Chapter 5: Consciousness Flashcards by Zoe Phillips

________: a person’s subjective awareness, including
thoughts, perceptions, experiences of the world, and self-awareness

Consciousness

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what is the “hard problem of consciousness”?

the problem in explaining why we have subjective experiences… why do we have individual, unique thought?

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______: biological
rhythms with a ~24 hour periodicity

Circadian rhythms

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what are the two ways we stay on a schedule?

entrainment
endogenous rhythms

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_____: synchronization
between biological rhythms and external cues (zeitgebers)

Entrainment

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what are some different things that can adjust our sleep rhythms?

light, temperature, clocks

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what is our main cue for sleep?

light

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explain light entrainment:

Slowly changing levels of
background illumination detected by specialized ganglion cells of the retina
Light signals communicated to brain via the optic nerve to the optic chiasm
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) situated above optic chiasm receives light information
SCN innervates pineal gland to stimulate release of melatonin
Melatonin accumulates with darkness and onset of sleep

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what is the internal clock of the brain?

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

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how does our technology influence sleep?

pushes light into our eyes, keeps arousal high, delays sleep, no melatonin increase because there’s no darkness

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_______: ‘free running’ biological rhythms
generated by our body that are independent of zeitgebers

Endogenous rhythms

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T/F: even without entrainment, we have internal schedules (24-25 hours)

true! endogenous rhythms!

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we have Genetic feedback loops that help us stay on schedule… how do they work?

we have a buildup of X proteins that shuts off something that causes alertness

we have biological and genetic self-regulation to help us!!

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what are the two hypothesis about why we sleep?

restore and repair hypothesis
preserve and protect hypothesis

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_________:
sleep restores energy levels
and allows for repairs on the
body from the day’s activities

Restore and repair hypothesis

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________: sleep preserves
energy and protects the
individual organism from harm

Preserve and protect
hypothesis
Sleep differences between
predator and prey species

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what are the stages of sleep?

Stage 1: Breathing, heart
rate, blood pressure
decrease

Stage 2: Become less
responsive to external
stimuli; sporadic brain
activity

Stage 3-4: Brain activity
slows; difficult to wake

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Beta waves:

awake

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Alpha waves:

drowsy state;
loss of attention

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how do we measure brain waves with stages of sleep?

use EEG

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_____: stage of sleep
characterized by quickening
brain waves, deep relaxation,
inhibited body movement,
and rapid eye movements

REM sleep

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________ is another term for REM sleep. It’s called “paradoxical” because, although the body is deeply relaxed and effectively immobilized (a protective mechanism to prevent acting out dreams), the brain is highly active, exhibiting brain wave patterns similar to when you’re awake.

Paradoxical sleep

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whats a REM rebound?

the phenomenon where a person experiences an increase in REM sleep after being deprived of it for a period of time. If someone is sleep-deprived or has interrupted REM sleep (for example, due to sleep disorders, alcohol consumption, or medication), they may enter REM sleep more quickly and for longer durations when they finally do sleep

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T/F: There is no ‘magic
number’ for sleep

true

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T/F: Amount of sleep needed varies between individuals according to age and genetics

true

T/F: Sleep is developmentally important

true

_____ facilitates learning, especially for complex tasks, we need its late stages to learn!

REM

T/F: same areas of brain re-activate in REM when we've learned something new that day!

true

_______ (i.e., stages 3 and 4) particularly important for the learning of autobiographical memories

Slow-wave sleep

_____: Fast-forward playback in which pattern of neural activity that occurred while awake is repeated during sleep

Neural replay

More readily falls asleep Irritability/emotional deficits Attention/vigilance deficits Normal energy as long as one is occupied; malaise sets in upon sitting down or resting Reading/studying next to impossible After 2-3 days microsleeps begin to occur these are all the signs of ___________

sleep deprivation

what are the three costs of sleep deprivation?

cognitive and emotional deficits increased risk of vehicular accidents increased number of preventable medical errors

_______: when an individual is prevented from sleeping at the normal time § Jet lag § Daylight savings time

Sleep displacement

T/F: Practicing good sleep hygiene trains your brain and body to sleep more readily

true

______: Published The Interpretation of Dreams (1900)

Sigmund Freud

what did Sigmund Freud argue with his "Interpretation of Dreams"?

Argued dreams are unconscious expressions of wish fulfillment "free" us from societal restraint, when we normally have to suppress our urges

______: the images and storylines that we dream about

Manifest content part of psychoanalytical approach

______: the actual symbolic meaning of a dream built on suppressed sexual or aggressive urges

Latent content part of psychoanalytical approach

_______: suggests that dreams arise from brain activity originating from bursts of excitatory messages arising from the brainstem

Activation–synthesis hypothesis (modern theories of dreaming)

T/F: our brainstem becomes active randomly, dreams are just rest of our brain trying to interpret random messages

true

______: thoughts and concerns are continuous from waking to sleeping, and that dreams may function to facilitate finding solutions to problems encountered while awake

Problem-solving theory modern theory of dreaming

what affects the memorability of our dreams?

presence of stress hormones (norepinephrine and cortisol)

when we sleep lighter, its because bursts of stress hormones are present, do we have more or less memorability of our dreams?

more memories formed overnight

______: difficulty falling asleep

Onset insomnia

_______: difficulty returning to sleep

Maintenance insomnia

______: waking too early

Terminal insomnia

insomnias can be further classified as...

