consciousness Flashcards
consciousness
the awareness of external stimuli and our own mental activity
consciousness state
the characteristics of consciousness at any particular moment
conscious level
the level of consciousness at which mental activities accesible to awareness occur
nonconscious level
the level of consciousness at which reside processes that are totally inaccessible to conscious awareness
preconscious level
the level of consciousness at which reside mental events that are not currently conscious but can become conscious at will
unconscious
the term used to describe a level of mental activity said by Freud to contain unacceptable sexual, aggressive and other impulses of which an indiviidual is unaware
subconscious
another term that describes the mental level at which influential but normally inaccessible mental processes take place
altered state of consciousness
a condition that exists when changes in mental processes are extensive enough to produce noticeable differences in psychological and behavioral functioning
NREM sleep
sleep stages N1, N2 and N3; they are accompanied by gradually slower and deeper breathing; a calm, regular heartbeat; reduces blood pressure; and slower brain waves
REM sleep
the stage of sleep during which muscle tone decreases dramatically but the EEG resembles that of someone who is awake
insomnia
a sleep disorder which a person does not get enough sleep to feel rested
insomnia
a sleep disorder which a person does not get enough sleep to feel rested
narcolepsy
a daytime sleep disorder in which a person suddenly switches from an active waking state into REM sleep
sleep apnea
a sleep disorder in which a person briefly but repeatedly stops breathing during the night
sudden infant death syndrome
a disorder in which a sleeping baby stops breathing, does not awaken and dies
sleepwalking
a phenomenon that starts primarily in NREM sleep, especially in stage N3, and involves walking while sleeping
nightmares
frightening dreams that take place during REM sleep
sleep terror disorder
the occurrence of horrific dream images during N3 sleep, followed by rapid awakening and a state of intense fear
REM behavior disorder
a sleep disorder in which the decreased muscle tone normally seen in REM sleep does not appear, thus allowing dreams to be acted out
circadian rhythm
a cycle, such as waking and sleeping, that repeats about once a day
jet lag
fatigue, irritability, inattention, and sleeping problems caused by air travel across several time zones
sleep deprivation
a condition in which people do not get enough sleep; it may result in reduced cognitive abilities, inattention, and increased risk of accidents
dreaming
the production during sleep of storylike sequences of images, sensations, and perceptions that last from several seconds to many minutes; it occurs mainly during REM sleep
lucid dreams
being aware that a dream is a dream while it is occurring
