Consciousness, Sleep, Dreams

Question 1

FUNCTIONS OF CONSCIOUSNESS:

Answer 1

1. Awareness: Perceiving and experiencing the world around us.
2. Attention: Focusing on specific stimuli while filtering out distractions.
3. Memory: Storing and retrieving information for use in decision-making and problem-solving.
4. Self-Reflection: Understanding one’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
5. Volition: Exercising control over thoughts, actions, and behaviours.
   Integration: Combining sensory information to create a coherent perception of reality.
6. Adaptation: Responding to changes in the environment and adjusting behaviour accordingly.
7. Subjectivity: Providing a unique and personal perspective on the world.
   Consciousness is the awareness of external stimuli and our own mental activity.
   Functions of consciousness:

Question 2

LEVELS OF CONSCIOUS EXPERIENCE:

Answer 2

1. Conscious level - the level of copiousness at which mental activities that people are normally aware of occur.
2. Non-conscious level - a level of mental activity that is inaccessible yo conscious awareness.
3. Preconscious level - a level of mental activity that is not currently conscious but of which we can easily become conscious.
4. Unconscious level - a level of mental activity that influences consciousness but is not conscious.

Question 3

HOW IS CONSCIOUSNESS ASSESSED AND ANALYSED:

Answer 3

1. Behavioural Observation: Observing responses to stimuli to assess consciousness.
2. Self-Report Measures: Asking individuals about their subjective experiences.
3. Neuroimaging Techniques: Using fMRI, EEG, or MEG to study brain activity.
4. Electrophysiological Measures: Analysing brain’s electrical activity.
5. Stimulus Manipulation: Studying consciousness through sensory or cognitive tasks.
6. Clinical Assessment: Using tools like GCS for patients.
7. Philosophical Analysis: Examining consciousness through philosophical frameworks.
8. Introspection: Self-reflection on conscious experiences.

Question 4

CHARACTERISTICS - STAGES OF SLEEP:

Answer 4

Non-REM (NREM) sleep stages are N1, N2, N3, they are accompanied by gradually slower and deeper breathing, a calm and regular heartbeat, reduced blood pressure and slower brain waves, stages N3 is called slow-wave sleep.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is the stage of sleep in which brain activity and other functions resemble the waking state but that is accompanied by rapid eye movements and visual muscle paralysis. EEG resembles that of someone who is awake.

Question 5

Two interacting processes that explain why people sleep -
CIRCADIAN RHYTHM:

Answer 5

This is the body’s internal clock, which regulates the timing of various physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles. The circadian rhythm is roughly a 24-hour cycle that influences the timing of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day. It is influenced by external cues such as light and darkness. For example, exposure to light in the morning helps to reset the circadian clock, promoting wakefulness during the day and sleepiness at night.

Question 6

Two interacting processes that explain why people sleep -
HOMEOSTATIC PROCESS:

Answer 6

This process regulates the body’s need for sleep based on factors like how long a person has been awake and the quality of their sleep. The longer someone stays awake, the stronger the drive to sleep becomes. During sleep, this drive gradually decreases, allowing the individual to wake up feeling refreshed. Adenosine, a chemical that builds up in the brain while we’re awake, is thought to play a role in this process. As adenosine levels increase during wakefulness, it promotes sleepiness, and during sleep, adenosine levels decrease.

Question 7

Evaluate three main theories on why people dream-PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY (Sigmund Freud) “Wish Fulfilment.”:

Answer 7

Freud proposed that dreams are expressions of unconscious desires, conflicts, and wishes. He suggested that dreams serve as a way for the unconscious mind to express repressed thoughts and feelings in symbolic form.

Question 8

Evaluate three main theories on why people dream-
ACTIVATION-SYNTHESIS THEORY (J. Allen Hobson and Robert McCarley):

Answer 8

This theory suggests that dreams are the result of random neural activity in the brainstem during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is then synthesised by the brain into a coherent narrative. According to this view, dreams are essentially the brain’s attempt to make sense of random neural firing.

Question 9

Evaluate three main theories on why people dream-
INFORMATION PROCESSING THEORY:

Answer 9

This theory proposes that dreams play a role in processing and consolidating memories, emotions, and experiences from waking life. Dreams are seen as a way for the brain to organise and integrate information, solve problems, and rehearse responses to real-life situations.