Primary insomnia: due to internal source (e.g., worrying) Secondary insomnias: result of other disorders

_______: particularly vivid and disturbing dreams that occur during REM sleep § Occur during REM sleep

Nightmares

______: intense bouts of panic and arousal that awaken the individual, typically in a heightened emotional state § Occur during NREM sleep

Night terrors

T/F: both nightmares and night terrors increase due to stress

true

_______: persistent discomfort in the legs and the urge to continuously shift them into different positions

Restless legs syndrome

________: act out dreams due to failure to inhibit motor signals

REM behaviour disorder

_______ (sleepwalking): a disorder that involves wandering and performing other activities while asleep

Somnambulism just brain running familiar motor code (NOT dangerous to wake someone up)

what are the three examples of movement disturbances

restless legs syndrome REM behaviours disorder somnambulism

_________: temporary inability to breathe during sleep as airway becomes obstructed § Obesity § Damage to medulla

Sleep apnea

_______: extreme daytime sleepiness and even sleep attacks § Few seconds to few minutes § Immediately into REM sleep

Narcolepsy

______: a procedure of inducing a heightened state of suggestibility

Hypnosis

T/F: hypnosis is not a distinct state of consciousness

true

what are the three hypnotic suggestions?

Ideomotor: actions to be performed Challenge: actions not to be performed Cognitive-perceptual: prompt remembering/forgetting or altered perceptions

________: explains hypnosis as a unique state in which consciousness is divided § Driving on “autopilot”

Dissociation theory

_________: emphasizes the degree to which beliefs and expectations contribute to increased suggestibility § Conform to expectations

Social-cognitive theory

what are the two theories of hypnosis

dissociation social-cognitive

what is the "suggestion" when people dissociate while driving?

the road is the suggestion, we follow them even in an associated state!

T/F: hypnosis Cannot be used as evidence in courts

true leads to recovery of false memories

what is the main (reliable) application of hypnosis?

Effective addition to treatment § Medical treatments § Acute pain relief

_______: an unintentional redirection of attention from the current task to an unrelated train of thought

Mind-wandering

________: a pattern of brain activity associated with self-reflection, introspection, autobiographical memories, and future thinking

Default Mode Network

T/F: Abnormal DMN activity linked with certain psychological disorders

true

T/F: we're never NOT thinking

true! our DNM is our "baseline"... we're never completely thoughtless

Consciousness can be assessed on a spectrum of wakefulness/awareness, what is this scale called?

Glasgow coma scale

______: condition in which the brain stem no longer functions § No potential for recovery

Brain death

_____: complete loss of consciousness § Body is still aside from minor twitches § No pupillary response

Coma

_________ (PVS): a state of minimal to no consciousness § Eyes open but do not track movement § Normal sleep cycles § Best hope for recovery before 6 months § The case of Terry Shiavo

Persistent vegetative state

_________: marked by the ability to show some behaviours that suggest partial consciousness, even if on an inconsistent basis § Behaviours beyond reflexes

Minimally conscious state

_______: patient is aware and awake but, because of an inability to move, appears unconscious § Cognitive and emotional processing intact

Locked-in syndrome

T/F: Diminished brain activity as conscious awareness decreases

true

what is ‘The problem of other minds’?

we never know for sure what each other's perceptions are... is your red my red? who knows!

T/F: Drugs affect neurotransmitter activity through various agonistic and antagonistic effects

true

______: A prime area of activation when a person engages in rewarding behavior

Nucleus accumbens

______: when repeated use of a drug results in a need for a higher dose to get the intended effect § Metabolic and cellular tolerance § Down regulation of receptors

Tolerance

how does down regulation affect tolerance of drugs?

when there's less neurotransmitters available to receive signals, it takes more and more neurotransmitters to elicit the same response.... leading to an increase in tolerance

_______: the need to take a drug to ward off unpleasant physical withdrawal

Physical dependence long-term drug effects

________: the need to take a drug to ward off negative emotions ■ No physical symptoms

Psychological dependence long-term drug effects

______: drugs that speed up the nervous system, typically enhancing wakefulness and alertness

Stimulants

what neurotransmitters increase with stimulant use

dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine

what happens cognitively after extended drug use?

Structural abnormalities in cells of the frontal lobes Users develop difficulties ignoring irrelevant thoughts § Stroop test

______: produce perceptual distortions

Hallucinogens

what neurotransmitters are increased/blocked with hallucinogen use?

increased serotonin blocks glutamate receptors

_______(narcotics): reduce pain and induce extremely intense feelings of euphoria

Opiates

what do opiates stimulate?

Stimulate endorphin receptors

______: drug that blocks endorphin receptor sites to negate the effects of opioids

Naloxone

T/F: Other opioids often laced with highly potent fentanyl

true! huge issue with overdose

______ (‘downers’): depress activity of the central nervous system

Sedatives

what neurotransmitter increases with sedative use?

increases GABA activity

_____: most commonly used drug

Alcohol

what does alcohol do?

Increase GABA activity, then stimulates endorphin and dopamine receptors

________: Narrow focus on cues related to a person’s current desires and impulses while ignoring everything else

alcohol myopia

T/F: youth are particularly susceptible to alcohol myopia

true! Protracted development of frontal lobes

what does marijuana do to the brain?

THC mimics brain chemicals (anandamide) involved in sleep and memory by binding to cannabinoid receptors

Chapter 5: Consciousness Flashcards

(99 cards)