Human Consciousness and Sleep Flashcards
What is consciousness?
- the awareness of your own thoughts, feelings, perceptions (internal events) and our surroundings (external stimuli)
- consciousness is unique, subjective and constantly changing
- considered a psychological construct because it cannot be objectively observed or measured, but it is widely understood to exist
Consciousness can be best described as
awareness of our own feelings, thoughts and perceptions, as well as our surroundings, at any given moment
Order of level of awareness from more to less aware
Daydreaming, meditative state, hypnotised, asleep
The continuum of arousal, from most aware to least aware
Focused, daydreaming, asleep, unconscious
Attention refers to…
the process of focusing conscious awareness, providing heightened sensitivity to a limited range of experience requiring more extensive information processing
Selective attention
how our focus and awareness are limited at one point in time to one specific stimulus or event, excluding every other element in the world
Divided attention
our ability to attend to two or more stimuli, so that two or more tasks can be performed at the same time
Eric is learning to use an Android phone. Previously, Eric had an iPhone. Eric finds that the shortcuts he used to use no longer work on his new phone. Identify the process Eric would be using to learn about his new phone.
selective attention
An automatic process requires _____________________ whereas a controlled process requires _______________________.
little conscious awareness; full conscious awareness
What kind of attention do controlled processes require?
selective
James can sing along to music on the radio while driving his car and efficiently navigate to his friend’s house at the same time. Identify which feature of consciousness this involves.
Divided attention
In terms of levels of attention when driving a car for the first time, whilst simultaneously talking on the phone which of the following is the most accurate?
We can do both but lose proficiency at both because the driver is dividing their attention between the 2 tasks
Automatic processes
tasks that don’t need a lot of attention and are performed easily. They can be combined and performed relatively easily under divided attention e.g. eating and watching TV
Controlled processes
tasks that require a high level of attention and are performed with difficulty. They cannot be performed well simultaneously (under divided attention) as one controlled process requires your full attention e.g. learning to drive on the motorway and talking to passengers
Sleep is a…
naturally occurring altered state of consciousness that includes different phases Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM/N) associated with different levels of activity
Each night we…
go through repeated cycles of NREM/N (stage 1, 2, 3) and REM sleep
NREM accounts for approximately …
75% to 80% of total sleep
REM accounts for …
20% to 25% of sleep
If adults usually spend 8 hours asleep, how much of this time is spent in REM sleep?
2 hours
We spend more time in ____ sleep as the night progresses
REM
N1
is the shallow stage of sleep where a person is still easily awoken. It is known as a transitional stage and accounts for 2-5% of the sleep cycle
N2
is a much deeper sleep state than stage 1, but individuals can still be awoken with heavy stimulation.
Approx 10 to 25 minutes in the initial cycle of sleep but progresses to account for approx 50% of the total sleep cycle
N3
is the deepest stage of sleep and it is very difficult to wake someone during this stage. Accounts for approx 20% of the total sleep cycle. Heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature and brain waves (activity) are at their lowest during this stage
REM
responsible for dreaming. Characterised by total body voluntary muscle paralysis (except for your eyes, which move quickly in various directions)
This paralysis is thought to be a mechanism to prevent you acting out your dreams.
Accounts for approx 25% of the total slepe cycle and brain activity during this stage is most like the making state.
REM sleep is believed to be essential to cognitive functions like memory, learning, and creativity
An electromyograph (EMG) is a device that
detects, amplifies and records electrical activity in the muscles that allow the eye to move.
What device measures eye movements to determine whether a person is in REM or NREM sleep?
electrooculograph (EOG)
An electroencephalograph (EEG) is a device that
detects, amplifies and records electrical activity in the brain in the form of brainwaves.
The evolutionary theory of sleep states that
sleep is a means to increase the chance of survival
There are several theories of sleep function, including the evolutionary (circadian) theory of sleep and restoration (restore and recover) theories of sleep. The purpose of sleep, according to the restoration theories of sleep, is to
recharge, grow and recover from the physical and psychological work of the day
Identify age group which sleeps the most
infants
Teenagers undergo a ____________________ shift. The melatonin release is ____________________, which means that teenagers are more likely to experience ____________________ due to early start times at school
sleep-wake cycle; delayed; partial sleep deprivation
Partial sleep deprivation can be defined as
having some sleep within a standard circadian rhythm but not enough to meet your needs
The sleep wake cycle is an example of…
circadian rhythm (24 hour cycle)
Sleep wake cycle
- largely based on internal biological factors. However, external cues, such as light and dark, partially influence the sleep-wake cycle. Sunlight readjusts the mismatch between day and night and our natural sleep-wake cycle
- our natural sleep-wake cycle is slightly longer than 24 hours
What key structure that allows us to be conscious and functional?
hypothalamus
What does the hypothalamus do?
it maintains homeostasis by releasing hormones that keep various systems in balance (sleep, emotion, eating, drinking)
What is the hypothalamus make up of?
many substructures (or nuclei)
What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)?
the key structure specifically involved in the readjustment of the sleep-wake cycle.
What is the readjustment of the sleep-wake cycle called?
the internal body clock or a zeitgeber
What do light sensors do?
inform our brain when it is light, which then adjusts our internal body clock accordingly