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consciousness Flashcards

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1
Q

What is consciousness?

A

It is your awareness of your surroundings and yourself, including everything you are thinking about right now.

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2
Q

What is the stream of consciousness, according to William James?

A

A: It is a continuing flow of changing thoughts, based on what we’re paying attention to and the intensity of that attention.

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3
Q

What is the Turing Test?

A

It is a test to determine if an artificial program has reached a level of human-like consciousness.

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4
Q

Name some examples of altered states of consciousness.

A

Being asleep, having a dream, hypnosis, meditation, anesthesia, and under the influence of psychoactive drugs.

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5
Q

What are the two components of conscious awareness?

A

(1) States of consciousness - level of awareness (e.g., fully awake or asleep), and (2) Contents of consciousness - specific thoughts about internal or external states (e.g., awareness of a need to go to the bathroom).

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6
Q

Q: What is inattentional blindness?

A

A: It is the failure to notice things around us that we are not paying attention to.

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7
Q

Q: What role does the thalamus play in consciousness?

A

A: The thalamus sends signals from the hindbrain to the forebrain, crucial for attention and awareness.

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8
Q

Q: What happens when there is bilateral damage ( thalamus and hypothalamus)?

A

A: It can lead to a coma.

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9
Q

Q: What is multitasking, and why is it considered a myth?

A

A: Multitasking is attempting to perform multiple tasks simultaneously; it’s a myth because the brain rapidly switches tasks instead of doing them simultaneously, reducing performance.

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10
Q

Q: Define preconsciousness.

A

A: It is a level of awareness where information can become readily available to consciousness if needed, like recalling a past meal.

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11
Q

Q: What is the unconscious state?

A

A: It is when information is not easily accessible to conscious awareness during an awake state, like a repressed memory surfacing later.

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12
Q

Q: What is implicit memory?

A

A: Implicit memory involves knowledge that we have stored but are not typically aware of, such as automatic skills (e.g., reading, driving).

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13
Q

Q: What did Freud believe about the unconscious mind?

A

A: He believed that most of our knowledge originates from the unconscious and that painful thoughts may be repressed to avoid conscious awareness.

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14
Q

Q: What is a Freudian slip?

A

A: A Freudian slip is an unintentional slip of the tongue, where a repressed idea surfaces into consciousness.

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15
Q

Q: What are explicit memories?

A

A: They are pieces of knowledge we are fully aware of, such as facts that can be intentionally recalled, like a birthdate.

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16
Q

Q: What is the Adaptive Theory of Sleep?

A

A: It suggests that sleep evolved as a self-preservation mechanism, helping organisms stay safe from predators that are more active at night.

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17
Q

Q: What is the Restoration Theory of Sleep?

A

A: Sleep allows the brain and body to restore depleted resources and clear out accumulated wastes from the day.

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18
Q

Q: What is Circadian Rhythm?

A

A: A 24-hour biological cycle regulating sleep and wakefulness, influenced by body temperature and light exposure.

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19
Q

Q: What role does the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) play in sleep?

A

A: Located in the hypothalamus, the SCN detects light and signals the pineal gland to release melatonin to induce sleep.

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20
Q

Q: How long is a typical sleep cycle, and what stages does it include?

A

A: Each cycle lasts 90-100 minutes and includes stages 1-4 and REM sleep.

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21
Q

What are the characteristics of Stage 1 sleep?

A

Transition stage with theta waves, decreased heart rate, and blood pressure. Often includes hypnagogic hallucinations and myoclonic jerks.

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22
Q

What occurs during Stage 2 sleep?

A

It involves deeper relaxation, muscle twitches, and sleep spindles. Theta waves gradually shift to delta waves.

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23
Q

Q: What brain activity is observed in Stage 3 sleep?

A

A: Mixture of theta and delta waves, marking a transition into deeper sleep.

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24
Q

Q: Describe Stage 4 sleep.

A

A: Deepest stage, dominated by delta waves with the lowest heart rate, blood pressure, and relaxed muscles. Sleepwalking and bedwetting are more likely.

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25
Q

Q: What is REM sleep associated with?

A

A: Rapid eye movements, irregular breathing, dreaming, and arousal of the genitals. It is also linked to memory processing.

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26
Q

Q: What is the Information Processing Theory of Dreaming?

A

A: Dreams help sort, organize, and encode memories from the day, facilitating problem-solving and creative thinking.

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27
Q

Q: What does the Activation-Synthesis Model of Dreaming propose?

A

A: Dreams arise from the brain’s attempt to interpret random neural activity during sleep, often producing visual and auditory sensations.

28
Q

Q: What is Freudian Dream Theory?

A

A: Freud believed that dreams represent the expression of unconscious wishes or desires, allowing us to release internal energy linked to unacceptable feelings.

29
Q

Q: What are Manifest and Latent Contents in dreams?

A

A: Manifest content is the recalled images of a dream, while latent content represents the unconscious meaning behind the dream.

30
Q

Q: What are Nightmares?

A

A: Intense anxiety-filled dreams that may wake the dreamer due to terror; they’re more common in people under stress.

31
Q

Q: What are Lucid Dreams?

A

A: Dreams where the dreamer recognizes they are dreaming and, in some cases, can control the dream.

32
Q

Q: What is Daydreaming?

A

A: A state where a person is awake and aware of reality but partially detached from full consciousness, often fostering creativity.

