Consciousness and Sleep

Question 1

A conscious experience or the capability of having conscious experiences, which is distinct from self-awareness, the conscious understanding of ones own existence and individuality

Answer 1

Awareness

Question 2

The first-person perspective of a mental event, such as feeling some sensory input, a memory, and idea, an emotion, a mood, or a continuous temporal sequence of happenings

Answer 2

Conscious experience

Question 3

A research area concerned with understanding how contemplative practices such as meditation can affect individuals, including changes in their behaviour, emotional reactivity, cognitive abilities, and their brains. Also seeks insights into conscious experience that can be gained from first-person observations by individuals who have gained extraordinary expertise in introspection.

Answer 3

Contemplative science

Question 4

Observations made by individuals about their own conscious experiences, also known as introspection or a subjective point of view. Phenomenology refers to the description and investigation of such observations

Answer 4

First-person perspective

Question 5

Observations made by individuals in a way that can be independently confirmed by other individuals so as to lead to general, objective understanding. With respect to consciousness, makes use of behavioural and neural measures related to conscious experiences

Answer 5

Third-person perspective

Question 6

The physiological sleep-wake cycle. Influenced by exposure to sunlight and daily schedule/activities. Biologically, it includes changes in body temp, blood pressure and blood sugar.

Answer 6

Circadian rhythm

Question 7

The awareness of deliberate perception of a stimulus

Answer 7

Consciousness

Question 8

A stimulus that has a particular significance to the perceiver

Answer 8

Cues

Question 9

A class of drugs that slows down the body’s physiological and mental processes

Answer 9

Depressants

Question 10

The heightened focus on one stimulus or thought such that many other things around you are ignored; a disconnect between ones awareness of their environment and the one object the person is focused on

Answer 10

Dissociation

Question 11

An intense feeling of pleasure, excitement or happiness

Answer 11

Euphoria

Question 12

The ability for people to correct or change their beliefs and evaluations if they believe these judgements have been biased

Answer 12

Flexible correction model

Question 13

Substances that, when ingested, alter a person’s perceptions, often by creating hallucinations or distorting their perceptions of time

Answer 13

Hallucinogens

Question 14

A state of consciousness whereby a person is highly responsive to the suggestions of another. Usually involves dissociation and is accompanied by a sense of relaxation

Answer 14

Hypnosis

Question 15

Use of hypnotic techniques such as relaxation and suggestion to help engineer desirable change such as a lower pain or quitting smoking

Answer 15

Hypnotherapy

Question 16

A computer reaction time test that measures a person’s automatic associations with concepts

Answer 16

Implicit associations test (IAT)

Question 17

Hormone associated with increased drowsiness and sleep

Answer 17

Melatonin

Question 18

State of heightened focus on the thoughts passing through one’s head, as well as more controlled evaluation of those thoughts

Answer 18

Mindfulness

Question 19

The activation of certain thoughts or feelings that make them easier to think of and act upon

Answer 19

Priming

Question 20

A class of drugs that speed up the body’s physiological and mental processes

Answer 20

Stimulants

Question 21

A state of consciousness characterized by the experience of “out of body possession” or an acute dissociation between one’s self and the current, physical environment surrounding them

Answer 21

Trance states