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Consciousness Flashcards

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1
Q

Characteristics of consciousness

A
  1. Subjective and private
  2. Dynamic
  3. Self-reflexive (aware of your own consciousness)
  4. Selective attention
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2
Q

Behavioural measures of consciousness

A

Record performance on specific tasks

Objective method as they require us to assume the person’s state of minf

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3
Q

Consciousness

A

Our moment to moment awareness of ourselves and our environment

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4
Q

physiological methods of measuring states of consciousness

A

establish a connection between bodily processes and mental states. eg measuring brainwave patterns

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5
Q

3 levels of Freud’s consciousness

A
  1. conscious mind- thoughts and perceptions that we are currently aware of.
  2. preconscious mental events- outside of current awareness but can be recalled under certain conditions.
  3. unconscious events- cannot be brought into consciousness (trauma)
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6
Q

why do we have consciousness?

A
  1. allows us to make sense of experienced stimuli which allows for planning and decision making
  2. allows us to take control of situations that could be potentially dangerous.
  3. allows us to deal with unusual situations and tasks
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7
Q

Self-Report Measures

A

ask people to describe their inner experiences.

problematic for research

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8
Q

Behavioural Measures

A 
Glasgow Coma Scale 
Mirror Test (red dot on face)
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9
Q

Physiological Measures

A

establish connection between bodily processes and mental states
eg. measuring brainwaves

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10
Q

level of consciousness: Cognitive Viewpoint

A

conscious and unconscious mental life are complimentary forms of information processing working together.

  • selective attention
  • controlled processing
  • automatic processing
  • divided attention
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11
Q

Unconscious perception: visual agnosia

A

inability to recognise objects visually

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12
Q

Unconscious perception: Blindsight

A

occurs when an individual is blind but can still respond to stimuli

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13
Q

Unconscious perception: Priming

A
  • exposure to a stimulus influences responses to following stimulus
  • subliminal stimuli
    eg. red, green, bl__
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14
Q

Unconscious perception: Emotional Unconscious

A

emotional and motivational processes operate unconsciously and influence behaviour

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15
Q

Neural bases of consciousness

A
  • no single brain region is responsible for consciousness
  • consciousness is a unified activity of multiple brain areas
  • Extended Reticular Thalamic Activating System (RAS)
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16
Q

Circadian Rhythms

A
  • 24 hour biological clock that is regulated by light and dark
  • controls body temp, hormones, and other bodily functions.
  • regulated by Suprachiasmatic Nuclei (SCN) in hypothalamus
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17
Q

SCN in hypothalamus

A
  1. obtains info about light through the eye
  2. SCN->Pineal Gland -> Melatonin
  3. SCN active during the day (reduced melatonin)
  4. SCN inactive at night (increased melatonin)
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18
Q

Circadian Disruptions: Jet Lag

A
  • acute exposure to circadian desynchronisation
  • flying across time zones exposes one to new light-dark cycle
  • travelling west is easier (can adapt by staying up late)
  • problems for people who do it often: headaches, fatigue, insomnia, constipation, diarrhoea, concentration problems, mood disturbances
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19
Q

how to minimise jet lag

A
  • melatonin supplements
  • stopovers
  • avoiding dehydration (no alcohol)
  • sleeping in sync with destination
  • fasting before travelling as food is a NB time keeper
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20
Q

Circadian Disruptions: Night Shifts

A
  • chronic exposure to circadian desynchronisation
  • work in opposition to natural sleep-wake cycle
  • can cause fatigue, stress, accidents
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21
Q

Circadian Disruptions: Seasonal Affective Disorder

A
  • cyclic tendency to become depressed during certain seasons

- same symptoms as depression (considered a mood disorder, use light therapy to treat)

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22
Q

What is sleep?

A
  1. dynamic and active process- physical and neural activity
  2. innate biological rhythm- essential for survival
  3. defined by changing patterns of brain waves
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23
Q

why do we sleep?

