Chapter 10 Flashcards
When researchers briefly flash a word and then present a masking pattern, what is the purpose of the masking pattern?
To prevent consciousness of the word.
People remembered and reported the time when they decided to flex the wrist. Researchers compared that report to the time when activity began increasing in the premotor cortex. What was the theoretical importance of the results?
They suggest that conscious thought does not control our actions.
Several studies indicate that brain activity preparing for a movement starts before the conscious decision to make the movement. Why is the interpretation of results uncertain?
Voluntary decisions are gradual and difficult to pinpoint in time.
Hibernating male ground squirrels emerge from their burrows before the females do, and before food is available. What important point does this fact demonstrate?
Timing mechanisms prepare animals for future needs.
On a submarine with constant artificial light and no sunlight, what happens to a sleep-wake cycle?
People continue to alternate between wakeful and sleepy on a 24-hour basis.
Which of these flights would produce the most intense jet lag for most people?
Chicago to Paris
Which of these might cause the loss of your circadian rhythm of wakefulness and sleepiness?
Damage to a small area in the brain
Which of these is an important reason for sleep?
Sleep saves energy
Which of the following happens when mammals or birds sleep?
Lower body temperature
Why are the terms “light sleep” and “deep sleep” not very useful?
REM sleep is deep in some ways and light in others.
Why do people almost never act out their dreams during REM sleep?
The major postural muscles are paralyzed during REM sleep.
Why are people unconscious most of the time while they are asleep?
Inhibitory synapses block the spread of messages from one brain area to another.
If you awaken hours earlier than usual, you will miss most of which stage of sleep?
REM sleep
What question should you ask to decide whether you have insomnia?
Do you feel sufficiently rested the next day?
Sleepwalking, lucid dreaming, and waking up unable to move illustrate which idea?
Sometimes one brain area is awake while another is asleep.
