Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Brain & behaviour > Consciousness > Flashcards

Consciousness Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
The Brain flashcards
1
Q

What is consciousness?

A

Our subjective experience of the world, our bodies and our mental perspectives

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What are the two main functions of consciousness?

A

To monitor: monitor self and environment

And control: to regulate thought and behaviour (initiate or terminate to attain goals)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the relationship between the reticular activating system (RAS) and consciousness?

A

To be conscious there needs to be a certain level of arousal.

RAS controls arousal

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Explain early birds and night owls

A

People find their peak in alertness and arousal at differing times

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Sleep changes with age?

A

More sleep is required at a young age - less sleep needed as get older

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is a circadian rhythm?

A

Biological clocks that involved around the daily cycles of light and dark

Sleep is governed by a circadian rhythm

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is melotonin?

A

A hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Explain the EEG characteristics or being awake

A

An irregular pattern.

  • Beta waves - higher mental activity
  • alpha waves - calm wakefulness
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

How many different stages of sleep do we cycle through each night?

A

5 stages

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How long does each cycle last?

A

~90 minutes

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is stage 1 of sleep?

A

Brief 5-10 min.
Slower theta waves

RAS disconnects cortical areas from motor areas (basal ganglia)

Involves hypnagogic imagery and hypnic myoclonia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is hypnagogic imagery?

A

Confused dream like images

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is hypnic myoclonia?

A

Sense of falling/uncontrolled muscle contractions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is stage 2 of sleep?

A

10-30 min

EEG pattern of slightly slower waves but are interrupted by sleep spindles and k complexes

Muscles relax, heart rate slows, body temperature decreases, ceased eye movements

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are sleep spindles?

A

Bursts of low amplitude activity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are K complexes?

A

Occasional slow, high amplitude waves

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How much of our sleep is stage 2?

A

65%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Explain sleep stages 3 and 4?

A

Stage 3: marked by 20-50% if slow delta waves

Stage 4: sleep characterised by more than 50% delta waves

3&4 together are “delta sleep” or deep sleep

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep?

A

10-20 minutes

EEG resembles the faster, waking brain pattern

Eyes move rapidly back and forth

Autonomic activity increases

Muscles are ‘turned off’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

How long do we stay in REM?

A

25% of the night

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

In which stage are dreams more common?

A

REM sleep

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Differences between nREM and REM dreams?

A

nREM:

  • shorter
  • more thought like
  • repetitive
  • concerned with daily tasks

REM:

  • more dreams
  • emotional and illogical
  • prone to plot shifts
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What themes are more common in dreams?

A

Negative themes over positive

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Do dreams vary by cultural background?

A

Some cultural differences in dream content

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

What is lucid dreaming?

A

Awareness of dreaming. Often when something bizarre or unlikely happens

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Explain the psychodynamic theory of dreaming (Freud)

A

Repressed wishes or unconscious desires of the ego

Includes manifest content: details of the deem itself
Latent content: hidden meaning

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Criticisms of Freud’s dream theory

A

Why don’t we have more positive dreams

Why don’t we have more sexual dreams

Why are many dreams everyday activities

Nightmares aren’t wish fulfilment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is the activation/synthesis theory of dreaming?

A

Forebrain tries to interpret signals received from other brain areas during REM

ACh activates the nerve cells in the pons - signals are sent to the thalamus and then the language and visual areas of the forebrain - amygdala activation adds emotional content.

29
Q

What is the forebrain hypothesis in relation to dreaming?

A

Damage to the forebrain can stop dreaming suggesting interaction between forebrain area is important

30
Q

What is the neurocognitive theory of dreaming?

A

Processing or solving problems integration of previous learned and new information and memory consolidation

The complexity of dreaming mirrors cognitive development that’s why adult dreams different from children’s dreams

31
Q

What is insomnia?

A

An inability to fall asleep (more than 30 mins)

Waking during the night or waking too early

32
Q

Is there anyone at a higher risk of insomnia?

A

People with depression pain medical conditions and older age

33
Q

What are the short term causes of insomnia?

A

Stress medication’s illness shiftwork jetlag and napping during the day

34
Q

What are the treatments available for insomnia?

A

Sleeping tablets - may be counterproductive

Brief psychotherapy

Sleep hygiene- more effective

35
Q

What is narcolepsy?

A

Rapid and unexpected onset of sleep
Overwhelming urge to sleep
Cataplexy: complete loss of muscle tone
Plummets into REM sleep with hallucinations

36
Q

What is sleep apnoea?

A

Blockage of the air wats during sleep. Struggling to breathe rouses the person many times throughout the night

It raises the risk of death by 17%
Normally they need a machine during sleep

37
Q

What are night terrors?

A

Occur mostly in children
Often appear awake and highly distressed
No recollection later

Occur in stage 3 & 4 of sleep
(Nightmares occur in REM sleep)

38
Q

What is sleepwalking?

A

More frequent in children
Can be triggered by stress
Usually involves mundane/normal behaviour

Typically occurs in nonREM sleep (3&4)

Motor activity isn’t fully disconnected

39
Q

What are some effects of sleep deprivation

A 
Depression 
Problems with memory and attention 
Hallucinations 
Risk of high blood pressure diabetes and cardiovascular problems 
Weight gain 
Reduced immune function
40
Q

Caffeine/alcohol and sleep deprivation?