A
  1. evolutionarily increases chances for survival- hunting and gathering are easier during the day, shelter offers protection which reduces exposure to danger.
  2. reparative value- allows body to repair damaged cells, recovery from physical /mental fatigue, restoration of lost resources.
  3. memory consolidation and rehearsal of skill
  4. growth (growth hormone released during sleep)
  5. keeps immune system healthy
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24
Q

Factors affecting sleep: Environmental

A
  • changes in season (more sleep in autumn/winter)
  • shift work
  • stress
  • night-time noise
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25
Q

Factors affecting sleep: Cultural factors

A

people in warm, tropical climates tend to nap during the afternoon and sleep less at night

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26
Q

Factors affecting sleep: Individual factors

A
  • age (as we get older we sleep less, REM sleep usually decreases during early life and then stabilises, length of stages 3 & 4 decrease with age)
  • not everyone needs 8 hrs of sleep
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27
Q

Insomina

A
  • most common sleep disorder
  • chronic difficulty falling & staying asleep
  • persistent early morning awakenings
  • often misreported
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28
Q

possible causes for insomina

A
  • biological predisposition
  • stress and depression
  • lifestyle (exercising before bed)
  • alcohol or drug abuse
  • ineffective efforts to fall asleep (try to hard and it will have the opposite effect)
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29
Q

Narcolepsy

A
  • sudden onset of REM sleep during wakefulness
  • can last less than a minute to an hour
  • quite rare
  • very dangerous
  • person feels refreshed afterwards
  • genetic predisposition
  • no cure but can be managed though medication
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30
Q

Sleep Apnea

A
  • breathing is repeatedly stopped and started during sleep
  • sleep is disrupted
  • usually accompanied by snoring
  • occurs most often in overweight, middle aged men
  • can be treated by surgery/weight loss
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31
Q

Somnambulism

A
  • sleep walking
  • occurs during stages 3 & 4
  • typically no memory of the event
  • occurs more often in children
  • may be genetic
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32
Q

REM sleep behaviour disorder

A
  • loss of muscle tone that causes REM-paralysis is absent
  • results in people acting out their dreams
  • many people hurt themselves or others
  • cause is unknown
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33
Q

Nightmares

A
  • anxiety arousing dreams that can lead to awakening
  • usually during REM sleep
  • generally easily remembered
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34
Q

Night terrors

A
  • abrupt awakenings from NREM sleep which results in intense autonomic arousal and feelings of panic
  • usually during stages 3 & 4
  • typically not remembered
  • fall back asleep quickly
  • seen more in children than in adults
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35
Q

What are dreams

A
  • mental experiences during REM sleep
  • Story-like quality
  • regarded as real by the dreamer
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36
Q

Why do we dream?

Freudian Theory

A
  • unconscious wish-fulfillment
  • sexual and aggressive urges too unacceptable to be acknowledged and fulfilled in real life
  • true meaning of dreams may not be apparent (latent content- disguised meanings of dreams; manifest content- apparent storyline of dreams)
  • research hasnt provided much support
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37
Q

Why do we dream?

Cognitive Theories

A

problem-solving method

  • continuity between waking and sleeping thought
  • one can engage in creative thinking about problems because dreams arent restricted by reality or logic
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38
Q

Why do we dream?

Activation Synthesis Theory

A
  • dreams serve no special purpose- they are merely a by-product of random neural activity.
  • physiological basis of dreaming
  • brain interprets stimuli which results in a dream
  • story can be influenced by our memories, desires and needs but they have no actual function
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39
Q

What do we dream about?

A
  • not always as bizarre as they are made out to be
  • commonly contain negative content
  • shaped by cultural background, current concerns, life experiences
  • women dream of men and women equally
  • 2/3 of men’s dream characters are men
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40
Q

what is a psychoactive drug?

A
  • any substance used recreationally that alters consciousness
  • acts primarily by altering neurotransmitter activity in the brain
  • effects are influenced by psychological, enviro and cultural factors
  • chemical substance that modifies mental, emotional and behavioural functions
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41
Q

how do drugs work?

A
  1. enters blood stream
  2. moves though blood-brain barrier
  3. moves around brain capillaries
  4. alteration of consciousness- synaptic transmission
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42
Q

agonists

A

increase neurotransmitter activity

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43
Q

antagonists

A

decrease neurotransmitter activity

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44
Q

drug tolerance

A
  • increasingly larger doses needed to achieve the same initial effect
  • body tries to achieve homeostasis (brain adapts chemistry to offset drug effects, compensatory resoinses
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45
Q

drug withdrawal

A
  • occurs when tolerance has developed and the drug is suddenly stopped
  • compensatory responses continue which leads to the opposite effects of drugs are experienced
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46
Q

depressents

A
  • decrease nervous system activity
  • affect GABA receptors
  • eg. alcohol, tranquilisers
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47
Q

effects of depressents

A
  • decreased anxiety
  • slurred speech
  • slowed mental functioning
  • disorientation
  • limited attention
  • impulsiveness
48
Q

withdrawal of depressents

A
  • weakness
  • restlessness and irritability
  • nausea and vomiting
  • depression
  • acute anxiety
  • seizures and death
49
Q

overdose of withdrawal

A
  • diluted pupils
  • confusion
  • decreased pain response
  • shallow breathing
  • weak and rapid pulse
  • coma and death
50
Q

stimuluents

A
  • increase neural firing and arousal of the nervous system.

