Chapter 6 Flashcards
What is consciousness?
moment-to-moment awareness of ourselves and our environment
subjective and private
dynamic
self-reflective/central to our sense of self
connected with selective attention
How is consciousness subjective and private?
same event experienced differently
How is consciousness dynamic?
changes through fluctuations in attention and awareness
daydreaming, focus, sleepy, etc.
How is consciousness self-reflective and central to our sense of self?
mind is aware of consciousness, so can reflect that you are the one who is conscious of it
What are the ways of measuring an individuals state of consciousness?
ways to operationalize consciousness
self report
physiological
behavioural
How do you measure consciousness through self report?
ask participants to describe inner experiences
not verifiable
How do you measure consciousness using a physiological method?
link between bodily states and mental processes
heart rate, sweating, EEG
How do you measure consciousness using a behavioral method?
task performance
more objective than self report but still have to infer mental state
What are Freud’s three levels of consciousness?
consciousness: current awareness
precociousness: outside awareness, can be easily recalled
nonconsciousness: cannot be brought to awareness
How can unconscious processes influence behaviour?
placebo effects
split-brain patients
subliminal perception
What is controlled processing?
voluntary, effortful
planning, studying, more flexible/open to change
What is autonomic processing?
little to no conscious effort
routine actions or well-learned tasks
type, drive
offers speed/autonomy of processes
What is divided attention?
ability to perform more than one activity at the same time
facilitated by autonomic processing
talk and walk
adaptive most of the time
What is the neural basis of consciousness?
disorders of conscious perception give clues to neural basis of consciousness
visual agnosia/prosopagnosia, blind sight, damage to primary or association sensory cortex
What are circadian rhythms?
cyclical changes that occur roughly every 24 hours
What is the brain’s biological clock?
feel drowsy in afternoon due to SCN inactivity
drowsy at night due to melatonin
regulates seasonal changes too
What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)?
in hypothalamus
active during day, quiet at night
controls level of alertness
no SCN = sleep/wake behavior, hormone schedules, and physiological parameters (body temp, etc.) are lost
What are some environmental disruptions of circadian rhythms?
seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
jetlag (easier to travel west)
shiftwork (drive home in day, harder to adjust internal clock)
daylight savings (increased accident risk)
disturbed sleep accumulates (errors on job, increased risk of injury)
What are the different brain waves awake and asleep?
beta waves: conscious
alpha waves: subconscious
theta waves: superconscious
delta waves: dream state
What is stage 1 of sleep?
light sleep (body jerks)
a few minutes
What is stage 2 of sleep?
sleep spindles
muscles relaxed
breathing/heart rate slowed
What is stage 3 of sleep?
slow waves