A
  • sleep deprived people perform as badly or worse than intoxicated people
  • sleep deprivation also magnifies the effects of alcohol
  • caffeine can’t fix severe sleep deprivation
41
Q

What are hallucinations?

A

Sensation experienced despite lack of environmental stimuli.

Visual cortex is activated.

42
Q

What are out of body experiences?

A

Sensation of self leaving the body and sometimes travelling to other places or observing the body engaging in activity

Possible form of synaesthesia (crossing over of the senses)

43
Q

What are near death experiences?

A

Sensation of passing to another realm or having your life flash before your eyes

Often culturally or religion specific

Can be triggered by electrical stimulation of temporal lobe, lack of oxygen, psychedelic and anaesthetic drugs

44
Q

What are some possible scientific explanations for near death experiences

A

Sense of peace: flood of endorphins

Life flashing before eyes: search memories for escape

Tunnel, lights and sounds: reduced oxygen supply to the brain

45
Q

What is meditation?

A

Direct attempts to control attention and awareness

46
Q

What are the two types of meditation?

A

Concentrative: focus on object, breathing and mantra

Mindfulness: detached focus on thoughts, sensation, awareness. Increasingly used in mainstream therapy.

47
Q

What are the benefits of regular meditation?

A

Increases happiness
Reduces hypertension
Reduces stress
Reduces anxiety

48
Q

What is hypnosis?

A

Hypnotic induction rituals and suggestions to alter perception, thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

49
Q

What are some common myths of hypnosis?

A
  • people do things against their will
  • hypnotic phenomena only happen under hypnosis
  • hypnosis is a dream like state
  • people forget what happened
  • hypnosis improves memory
50
Q

Explain the socio-cognitive/non-state theory of hypnosis

A

Social-cognitive theory of hypnosis. Theory that assumes that people who are hypnotized are not in an altered state but are merely playing the role expected of them in the situation.

The non-state theory also suggests that when in a hypnotic state, the subject is actually still in control and actively participating rather than being under the control of the hypnotist who has induced some sort of change in brain function.

51
Q

Explain the dissociation theory (state theory) of hypnosis

A

Altered state of consciousness is induced.

Hypnosis bypasses frontal control processes that govern behaviour

Part of mind in altered state of consciousness, dissociated or the hidden observer remains aware

52
Q

How can hypnosis be under in a clinical setting?

A

Can be used for symptom reduction and habit disorders

Not a stand alone therapy (can be used with CBT)

53
Q

What are psychoactive drugs?

A

Induce changes in thinking, perception and behaviour by affecting neural activity in the brain

54
Q

What are stimulants?

A

They increase activity of the central nervous system.

Tabacco, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetapmine

55
Q

What is a depressant?

A

Decreases activity of the central nervous system

Eg. Alcohol, Valium

56
Q

What are opiates?

A 
Give a sense of euphoria. 
Decreased pain, sleep. 
They depress the CNS 
All derived from poppies 
Increases or mimics endorphins

Eg. Heroin, morphine and codeine

57
Q

What are psychedelic drugs?

A

Give altered perceptions, mood and thoughts. Hallucinations.

Marijuana, LSD, ecstasy

58
Q

What factors affect drug action?

A

Biochemical: neurotransmitter release is increased, decreases or disregulated by the drug

Physiological: CNS is depressed or stimulates (resulting from neurotransmitter changes) that leads to physiological changes

Social/cultural: the setting and expectations and beliefs regarding the effects of drugs

59
Q

What are the theories of addiction?

A

Physical dependence: drug taken to avoid negative withdrawal symptoms

Psychological dependence: drug taken to obtain the positive feelings (positive incentive)

60
Q

Reward pathways and drugs

?

A

Drugs of dependence result in dopamine release in reward pathways in the brain.

61
Q

Cocaine?

A 
Stimulant 
Euphoria 
Suppression of hunger and pain 
Increases mental and physical activity 
Increases dopamine

Blocks dopamine re-uptake transporter - meaning more can bond with the receptors

62
Q

(Meth)amphetamine (speed, crystal meth, ice)?

A

Stimulant
Euphoria
Decreases hinder and pain
Increases mental and physical activity

Paranoia, depression, anxiety, hallucinations

Increases dopamine

63
Q

Ecstasy (MDMA)?

A

Stimulant

Sense of well being
Feeling close to others
Increased tactile sensation
Depression following

Increases serotonin and dopamine

64
Q

Nicotine?

A

Stimulant
Sense of well-being and alertness
Activates receptors associated with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine

65
Q

Alcohol?

A

Depressant

Small amounts increase well being and social interaction but reduce physiological functioning

Large effects on GABA (major inhibitory neurotransmitter)

66
Q

Sedatives?

A

Depressant

Benzodiazepines (increase GABA), barbiturates, non-barbiturates

Neurotransmitter action depend on type

67
Q

Cannabis?

A

Hallucinogen
Sense of well being, relaxation, changes perception

THC - acts on cannabinoid receptors that mimick the effects of endocannibinoids such as anandamide
Also increases dopamine

Social expectancies play a part in experience

Increases risk of psychosis among those with genetic susceptibility

68
Q

LSD?

A

Hallucinogenic
Comes from fungi
Can cause synaesthesia, hallucinations and panic, paranoid delusions
Acts on serotonin and dopamine

Not very addictive - doesn’t produce compulsive drug seeking

69
Q

Psilocybin?

A

Hallucinogenic
Magic mushrooms

Affects action of serotonin

Used during religious rituals

Brain & behaviour (15 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions