Chapter 4: Consciousness Flashcards
The state of being aware of oneself, one’s thoughts, and/or the environment, different levels of conscious awareness
Consciousness
The scientific study of mental processes, thinking, problem solving, and language
Cognitive psychology
Collection and storage of information without conscious effort or awareness
Automatic processing
The ability to focus awareness on a small segment of information that is available through our sensory systems. (Cocktail party effect: name mentioned during party, think they’re talking about us)
Selective Attention
Looking without seeing. Such selective attention you fail to notice other things.
Inattentional Blindness (Change Blindness)
Range from fully alert to being asleep and unconscious
Levels of Consciousness
Daily pattern, roughly following the 24 hour daily sucks of daytime and darkness
Circadian Rhythm
Smaller part of the hypothalamus. Influences the release of Melatonin. When light fades, triggers pineal gland to produce Melatonin
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
Show an alert awake state
Beta Waves
Indicate a relaxed, drowsy state
Alpha waves
Non-R.E.M. Sleep
Non dreaming sleep, happens between N1, N2, N3
Just have fallen asleep
Theta waves (N1)
False perceptions that occur between wakefulness and sleep (dreaming, and you fall in your dream, so you jerk yourself awake)
Hypnagogic Hallucinations
Deepest level of sleep.
Delta Waves
Deals with sleep. Similar brain activity like when you’re awake
R.E.M. Sleep (paradoxical sleep)
N1 N2 N3 N2 dreaming
Sleep Architecture
A neurological disorder that can be characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness.
Narcolepsy
Symptoms of Narcolepsy. Abrupt loss of strength or muscle tone
Cataplexy
Temporary paralysis that occurs just before falling asleep
Sleep paralysis
During N1, drifting off, mostly harmless false perceptions, though can be scary with Narcolepsy
Hypnogogic Hallucinations
Sleep disturbance in which normal R.E.M. Paralysis doesn’t occur. They can act out the dream
R.E.M. Sleep behavior disorder
Serious disorder. Person stops breathing for about ten seconds in their sleep
Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea
During non R.E.M. Sleep. Not real dreaming. Sleep medicines can help cause this.
Sleep walking
Non REM disturbances that most affects children. Screaming, staring fearfully, no memory of it afterwards
Sleep terrors
Frightening dreams that occur during R.E.M. Sleep
Nightmares
Sleep allows for growth and repair of the body and brain.
Restorative theory
Sleep serves as an adaptive function. Sleep helps us survive
Evolutionary theory
Aids in the strengthening of memories and learning.
Consolidation
Apparent meaning of the dream. Remembered storyline of a dream
Manifest content
Hidden meaning of the dream. Symbolism of the unconscious trying to express itself.
Latent content
Humans responds to random neural activity in R.E.M. as if it has meaning.
Activation-Synthesis Model
Network of neurons in the brain exist that is necessary to dream
Neurocognitive Theory of Dreams
Substances that can cause changes in conscious experiences. Influences judgement, sensation, perceptions
Psychoactive drugs
Alcohol can cause this. Sweating, restlessness, tremors and seizures
Delirium tremens
Altered state of consciousness, allowing for changes in perceptions and behaviors made by hypnotists. Can create amnesia
Hypnosis
Create amnesia Relieve pain Alter sensory perceptions Help people relax promote the formation of false memories
Hypnosis can…
Give people superhuman strength
Reliably enhance memory
Regress people to childhood
Regress people to past lives
Hypnosis cannot
