Consciousness

Question 1

Consciousness

Answer 1

The subjective awareness of the world and of ourselves including internal and external stimuli.

Question 2

Stream of Consciousness

Answer 2

Consciousness does not appear to itself chopped up in bits, it flows. A river or stream are the metaphors by which it is most naturally described. Arises from brain processes (the mind is what the brain does).

Question 3

The Hard Problem of Consciousness

Answer 3

We know how we feel or register certain things (ex. we know when we are happy or how we feel when we see the colour pink) but we don’t know why.

Question 4

Circadian Rhythm

Answer 4

24 hour biological cycle that regulates arousal. Influenced by patterns of light and dark. Retina relays light info to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) which communicates with the pineal gland (the pineal gland releases melatonin). Is endogenous (internally produced) discovered by the cave study (put people in a cave for 6 months and they still maintained a 24 hour biological cycle).

Question 5

Pineal Gland

Answer 5

Releases melatonin.

Question 6

Brain Waves

Answer 6

The electrical activity in the brain produced by neurons firing.

Question 7

Gamma Waves

Answer 7

30-100 Hz. Hyper brain activity. High cognitive functioning.

Question 8

Beta Waves

Answer 8

12-30 Hz. Alert waking state. Attentive, engaged with the world.

Question 9

Alpha Waves

Answer 9

8-12 Hz. Very relaxed. Deepening into meditation.

Question 10

Theta Waves

Answer 10

3-8 Hz. Drowsy and drifting down into sleep and dreams.

Question 11

Delta Waves

Answer 11

0.5-3 Hz. Deeply asleep and not dreaming.

Question 12

Stage 1 of Sleep

Answer 12

Brief, transitional (1-7 mins). Theta waves mixed in with alpha waves and hypnic jerks.

Question 13

Stage 2 of Sleep

Answer 13

Mixed EEG, k complexes (spike waves) sleep spindles (bursts of high frequency waves) (10-25 mins).

Question 14

Stage 3 of Sleep

Answer 14

Slow-wave sleep. Some delta waves. Hard to wake someone up at this stage (30 mins).

Question 15

REM

Answer 15

EEG similar to awake. Vivid dreaming, paradoxical sleep (despite having high brain function, the brain suppresses motor function of muscles to prevent us from acting out our dreams) (initially a few mins, progressively longer throughout the night).

Question 16

Why Do We Sleep?

Answer 16

1) To conserve and protect (safe from predators at night since we can’t see properly).
2) To grow, restore, and repair.
3) For memory consolidation.
4) For problem-solving.

Question 17

Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Answer 17

1) Impaired Cognitive Abilities
2) Accidents
3) Irritability
4) Memory Bias
5) Relationship Conflict
6) Depressed Immune System
7) Weight Gain
8) Early Death

Question 18

Dreams

Answer 18

Electrochemical events that involve the brainstem, forebrain, and eyes. Occurs primarily during REM sleep. Pons releases ACh which travels to the forebrain (associated with cortical arousal). Serotonin and norepinephrine suppress and inhibit REM activity (stops dreams). Brainstem blocks signals from the motor cortex. Contain more negative content than positive content.

Question 19

Common Dream Themes

Answer 19

1) Being Chased
2) Sexual Experiences
3) Falling

Question 20

What Influences Our Dreams?

Answer 20

1) Concerns of your everyday life.
2) External stimuli.
3) Yourself (lucid dreaming).

Question 21

Why Do We Dream?

Answer 21

1) Psychoanalytic Theory and Freud (Wish Fulfillment)
—> Manifest (the storyline of the dream) VS Latent Content (the real meaning (usually sexual))
2) Cartwright (Cognitive Problem-Solving)
—> Srinivasa Ramanujan (mathematician)
—> Said goddess Namagiri Thayar appeared in his sleep proposing mathematical formulae.
3) Hobson and McCarley (Activation-Synthesis Model)
—> Mind’s attempt to make sense of random cortical activity.

Question 22

Sleep Disorders

Answer 22

1) Insomnia (15-17% suffer severe or frequent insomnia).
2) Nightmares during REM.
3) Night terrors (intense bouts of panic and arousal that wakes people up) during NREM (usually Stage 3).
4) Sleepwalking during NREM (Stage 3).
5) REM Behaviour Disorder (no paralysis during REM sleep and results in people acting out their dreams).
6) Narcolepsy (wakefulness into REM sleep (too little of the hormone orexin)).
7) Sleep Apnea (inability to breathe while sleeping).
8) Sleep Paralysis (paralysis during REM sleep goes into wakefulness. Can also see hallucinations).

Question 23

Non-Conscious Processes

Answer 23

What we do is influenced by things we aren’t aware of.

Question 24

Confabulation

Answer 24

Coming up with a false explanation or false memories without the intention to deceive.

Question 25

Selective Attention

Answer 25

We direct our attention to relevant stimuli to the exclusion of everything else ex. talking to a friend in a crowded bar.

Question 26

Inattentional Blindness

Answer 26

Failure to notice clearly visible objects/events because our attention is directed elsewhere (ex. moonwalking bear).

Question 27

The Cocktail Party Effect

Answer 27

A partygoer can focus on a single conversation in a noisy room (selective attention).

Question 28

Broadbent Filter Theory

Answer 28

Information is blocked but attention can shift if you hear your name.

Question 29

Treisman’s Attenuation Theory

Answer 29

It is not that we are not processing the information, we are just not aware of it (“the volume is turned down”).

Question 30

Meditation

Answer 30

Practice that involves training attention and awareness. Can be focused attention (ex. transcendental meditation) or open monitoring (ex. mindfulness meditation).

Question 31

Focused Attention Meditation

Answer 31

Ex. transcendental meditation.

Question 32

Open Monitoring Mediation

Answer 32

Ex. mindfulness meditation.

Question 33

Mediation Effects

Answer 33

1) Reduces anxiety, depression, and lowers stress hormones after five days.
2) Increases positive mood, decreases fatigue, and anxiety over four days.
3) Reduces heart rate and blood pressure.