Chapter 6 Flashcards
Consciousness
The state of being aware of one’s surroundings and oneself.
Stream of consciousness
A continuous flow of changing thoughts.
Altered states of consciousness
Different states of consciousness such as being asleep, having a dream, hypnosis, meditation, anesthesia, and psychoactive drugs.
States of consciousness
The level of awareness for our external surroundings and internal states.
Contents of consciousness
Specific thoughts that we are aware of about our internal states or external surroundings.
Inattentional blindness
Failure to notice things around us to which we are not paying attention.
Thalamus
A part of the brain responsible for attention and awareness.
Preconsciousness
The level of awareness in which information can become readily available to consciousness if necessary.
Unconscious state
A state in which information is not easily accessible to conscious awareness.
Implicit memory
Knowledge that we have stored in memory that we are not typically aware of or able to recall at will.
Circadian rhythm
A 24-hour cycle that controls the sleep/wake cycle.
Sleep cycle
A 90-100 minute cycle that goes through different stages of sleep, including REM sleep.
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep
A stage of sleep associated with rapid eye movements, increased heart rate, and dreaming.
Information Processing Theory of Dreaming
The theory that dreams involve processing information from the day.
Activation-Synthesis Model of Dreaming
The theory that dreams reflect the brain’s efforts to make sense of neural activity during sleep.
Insomnia
The most common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up early.
Sleep apnea
A sleep disorder characterized by repeatedly stopping breathing during the night.
Narcolepsy
A sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden episodes of falling into REM sleep.
Hypnosis
An altered state of consciousness with heightened suggestibility, deep relaxation, and intense focus.
Meditation
A technique designed to turn one’s consciousness away from the outer world toward one’s inner cues and awareness.
Opening-up approach
Clearing one’s mind in order to receive new experiences.
Concentrative meditation
Actively concentrating on an object, word, or idea, called a mantra.
Koan
A riddle, such as “What is the sound of one hand clapping?”
Mindfulness meditation
Paying attention to one’s feelings, thoughts, and sensations. Being in the moment and being mindful, but not judgmental.
Psychoactive drugs
Any substance that alters mood, perception, awareness, or thought.
Addiction
Psychological or physical compulsion to take a drug, resulting from regular ingestion and leading to maladaptive patterns of behavior and changes in physical response.
Depressants
Drugs that act on the central nervous system (CNS) to suppress bodily processes.
Alcohol
Influences GABAergic neurons and slows down brain areas that control judgment, inhibition, behavior, speech, motor functioning, and emotional expression.
Sedative-hypnotics (benzodiazepines)
Examples include Xanax, Ativan, and Valium. They influence neurons that produce GABA, producing relaxation, drowsiness, and relief from anxiety.
Opioids
Drugs such as opium, heroin, morphine, codeine, and methadone. They activate opioid receptors in the brain, reducing pain, emotional tension, and producing pleasurable and calming feelings.
Nicotine
Influences dopamine and acetylcholine neurons, increasing alertness and reducing stress.
Caffeine
Works on adenosine neurons, producing a sensation of increased alertness when stimulated.
Stimulants
Drugs that act on the CNS to increase bodily processes.
Cocaine
Blocks neuronal re-uptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. Increases energy, alertness, and produces euphoric feelings of well-being and confidence.
Amphetamines
Increase the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. Increases energy, alertness, reduces appetite, and produces euphoric feelings.
Hallucinogens
Drugs that produce sensory or perceptual distortions called hallucinations.
LSD
Stimulates dopamine and serotonin receptors, dramatically strengthening visual perceptions along with profound psychological and physical changes.
Cannabis (marijuana, THC)
Stimulates the release of endorphins and dopamine, producing a mixture of hallucinogenic, depressant, and stimulant effects.
MDMA (Ecstasy)
Leads to an increase of serotonin, enhances sensory perceptions, increases energy and alertness, and produces feelings of empathy and emotional well-being.
Reward-deficiency syndrome
People might abuse drugs because their reward center is not readily activated by usual life events.
Adaptive Theory of Sleep
theory that organisms sleep for the purpose of self-preservation, to keep away from predators that are more active at night.
Dissociation
A splitting of consciousness into two dimensions.
Flashbacks
Recurrence of the sensory and emotional changes after the LSD has left the body.
Hypnagogic State
A pre-sleep period often characterized by vivid sensory phenomena.
Lucid Dreaming
Dreams in which sleepers fully recognize that they are dreaming, and occasionally actively guide the outcome of the dream.
Non-REM Sleep (NREM)
Stages 1 through 4 of normal sleep pattern.
Restorative Theory of Sleep
Theory that we sleep to allow the brain and body to restore certain depleted chemical resources and eliminate chemical wastes that have accumulated during the waking day.
Reward Learning Pathway
Brain circuitry that is important for learning about rewarding stimuli.
Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs
Class of drugs that produces feelings of relaxation and drowsiness.
Sleep Spindles
Bursts of brain activity lasting a second or two; occur during Stage 2 sleep.
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
A small group of neurons in the hypothalamus responsible for coordinating the many rhythms of the body.
Tolerance
Mark of physical dependence on a drug, in which the person is required to take incrementally larger doses of the drug to achieve the same effect.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Unpleasant and sometimes dangerous side effects of reducing intake of a drug after a person has become addicted.
