Chapter 5 - Consciousness Flashcards
activation-synthesis hypothesis
suggests that dreams arise from brain activity originating from bursts of excitatory messages from the pons, a part of the brainstem
brain death
a condition in which the brain, specifically including the brainstem, no longer functions
chronotype
a tendency to prefer sleeping earlier or later in a given 24-hour period
circadian rhythms
internally driven daily cycles of approx. 24 hours affecting physiological and behavioural processes
coma
a state marked by complete loss of consciousness
consciousness
a person’s subjective awareness, including thoughts, perceptions, experiences of the world, and self-awareness
default mode network
network of brain regions incl:
* medial prefrontal cortex
* posterior cingulate gyrus
* medial and lateral regions of the parietal lobe
that is most active when an individual is awake but not responding to external stimuli
dissociation theory
explains hypnosis as a unique state in which consciousness is divided into two parts:
* lower-level system involved w/ perception & movement
* executive system that evaluates & monitors these behaviours
ecstasy
(MDMA) a drug that is typically classified as a stimulant, but also has hallucinogenic effects
endogenous rhythms
biological rhythms generated by our body independent of external cues such as light
entrainment
when biological rhythms become synchronized to external cues such as light, temperature, or even a clock
hallucinogenic drugs
substances that produce *perceptual distortions
hypnosis
a procedure of inducing a heightened *state of suggestibility
insomnia
a disorder characterized by an extreme lack of sleep
jet lag
the discomfort a person feels when **sleep cycles are out of sync with light & darkness
latent content
the actual symbolic meaning of a dream built on supressed sexual or aggressive urges
locked-in syndrome
a disorder in which the patient is aware an awake but, because of an inability to move his or her body, appears unconscious
lysergic acid diethylamide
(LSD) a laboratory-made (synthetic) drug that triggers unusual sensory experiences
manifest content
the images and storylines that we dream about
marijuana
a drug comprising the leaves and buds of the Cannabis plant that produces a combination of hallucinogenic, stimulant, and relaxing (narcotic) effects
mind-wandering
an inuntentional redirection of attention from one’s current task to an *unrelated train of thought
minimally conscious state
(MCS) a disordered state of consciouness marked by the ability to show some behaviours that suggest at least partial consciousness, even if on an inconscistent basis
narcolepsy
a disorder in which a person experiences extreme daytime sleepiness and even sleep attacks
nightmares
particularly vivid and disturbing dreams that occur during REM sleep
night terrors
intense bouts of panic and arousal that awaken the individual, typically in a heightened emotional state
opiates
(aka narcotics) drugs such as heroin and morphine that reduce pain and induce extremenly intense feelings of euphoria
persistent vegetative state
state of minimal to no consciousness in which the patient’s eyes may be open, and the individual will develop sleep-wake cycles without clear signs of consciousness
physical dependence
the need to take a drug to ward off unpleasant physical withdrawal symptoms
polysomnography
a set of objective measurements used to examine physiological variables during sleep
preserve and protect hypothesis
suggests that two adaptive functions of sleep are
* preserving energy and
* protecting the organism from harm
problem-solving theory
the theory that thoughts and concerns are continuous from waking to sleeping, and that dreams may function to facilitate finding solutions to problems encountered while awake
psychedelics
substances that produce perceptual distortions
psychoactive drugs
substances that affect *thinking, behaviour, perception, and emotion
psychological dependence
occurs when emotional need for a drug develops without any underlying physical dependence
REM behaviour disorder
a condition that does not show the typical restriction of movement during REM sleep; in fact, they appear to be acting out the content of their dreams
REM sleep
a stage of sleep characterized by quickening brain waves, inhibited body movement, and rapid eye movements (REM)
restore and repair hypothesis
the idea that the body needs to restore energy levels and repair any wear and tear experienced during the day’s activities
salvia divinorum
an herb that grows in Central and South America. When smoked or chewed, salvia induces *highly intense but short-lived hallucinations
sedative drugs
sometimes referred to as “downers,” depress activity of the CNS (central nervous system)
sleep apnea
a disorder characterized by the temporary inability to breathe during sleep
sleep deprivation
occurs when an individual cannot or does not sleep
sleep displacement
occurs when an individual is prevented from sleeping at the normal time although he or she may be able to sleep earlier or later in the day than usual
social-cognitive theory
explains hypnosis by emphasizing the degree to which beliefs and expectation contribute to increased suggestibility
somnambulism
(aka sleepwalking) a disorder that involves wandering and performing other activities while asleep
stimulants
a category of drugs that that speed up the nervous system, typically enhancing wakefulness and alertness
tolerance
when repeated use of a drug results in a need for a higher dose to get the intended effect
