Chapter 2: States of Consciousness

Question 1

Consciousness

Answer 1

• ‘Awareness’
• The thoughts, memories, emotions, perceptions and behaviours you are aware of at any given moment make up your consciousness.

Question 2

Normal waking consciousness

Answer 2

• Refers to the state of consciousness in which we are awake and aware of our thoughts, emotions, memories, and perceptions of the external world.
• Aware of the fact that we are having these thoughts and experiences.

Question 3

Altered state of consciousness

Answer 3

-a condition of awareness that is distinctly different from normal waking consciousness in terms of level of awareness and experience, and the quality or intensity of sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings and memories.

Question 4

Attention

Answer 4

-Is the concentration of mental activity that involves focusing on a specific stimulus while ignoring others.

Question 5

Selective attention

Answer 5

-Selectively paying attention to one stimulus while ignoring other stimuli.

Question 6

Divided attention

Answer 6

-Refers to attending to more than one stimulus at a time. Depends on the similarity of the task, their complexity and how experienced we are.

Question 7

Controlled process

Answer 7

-when information-processing involves conscious, alert awareness and mental effort focused on achieving a particular goal.

Question 8

Automatic process

Answer 8

-when information-processing involves little conscious awareness and mental effort, minimal attention, and does not interfere with the performance of other activities. Simple tasks, tend to be rapid.

Question 9

Daydreaming

Answer 9

-Internal focus on your own thoughts and feelings with a reduces awareness of the external world.

Question 10

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

Answer 10

• Detects, amplifies and records electrical activity of the brain. Can vary in frequency and amplitude.
• Refer to Brain wave pattern diagram

Question 11

Heart rate / Electrocardiograph (ECG)

Answer 11

-Detects, amplifies and records electrical activity generated by the heart.

Question 12

Body temperature

Answer 12

-Follows a circadian rhythm; it varies in a regular way over a 24-hourperiod. Our body temperature tends to peak in the mid-afternoon and reach its lowest temperature in the early hours of the morning.

Question 13

Galvanic skin response (GSR)

Answer 13

a physiological response that indicates the change in the resistance of the skin to an electrical current (electrical conductivity of the skin)

Question 14

Electromyograph (EMG)

Answer 14

-Detects, amplifies and records electrical activity of muscles.

Question 15

Electro-oculargram (EOG)

Answer 15

-Detects, amplifies and records electrical activity in the muscles that control eye movements.