Chapter 5 Flashcards
Define stream of consciousness
Term used by William James to describe the mind as a continuous flow of changing sensations, images, thoughts, and feelings.
What is consciousness
An individual’s awareness of external events and internal sensations under a condition of arousal, including awareness of the self and thoughts about one’s experiences.
What is arousal?
The physiological state of being engaged with the environment
What is the reticular activating system
A network of structures including the brain stem, medulla, and thalamus that are involved in the experience of arousal and engagement with the environment.
Define theory of mind
Individuals’ understanding that they and others think, feel, perceive, and have private experiences.
What is higher level consciousness
In controlled processes, The most alert states of human consciousness, during which individuals actively focus their efforts toward a goal.
Define executive function
Higher-order, complex cognitive processes, including thinking, planning, and problem solving.
What is lower level consciousness
Involve automatic processes which are States of consciousness that require little attention and do not interfere with other ongoing activities.
Altered states of consciousness
mental states that are different from normal awareness: hallucinating
What is unconscious thought according to freud
According to Freud, a reservoir of unacceptable wishes, feelings, and thoughts that are beyond conscious awareness.
What are biological rhythms
Periodic physiological fluctuations in the body, such as the rise and fall of hormones and accelerated and decelerated cycles of brain activity, that can influence behaviour.
What are circadian rhythms
Daily behavioural or physiological cycles that involve the sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, blood pressure, and blood sugar level.
what is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
A small brain structure that uses input from the retina to synchronize its own rhythm with the daily cycle of light and dark; the body’s way of monitoring the change from day to night.
What is stage W of falling asleep
W stands for wake, beta and alpha waves reflect concentration and alertness. Brain waves slow down which is associated with relaxation
Stage N1 sleep
Characterized by drowsy sleep, people experience sudden muscle movements (feeling of falling)
Stage N2 sleep
Muscle activity decreases, person is no longer consciously aware of the environment
Stage N3 sleep
Sleepers drift to wakefulness, enter stage R which is a different form of sleep called REM (rapid eye movement). Movement of the eyeballs
People most likely dream in the
R stage
How does REM sleep end
When there is a rise in serotonin and norepinephrine which increase the level of forebrain activity
What is manifest content
According to Freud, the surface content of a dream, containing dream symbols that disguise the dream’s true meaning.
What is latent content
According to Freud, a dream’s hidden content; its unconscious and true meaning.
cognitive theory of dreaming
Theory proposing that dreaming can be understood by applying the same cognitive concepts used to study the waking mind.
activation-synthesis theory of dreaming
Theory that dreaming occurs when the cerebral cortex synthesizes neural signals generated from activity in the lower part of the brain and that dreams result from the brain’s attempts to find logic in random brain activity that occurs during sleep.
psychoactive drugs
Drugs that act on the nervous system to alter consciousness, modify perception, and change mood.
physical dependence
The physiological need for a drug that causes unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as physical pain and a craving for the drug when it is discontinued.
psychological dependence
The strong desire to repeat the use of a drug for emotional reasons, such as a feeling of well-being and reduction of stress.
depressants
Psychoactive drugs that slow down mental and physical activity.
barbiturates
Depressant drugs, such as Nembutal and Seconal, that decrease central nervous system activity.
tranquilizers
Depressant drugs, such as Valium and Xanax, that reduce anxiety and induce relaxation.
opiates
Opium and its derivatives; narcotic drugs that depress the central nervous system’s activity and eliminate pain.
stimulants
Psychoactive drugs—including caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine—that increase the central nervous system’s activity.
hallucinogens
Psychoactive drugs that modify a person’s perceptual experiences and produce visual images that are not real.
How does brain become addicted
Psychoactive drugs increase dopamine levels in the brain’s reward pathways which are located in the ventral tegmental area
hypnosis
An altered state of consciousness or a psychological state of altered attention and expectation in which the individual is unusually receptive to suggestions.
divided consciousness view of hypnosis
Hilgard’s view that hypnosis involves a splitting of consciousness into two separate components: one that follows the hypnotist’s commands and the other that acts as a “hidden observer.”
social cognitive behaviour view of hypnosis
The perspective that hypnosis is a normal state in which the hypnotized person behaves the way the individual believes that a hypnotized person should behave.
Hypnosis is correlated with what brain region
Lingual gyrus
meditation
The attainment of a peaceful state of mind in which thoughts are not occupied by worry; the meditator is mindfully present to their thoughts and feelings but is not consumed by them.
2 characteristics of meditative practice
Focused attention, open monitoring
Hypnagogic reverie
Overwhelming feeling of wellness