33
Q

Q: What is significant about muscle twitches during REM sleep?

A

A: They activate hippocampal and cerebellar pathways, unlike similar movements during wakefulness.

34
Q

Q: What are the effects of sleep deprivation?

A

A: Includes a depressed mood, lowered immune function, concentration issues, higher accident risks, decreased productivity, and more mistakes.

35
Q

Q: How many hours of sleep do most children need compared to adults?

A

A: Most children need 9 hours (recommended 12-15), while adults typically need 7-9 hours.

36
Q

Q: What is Insomnia?

A

A: A sleep disorder where individuals have difficulty falling or staying asleep, often due to stress, drug dependence, pain, or depression.

37
Q

Q: What is Sleep Apnea?

A

A: A disorder where breathing stops repeatedly during sleep, potentially causing oxygen deprivation and frequent awakenings. Often treated with a positive flow ventilator.

38
Q

Q: What is Narcolepsy?

A

A: A genetic disorder marked by excessive daytime sleepiness, causing sudden REM sleep episodes lasting up to 15 minutes.

39
Q

Q: What is Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome?

A

A: A sleep disorder where individuals struggle to fall asleep at typical hours and may only sleep well in the early morning hours.

40
Q

Q: What is Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS)?

A

A: A condition where people experience strong urges to move their legs, usually in the evening before falling asleep, often described as a “pins and needles” feeling.

41
Q

Q: What is REM Sleep Behavior Disorder?

A

A: A disorder where individuals act out their dreams with vigorous movements instead of the usual muscle paralysis during REM sleep.

42
Q

Q: What is Hypnosis?

A

A: An altered state of consciousness with heightened suggestibility, deep relaxation, and intense focus.

43
Q

Q: What are Posthypnotic Responses?

A

A: Behaviors suggested to a person during hypnosis, which they may carry out later.

44
Q

Q: What is Posthypnotic Amnesia?

A

A: When a hypnotist directs someone to forget information learned during hypnosis.

45
Q

Q: What are Hypnotic Hallucinations?

A

A: Perceptions under hypnosis that do not match reality, such as seeing or hearing things that aren’t there (positive hallucinations) or failing to see or hear actual stimuli (negative hallucinations).

46
Q

Who developed the theory that hypnosis results in a split in consciousness?

A

Ernest Hilgard.

47
Q

Q: According to Spanos, what role does belief play in hypnosis?

A

A: Spanos suggested that strong beliefs in hypnosis lead people to ignore their own contributions to the hypnotic experience, mistaking their behavior for an altered state of consciousness.

48
Q

Q: What is dissociation in the context of hypnosis?

A

A: Dissociation is the splitting of consciousness into two dimensions, where one part focuses on the hypnotist’s instructions and the other part, known as the hidden observer, processes background information.

49
Q

Q: What role does the anterior cingulate cortex play in hypnosis?

A

A: The anterior cingulate cortex may be involved in hypnosis, potentially helping to reduce pain perception during hypnosis.

50
Q

Q: Define meditation.

A

A: Meditation is a technique designed to shift one’s awareness from the outer world toward inner cues and self-awareness.

51
Q

Q: What are the three types of meditation?

A

A: 1) Opening-up approach: clear the mind to receive new experiences, 2) Concentrative meditation: focus on a single object or mantra, 3) Mindfulness meditation: focus on being aware of feelings and thoughts non-judgmentally.

52
Q

Q: What is a psychoactive drug?

A

A: Any substance that alters mood, perception, awareness, or thought.

53
Q

Q: Define addiction.

A

A: A psychological or physical compulsion to take a drug, leading to maladaptive behaviors and physical dependence.

54
Q

Q: What are the effects of depressants?

A

A: Depressants act on the central nervous system to suppress bodily processes, leading to relaxation or drowsiness.

55
Q

Q: What neurotransmitters does alcohol affect?

A

A: Alcohol influences GABA neurons and receptors, which slow down neural activity.

56
Q

Q: What is the main effect of opioids on the brain?

A

A: Opioids activate opioid receptors in the brain, leading to pain relief and a euphoric high.

57
Q

Q: What are stimulants, and how do they affect the body?

A

A: Stimulants increase central nervous system activity, enhancing energy, alertness, and bodily processes.

58
Q

Q: How does cocaine affect the brain?

A

A: Cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, leading to increased dopamine activity and heightened arousal.

59
Q

Q: What are the effects of amphetamines?

A

A: Amphetamines increase the release of dopamine and norepinephrine, boosting energy, alertness, and decreasing appetite.

60
Q

Q: What is the primary effect of hallucinogens?

A

A: Hallucinogens produce sensory distortions or hallucinations, altering perception.

61
Q

Q: How does LSD affect the brain?

A

A: LSD stimulates dopamine and binds to serotonin receptors, enhancing visual perception and focus on small details.

62
Q

Q: What neurotransmitter does MDMA (Ecstasy) primarily affect?

A

A: MDMA leads to an increase in serotonin levels.

63
Q

Q: What is tolerance in the context of drug use?

A

A: Tolerance is the need to take larger doses of a drug to achieve the same effect, due to physical dependence.

64
Q

Q: What are withdrawal symptoms?

A

A: Unpleasant and sometimes dangerous effects experienced when reducing intake of an addictive drug.

65
Q
A

psych (5 decks)

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