognitions, assumptions, evaluations and beliefs that might be unhelpful and unrealistic; gradually facing activities which may have been avoided; and trying out new ways of behaving and reacting. Relaxation and distraction techniques are also commonly included.
60
Q

Crystallized vs. Fluid intelligence

A
  • Fluid intelligence consists of problem-solving skills (peaks in early adulthood)
  • Crystallized intelligence is more related to use of learned skills and knowledge (peaks in middle adulthood)
61
Q

Circular reactions

A

named for their repetitive nature;

  • primary are those involving a repetitive behavior in which the child finds soothing
  • secondary are those which involve repetitive behavior that involves and affects their environment
62
Q

Psychoanalytic perspective

A

a form of psychotherapy used by qualified psychotherapists to treat patients who have a range of mild to moderate chronic life problems. It is related to a specific body of theories about the relationships between conscious and unconscious mental processes

63
Q

Biological perspective

A

this approach believes us to be as a consequence of our genetics and physiology. It is the only approach in psychology that examines thoughts, feelings, and behaviors from a biological and thus physical point of view.

64
Q

Divided attention

A

the ability to perform multiple tasks at the same time

65
Q

Selective attention

A

focusing on one part of the sensory environment while ignoring the other stimuli; therefore acts as a filter between sensory stimuli and our processing systems

66
Q

Which type of attention is better for new/complex tasks?

A

most new or complex tasks require undividued attention and utilize controlled (effortful) processing

67
Q

Automatic processing

A

the brain process most closely resembling autopilot; enabling performance of multiple activities at the same time

68
Q

Representativeness heuristic

A

Predicted on categorizing items based on whether they fit the prototypical image of that category; e.g. humans are more likely to categorize something as red due to the fact that the prototypical image of something hot is red.

69
Q

Availability heuristic

A

comparing to past experience rather than to prototypes

70
Q

Base rate fallacy

A

using prototypical or stereotypical factors while ignoring actual numerical information

71
Q

Confirmation bias

A

a cognitive bias in which one focuses on information that supports a given solution, belief, or hypothesis, and ignores or rejects evidence against it

MCAT Behavioral Sciences (10 decks)

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