Consciousness Flashcards
Narcolepsy
Sudden daytime R.E.M. attacks
Directed consciousness
A focused awareness
Ex. taking a test, studying, meditating etc.
Flowing consciousness
An unfocused awareness, drifting from one thing to another
Ex. walking and chewing gum, fidgeting while studying, etc.
Divided consciousness
Doing two things that require awareness
Ex. driving home and gossiping with friends, writing a paper and listening to the news, etc.
Selective attention
The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus among many stimuli
(Ex. conversation at a party, reading at the beach, etc.)
Circadian rhythm
Our bodies regular rhythm of wakefulness and sleep over a 24-hour cycle
(Our biological clock)
Alpha waves
Small, slow brain waves; relaxed, awake state
Delta waves
Large, slow brain waves associated with sleep
Sleep Cycle: Stage 0
Awake
Sleep Cycle: Stage 1
Hypnagogic state; the twilight between wakefulness and sleeping
(5-10 minutes asleep)
Sleep Cycle: Stage 2
Most of our sleep happens here
20 minutes of sleep
Sleep Cycle: Stage 3 and 4
Deep sleep, deepest sleep happens in stage 4
30-40 minutes asleep
Sleep Cycle: R.E.M. Sleep
Occurs approximately every 90 minutes, gets longer the longer sleep progresses
(Rapid eye movement)
Adaptive theory
Theory that we sleep to help promote our survival as a species
Restorative theory
Theory that we sleep to give our bodies time to regenerate at a cellular level
Memory consolidation
A theory that R.E.M. sleep plays a role on a normal level regarding organization and storage of newly formed memories
(Important for learning)
Freud’s dream theory
Dreams are meaningful events containing manifest (obvious) and latent (hidden) content
Insomnia
The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep
Sleep apnea
A respiratory disorder that involves a person intermittently stopping breathing many times while sleeping
Night terrors
Mainly in children, deep stage 4 sleep episodes that produce terror that is usually forgotten upon waking
Altered states or consciousness
Occur when some aspect of normal consciousness is modified by mental, behavioral, or chronical terms
Hypnosis
An induced state of awareness, characterized by heightened suggestibility, deep relaxation, and highly focused attention
Meditation
Focusing concentration away from both the outside world and the inside world
Psychoactive drugs
Chemicals that affect the mental processes and behavior by their effects on the brain
Hallucinogens
Produces perceptional, sensory, and cognitive experiences
Opiates
Produce a profound sense of wellbeing and strong pain relief
Depressants
Lowers inhibitions, slows mental and physical activity and ability
Stimulants
Arouses the CNS (central nervous system), speeding up the mental and physical response