- eg. cocaine, ecstasy, tik, caffeine

51
Q

stimulant effect

A
  • increased confidence
  • mood elevation
  • energy and alertness
  • decreased appetite
  • anxiety and irritability
  • insomnia
  • delayed orgasm
52
Q

stimulant withdrawal

A
  • apathy
  • prolonged sleep
  • general fatigue
  • bizarre dreams
  • depression and suicidal thoughts
  • disorientation
  • irritability
53
Q

stimulant overdose

A
  • elevated blood pressure
  • increased body temp
  • suspiciousness
  • vivid hallucinations
  • convulsions
  • bizarre and repetitive behaviour
  • possible death
54
Q

Opiates (narcotics)

A
  • derived from the opium poppy
  • mimic endorphins
  • eg. heroin, morphine
55
Q

Opiate effects

A
  • pain reduction
  • apathy
  • euphoria
  • slowed speech and drooling
  • itching
  • nausea
56
Q

opiate withdrawal

A
  • anxiety/panic
  • sneezing
  • irritability
  • vomiting
  • tremors/chills/sweating
  • muscle cramping
57
Q

opiate overdose

A
  • depressed level of consciousness
  • low blood pressure
  • shallow breathing
  • convulsions
  • rapid heart rate
  • coma and death
58
Q

hallucinogens

A
  • powerful mind-altering drugs that produce hallucinations and delusions
  • LSD, dagga
59
Q

effects of hallucinogens

A
  • euphoria
  • relaxed inhibitions
  • increased appetite
  • disorientated behaviour
  • violent outbursts
60
Q

withdrawal of hallucinogrens

A
  • hyperactivity
  • insomnia
  • decreased appetite
  • anxiety
  • depression
61
Q

overdose of hallucinogens

A
  • bizarre and dangerous behaviour
  • panic
  • paranoia
  • nausea and chills
  • fatigue/insomnia
62
Q

Marijuana

A
  • THC is the main active ingredient
  • increases GABA producing relaxing effects
  • mild hallucinations
  • contains more cancer causing substances than tobacco
  • 5-10% of users develop dependence
63
Q

Determinants of drug effects: biological factors

A

-genes influence sensitivity and tolerance to drug’s effects

64
Q

Determinants of drug effects: psychological factors

A
  • beliefs and expectations can influence reactions

- difficulty adjusting to stressors may increase vulnerability

65
Q

Determinants of drug effects: Environmental Factors

A

-setting in which drug is taken can influence responses

66
Q

hypnosis

A

-a systematic procedure that typically produces a heightened state of suggestibility in which some people are able to experience imagined situations as if they are real

67
Q

Franz Anton Mesmer

A

father of modern hypnosis

68
Q

Dissociation Theories of Hypnosis

A
  • hypnosis is an altered state involving a division of consciousness.
  • simultaneously experience of 2 streams of consciousness that are cut off from one another
69
Q

Social-Cognitive Theories of Hypnosis

A
  • hypnotic experiences result from people’s expectations.

- motivated to take on the role of hypnosis

70
Q

meditation

A
  • train attention to heighten awareness and bring mental processes under greater voluntary control.
  • person achieves altered state of consciousness by performing certain rituals
  • suppresses activity of sympathetic nervous system
  • breathing is controlled and regulated
  • heart rate and O2 consumption decline
  • increase in alpha and theta waves (stage 1 sleep)
71
Q

meditation benefits

A
  • reduces effects of stress
  • ability to reduce drug abuse
  • can increase self-esteem, happiness, creativity and intelligence
72
Q

lucid dreaming

A
  • a dream in which one is aware that it is a dream
  • usually in REM sleep
  • can think clearly about the circumstances of waking life and the fact that they are dreaming
  • one can sometimes actively participate in dream
73
Q

high levels of lucid dreaming

A

one is aware that everything experienced in the dream is occurring in their mind, that there is no real danger and that they are in bed and will awaken shortly

74
Q

low levels of lucid dreaming

A

one may be aware that they are dreaming but not enough to realise that people are dream representation or that they can suffer no physical damage

75
Q

controlling dreams

A
  • not the same as lucid dreaming

- there is evidence that people can dream about topics that they are instructed to dream about-dream control possible

76
Q

when asked to recall a phone number and you recite it without hesitation, according to the Freudian view of consciousness, your phone number is located in

A

The preconscious mind

77
Q

packing the dishwasher while talking on the phone is what kind of processing?

