Chapter 4 - Consciousness

Question 1

What is consciousness?

Answer 1

A person’s awareness of everything going on around him/her at any given moment.

Question 2

What is waking consciousness?

Answer 2

The highest level of consciousness, a state in which thoughts, feelings & sensations are clear, organized & person feels alert.

Question 3

What is an altered state of consciousness? What are some things that cause altered states?

Answer 3

A state in which there is a shift in the quality or pattern or mental activity as compared to waking consciousness. Sleep and drugs cause an altered state.

Question 4

How many stages of sleep are there? What is the difference between the different stages of sleep?

Answer 4

There are 5 stages in total. The different stages of sleep involve different levels of awareness, consciousness, responsiveness & physiological activity.

Question 5

What is dreaming?

Answer 5

When you are asleep but experience visual, auditory & tactile images.

Question 6

What are biological rhythms?

Answer 6

Internal timing devices genetically set to regulate various physiological responses for different time periods. Heart rate, body temperature and menstrual cycles are all biological rhythms.

Question 7

What biological rhythm regulates sleep? What is it responsible for?

Answer 7

The circadian rhythm regulates your internal clock, making you feel tired at night, and awake during the day. It’s genetically programmed to regulate physiological responses during a 24 hour period, and resets at the morning sunlight.

Question 8

What is an EEG?

Answer 8

An Electroencephalograph, which is a device used to measure brain waves. A lot of sleep studies use EEGs.

Question 9

What are the first four stages of sleep?

Answer 9

Stages 1-4, also referred to as non-REM sleep. Accounts for 80% of all sleep.

Question 10

What happens during stage 1 sleep?

Answer 10

A transition from wakefulness into sleep. A gradual loss of responsiveness to stimuli. Experiencing drifting thoughts and images. Hallucinations, and a sense of falling.

Question 11

What happens during stage 2 sleep?

Answer 11

Beginning of what we know as sleep. Decrease in muscle tension, body temperature, heart rate. Sleep spindles, or high-frequency bursts of brain activity.

Question 12

What happens during stages 3 and 4 sleep?

Answer 12

Deepest stages, difficult to wake someone from these stages. Reduced heart rate, respiration, temperature, blood flow to the brain. Secretion of growth hormone (GH) which is why sleep is very important for adolescents.

Question 13

What is REM sleep?

Answer 13

The final stage of sleep. Stands for Rapid Eye Movement sleep (If you look at someone in REM sleep you can see their eyes moving under their eyelids.) Accounts for the other 20% of sleep. REM brain waves are similar to those when wide awake & alert. The only stage where dreaming occurs.

Question 14

What is REM Paralysis?

Answer 14

Also known as paradoxical sleep, is a condition that happens in REM sleep, where your brain is active yet your skeletal muscles are inactive (muscle paralysis). This is an evolutionary trait in which your muscles are paralyzed so that your body is unable to act out your dreams.

Question 15

What happens to your sleep cycle after reaching stage 4 sleep?

Answer 15

The sleep cycles starts moving backwards towards Stage 1. Only after it reaches Stage 1 again does it enter REM sleep.

Question 16

About how long is one sleep cycle?

Answer 16

About 90 minutes.

Question 17

What happens to the stages of sleep the more sleep cycles occur?

Answer 17

The duration of Stage 4 sleep decreases, and the duration of REM sleep increases.

Question 18

What are some effects of sleep deprivation?

Answer 18

• Compromises immune system
• Vulnerability to infections
• Increases stress hormone production
• Raises risk for obesity & diabetes
• Irritability, unhappiness.
• Impaired concentration & memory recall.
• Hallucinations

Question 19

What are some sleep disorders?

Answer 19

Insomnia, nightmares and night terrors.

Question 20

What is Insomnia? What are some causes?

Answer 20

An inability to get to sleep, stay asleep or get good, quality sleep. Some causes are stress, grief, coping with mental problems, Night-shift work, medical problems, pain, or substance abuse.

Question 21

What are nightmares?

Answer 21

Bad dreams occurring during REM sleep. More common in children.

Question 22

What are night terrors?

Answer 22

Occur in children ages 5 to 7, they wake up in the middle of the night in a state of panic. They’re not dreaming, this occurs in deep stages of sleep. The child recalls little or nothing of the panic after waking up.

Question 23

What is the Wish Fulfillment theory?

