Chapter 5

Question 1

What is consciousness?

Answer 1

Consciousness is your individual awareness of your unique thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and environments. Consciousness is your awareness of yourself and the world around you.

Question 2

What theories explain why we sleep?

Answer 2

1. Inactive theory: sleep when its dark (and harmful outside)
2. Energy Conservation Theory: sleep to reduce expenditure
3. Restorative Theory: sleep allows the body to repair, rejuvenate, and grow
4. Brain Plasticity: sleep is correlated to changes in the structure and organization of the brain (memory consolidation - sleep solidifies neurons together over time)

Question 3

What are the characteristics of the different sleep stages?

Answer 3

1. Stage 1 - brief, slow breathing, rapid/ low brain waves, hallucinations
2. Stage 2 - regular waves & spindles, 45% of sleep spent in this stage
3. Stage 3 & 4 - deep sleep, slow brain waves; sleep walking/ talking and bed wet
4. REM Sleep - around stage 1 & 2, brain waves resemble awake waves, atoning (sleep paralysis)

Question 4

What are dreams? What is day residue?

Answer 4

• Dreams are self centered (relevant to us)
• Are typically about the mundane and universal themes
• Can be influenced by life events (called day residue)

Day Residue: can be influenced by life events; memory traces left by the events and psychic processes of the walking state

Question 5

Why do we dream? In other words, what are the theories proposed to answer this question, and how do these theories relate to the function (or purpose) of dreams? (Be sure to review concepts related to these three theories, like manifest and latent content).

Answer 5

We dream because of the unconscious wish fulfillment theory, the dreams for problem solving theory, and the activation-synthesis theory.

Three Theories

1. Unconscious wish fulfillment theory
   - manifest (actual content) vs. latent content (symbolic content)
2. Dreams for problem solving theory
   - consolidate memories, deal with real life issues
3. Activation-synthesis theory
   - random neutral activity that our brain attempts to explain

Question 6

What are some of the common consequences of sleep deprivation? Also, what are some consequences of REM sleep deprivation more specifically?

Answer 6

Sleep deprivation can exacerbate pre-existing mood disturbances, such as anger, depression, and anxiety, and can lead to confusion, fatigue, and lack of vigor.

Being deprived of REM sleep interferes with memory formation.

Question 7

What are the two main styles of meditation?

Answer 7

1. Focused attention - focus on one main thing (ex: breathing)
2. Open monitoring - acknowledge a thought and then let it go; letting thoughts come to you, then letting it go

Question 8

What are the short-term and long-term benefits associated with mediation?

Answer 8

In the short term - relaxation through suppressing autonomic arousal

In the long term - lower levels of stress hormones (less cortisol), enhanced immune response (more antibodies, more time in deep and REM sleep stages, lower blood pressure, greater pain tolerance, decreases in anxiety and depression, greater (reported) empathy, improved concentration.

Question 9

What is psychological dependence? Physical dependence? How do these relate to tolerance?

Answer 9

Psychological dependence is the condition that exists when a person must continue to take a drug in order to satisfy intense mental and emotional craving for that drug. Physical dependence is the condition that exists when a person must continue to take a drug to avoid withdrawal illness. These relate to tolerance because depending on the person’s tolerance to a drug that can affect their physical or psychological dependence on a drug.