A

divided attention

78
Q

an EEG of your brain would show a pattern of _____ waves when you are awake and alert, but would show a pattern of _____ waves as you become relaxed and sleepy

A

beta, alpha

79
Q

which theory posits that we sleep to recover from physical and mental fatigue?

A

restoration model

80
Q

cataplexy

A

a sudden lose of muscle tone that is often instigated by strong emotions

81
Q

acting out dreams during REM

A

REM-sleep behaviour disorder

82
Q

Freud termed the underlying meaning of a dream the ___, while he called the actual story of the dream the _____

A

latent content, manifest content

83
Q

the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming suggests

A

the brain is trying to make sense of random neural stimuli

84
Q

which stage of sleep typically has spindles?

A

second

85
Q

That there is a need for REM sleep is suggested by

A

REM rebound

86
Q

sleep talking occurs in stages…

A

3 & 4

87
Q

In Stage __________, a new brain wave begins to appear. __________ waves are very large and slow and signal deeper sleep and a further loss of consciousness.

A

3, delta

88
Q

Which waves are characteristic of stage 1 or light sleep?

A

small irregular waves with some alpha waves

89
Q

Attention

A

The process of concentrating on some features of the environment to the possible exclusion of others

90
Q

Focused attention

A

The ability to respond to specific stimuli

91
Q

Divided attention

A

The capacity to attend to and perform more than one activity at the same time

92
Q

Controlled (conscious or explicit) processing

A

The conscious use of attention and effort

93
Q

Automatic (unconscious or implicit) processing

A

Can be performed without conscious awareness or effort

94
Q

Selective attention

A

The process that focuses awareness on some stimuli to the exclusion of others

95
Q

Automaticity

A

Reached when a task no longer requires conscious control

96
Q

Neuromodulator

A

A specific group of neurotransmitters that have a widespread and generalized influence on synaptic transmission

97
Q

Compensatory responses

A

Reactions opposite to that of the drug

98
Q

research proposes ___________ that view hypnosis as an altered state involving ________ of consciousness

A

Dissociation theories, division

99
Q

Which part of the brain regulates circadian rhythms?

A

Supra chiasmatic nuclei located in the hypothalamus

100
Q

Which stage of sleep would you be in, if delta waves dominated

A

stage 4

101
Q

A specific group of neurotransmitters that have a widespread and generalized influence on synaptic transmission are called:

A

neuromodulators

102
Q

What are amphetamines?

A

a powerful stimulus prescribed to reduce appetite and fatigue

103
Q

Define the Evolutionary/Circadian sleep models

A

Sleep’s main purpose is to increase a species’ chances of survival in relation to its environmental demands

104
Q

____ waves have a high frequency but a low amplitude

A

beta

105
Q
  1. Dreams are not constrained by reality. They can help us find creative solutions to problems and concerns. What theory is this?
A

problem solving dream models

106
Q
  1. An agonist is a drug that increases the activity of a neurotransmitter. Such as .
A

opiates

107
Q
  1. Sarah is depressed and considers taking sleeping pills for insomnia. Sleeping pills are
A

barbiturates

108
Q

research proposes ___________ that view hypnosis as an altered state involving ________ of consciousness

A

Dissociation theories, division

109
Q

Which part of the brain regulates circadian rhythms?

A

Supra chiasmatic nuclei located in the hypothalamus

110
Q

Which stage of sleep would you be in, if delta waves dominated

A

stage 4

111
Q

A specific group of neurotransmitters that have a widespread and generalized influence on synaptic transmission are called:

A

neuromodulators

112
Q

What are amphetamines?

A

a powerful stimulus prescribed to reduce appetite and fatigue

113
Q

Define the Evolutionary/Circadian sleep models

A

Sleep’s main purpose is to increase a species’ chances of survival in relation to its environmental demands

114
Q

____ waves have a high frequency but a low amplitude

A

beta

115
Q
  1. Dreams are not constrained by reality. They can help us find creative solutions to problems and concerns. What theory is this?
A

problem solving dream models

116
Q
  1. An agonist is a drug that increases the activity of a neurotransmitter. Such as .
A

opiates

117
Q
  1. Sarah is depressed and considers taking sleeping pills for insomnia. Sleeping pills are
A

barbiturates

Psychology (19 decks)

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