Answer 23

One theory as to why we dream, created by Freud. Freud stated that dreams provide a safety valve to discharge unacceptable feelings. He thought they had symbolic meanings that signify our unacceptable feelings. Freud thought dreams had a manifest content, and a latent content, the manifest content being the dreams apparent meaning, and the latent content being the symbolic meaning.

Question 24

What is activation-synthesis theory?

Answer 24

One theory as to why we dream. The theory states that when we are dreaming brain areas that provide reasoned cognitive control while awake are shut down. The sleeping brain is still stimulated by chemical and random neural influences, and this causes dreaming to occur. During REM sleep, the prefrontal cortex is turned off, whereas the visual cortex and limbic system are turned on.

Question 25

What are Psychoactive Drugs?

Answer 25

Drugs that can alter thinking, perception or memory.

Question 26

What is the difference between physical and psychological dependence?

Answer 26

With a physical dependence your body craves the drug. Not all drugs have a physical dependence. A psychological dependence is when a drug is needed to continue emotional or psychological well-being. It’s a powerful factor in continued use, and can happen with any drug.

Question 27

What is tolerance?

Answer 27

Tolerance is a symptom of physical dependence where, after continued use of a drug, you need more of that drug for the same effect.

Question 28

What is withdrawal?

Answer 28

Withdrawal is a symptom of physical dependence where, after you stop taking a drug, you get nausea, pain, tremors, crankiness and/or high blood pressure. This is a result of the lack of the drug in your body.

Question 29

What are stimulants? What are some stimulants?

Answer 29

Stimulants are drugs that increase the functioning of the nervous system. Common stimulants are amphetamines, cocaine, nicotine and caffeine.

Question 30

What are amphetamines?

Answer 30

Amphetamines are stimulants that are synthesized in labs, not found in nature. They have a quick tolerance and dependence. Used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy. Can result in amphetamine psychosis, where the user become delusional.

Question 31

What is cocaine?

Answer 31

Cocaine is a stimulant that’s derived from coca plant leaves. It produces a feeling of euphoria, energy, power, and pleasure. It reduces pain and appetite, and blocks dopamine reuptake. Cocaine is very addictive. After the crash you get feelings of depression, farigue, anxiety, paranoia and you can’t feel pleasure.

Question 32

What is nicotine?

Answer 32

The active ingredient in tobacco. Raises blood pressure, and accelerates heart rate. Has a relaxing effect, reduces stress. Stimulates production of dopamine. More addictive than heroin or alcohol.

Question 33

What is caffeine?

Answer 33

Found in coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate or some Over-the-Counter medications. Maintains alertness and increases effectiveness of pain relievers.

Question 34

What are depressants?

Answer 34

Depressants are drugs that decrease the functiioning of the nervous system. Common depressants are major tranquilizers (barbiturates), minor tranquilizers (benzodiazepines), alcohol and narcotics.

Question 35

What are major tranquilizers?

Answer 35

Depressants also known as barbiturates, which have sedative (sleep-inducing) effect. Overdoses can be deadly, causing the user to stop breathing and heart action.

Question 36

What are minor tranquilizers?

Answer 36

Depressants also known as Benzodiazepines, which lower anxiety and reduce stress. Valium, Xanax and Rohypnol (the date-rape drug) are common minor tranquilizers.

Question 37

What is alcohol?

Answer 37

A depressant which is a product of fermentation or distillation of vegetable matter. Most commonly used & abused depressant. Lowers social inhibitions, impairs motor skills, slows reaction time and speech.

Question 38

What are narcotics?

Answer 38

Opium-related depressants that suppress pain, and induce euphoria. They bind to endorphin receptor site. Narcotics are very addictive, and have strong withdrawal symptoms. Common narcotics include Opium, Morphine and Heroin.

Question 39

What are hallucinogens?

Answer 39

Hallucinogens cause the brain to alter interpretation of sensations through hallucinations, or false sensory perceptions.

Question 40

What are manufactured hallucinogens?

Answer 40

They are lab-made hallucinogens. Common ones include LSD which causes powerful hallucinations, PCP which is an animal tranquilizer, and leads to violent behavior, and MDMA (Ecstasy) which is a stimulatory hallucinogen (both a stimulant and a hallucinogen), which creates a feeling of euphoria, energy, increased emotional warmth, and dehydration.

Question 41

What is marijuana?

Answer 41

A hallucinogen derived from a cannabis plant. Gives feelings of well-being, mild intoxication, mild sensory distortions or hallucinations. Impairs judgment, reaction time, peripheral vision and short-term memory. Has a psychological dependency but no physical dependency/withdrawal.