GTPSY, Cognition

Question 1

How is consciousness selective?

Answer 1

Selective attention is the highest level of consciousness. It’s when we are fully aware and focused on what we have selected to pay attention to.

Question 2

How is consciousness continuous?

Answer 2

Consciousness appears to be continuous while we are awake and alert, but is actually broken up into discrete intervals.

Question 3

How is consciousness changing?

Answer 3

Consciousness can change for different reasons, such as drugs and hypnosis

Question 4

List the states of consciousness

Answer 4

Selective attention
Divided attention
Daydreaming
Meditative state
Hypnotised
Asleep
Anaesthetised
Unconscious (coma)

Question 5

Give two examples of selective attention

Answer 5

Focusing on a hard level of a video game and not noticing when somebody is talking to you
Reading a book and not taking notice to music playing in the background

Question 6

What is the difference between habituation and dishabituation?

Answer 6

Habituation is a decrease in attention when a stimulus is repeated, and dishabituation occurs when there is a change in stimulus causing a full response.

Question 7

What is meant by divided attention?

Answer 7

Divided attention is attending to and undertaking two different activities/sources of information at the same time.

Question 8

What occurs during daydreaming and how can this state of consciousness be useful?

Answer 8

Daydreaming is an altered state of consciousness characterised by a shift in concentration from external stimuli to internal thoughts feelings, memories and images. It is useful because it can be a state of mental rehearsal.

Question 9

Define meditation, give examples of it and explain why it is beneficial.

Answer 9

A purposely induced altered state of consciousness characterized by deep physical and mental relaxation. If you are meditating, you may have a reduced awareness of the external world as they focus on their internal environment. It can be used as a pain-control mechanism because it reduces

Question 10

Describe hypnosis

Answer 10

Hypnosis is a sleep-like state of deep relaxation. It’s characterized by narrowed attention and an increased openness to suggestion.

Question 11

What are the stages of sleep?

Answer 11

Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
REM

Question 12

What are the physiological responses to states of consciousness and how are they measured?

Answer 12

Brain waves, heart rate, body temperature and electrical conductivity of the skin.

Question 13

Define cognition.

Answer 13

Cognition is thinking and reasoning.​

Question 14

What are the three types of memory?

Answer 14

Sensory memory, short-term memory (aka working memory) and long-term memory

Question 15

What are the two major types of sensory memory?

Answer 15

Iconic (visual)
Echoic (sound)

Question 16

How does information stay in the short-term memory?

Answer 16

Rehearsal

Question 17

What is elaborative memory rehearsal?

Answer 17

Elaborative rehearsal is a memory technique that involves thinking about the meaning of the term to be remembered, instead of simply repeating the word over and over.

Question 18

What is maintenance memory rehearsal?

Answer 18

This method usually refers to repeating the information without thinking of the context or meaning of the information.

Question 19

What are the 2 major types of long-term memory?

Answer 19

Implicit
Explicit/Declarative

Question 20

Why is procedural memory nondeclarative (implicit) and give an example.

Answer 20

Your procedural memory takes over and allows you to perform the skill without thinking about it. For example, learning how to drive or ride a bike.

Question 21

What are the 2 declarative (explicit) types of memories?

Answer 21

Semantic memory refers to factual information (general knowledge)

Episodic memory refers to autobiographical information as to where and when an event happened

Question 22

Examples of semantic memory

Answer 22

Remembering birthdays of family members

Question 23

Examples of episodic memory

Answer 23

Recalling a vacation from years ago, remembering your first kiss

Question 24

How do mnemonics work?

Answer 24

It’s a learning technique that uses different strategies to encode and retrieve new information.

Question 25

How does chunking work?

Answer 25

Chunking refers to the process of taking individual pieces of information and grouping them into larger units

Question 26

What is repetition?

Answer 26

The act of saying or doing something again, as it’s quicker to learn material the 2nd time.