lecture 5- consciousness Flashcards
consciousness
being aware of environment, thoughts and feelings
introspection
basic units of experience/consciousness
behaviorism
consciousness is unimportant and only behavior matters
cognitive psychology
return to mental states and consciousness
- brain imaging and consciousness
drugs affects neurons
drugs like cocaine can block reuptake in synapse
agonist
increases activity of neurotransmitters and mimics them
ex: heroin increases endorphins
antagonists
decreases activity of neurotransmitters and can block receptors so that they cant connect
substance use disorder
drug related stress or impairment
tolerance
weaker drug effects with repeated use
physical dependance
take drugs to avoid physical withdrawal symptoms
psychological dependance
take drugs because of intense cravings
depressants
inhibit central neural system functions
- ex: alcohol
- GABA agonist deactivates glutamate (drug mimics GABA and causes a slowing of the CNS because glutamate usually speeds up CNS but drug agonist would deactivate that)
- activates opiod receptors that release endorphins
Stimulants
- speed up CNS
- dopamine, and serotonin inhibitor
- block reuptake increases affect of nt that is being blocked, so serotonin increases
- amps people up and has positive effects
ex: cocaine
cannabis
- has hallucinogen, depressant and stimulant properties
- CBD can have medical benefits (helps child epilepsy)
- THC: psychoactive part
endocannabinoid system
- discovered because of weed
- helps regulate sleep, mood, memory and appetite
narcotics
- slow/stop breathing (brain stem)
- can inhibit pain signals (in spinal cord because it has opioid receptors)
- used medically for pain
Opiates vs opioids
opiates are natural (morphine, heroin and codeine)
and opioids are natural and synthetic (fentanyl, methadone)
circadian rhythm
cyclical changes in our biological processes that occur roughly in a 24 hour basis
- has relationship with light
suprachiasmatic nucleus
releases melatonin
pathway linking light to melatonin
light entering eye that is detected by retinohypothalamic tract, then it reaches suprachiasmatic nucleus and the amount of light that enters determines the release of melatonin
disruptions to circadian rhythm
-daytime: more light, less melatonin
- night time
- night shift: low natural light
- jet lag
- daylight saving time: shifts when we see light
awake
beta waves (14-30Hz)
calm wakefulness
alpha waves (8-12Hz)
stage 1
theta waves (4-7 Hz)
myoclonic
feeling of falling or rapid movement that occurs in stage 1 of sleep
stage 2
- k complex: organizes memories, brain inhibition and info processing
- sleep spindles: consolidates/stabilizes memory
- 65% of sleep is in stage 2
stage 3 and 4
delta waves (2-4 Hz)
- deep sleep
- physical healing and growth
rapid eye movement (REM)
- paradoxical and short
fast brain activty but still asleep - beta waves (14-30)
- 10-30 minutes
- eyes moving rapidly
- most likely to have weird dreams in rem
full sleep cycle
- full sleep cycle is about 90 minutes
- spend less time in stages 3 and 4 in later hours of sleep
- length of time in rem increases as time goes on
activation-synthesis theory
- pons: activation
- spontaneous activation across whole brain at night
- pons sends signals for things that are not really there
- cerebral cortex: synthesis
- inteprets/synthesizes activity to try to make sense of it all
hypnosis
hightened suggestibility
- more likely to do what others say
- mesmer was the first user
- can help stop addiction and help with pain
induction method of hypnosis
-focus on singular stimulus
- forget about all other stimuli and focus on one thing to make you calm
empathy and hypnosis
- people who are more empathetic are more likely to respond to hypnosis
- can easily understand what others are experiencing
two theories of hypnosis
dissociation and sociocognitive
dissociation
ernest hilgard says there is a hidden observer against the rest of the mind
- hidden observer is still in control and is thinking and understanding
- rest of the mind is under hypnosis
sociocognitive theory
hypnotism is like playing a social role (stepping into a role)
- does not involve an altered state of consciousness
- if you expect it to work it will more likely work
myths of hypnosis
- can make you do things you dont want
- is a sleep (brain waves in calm/full wakefulness)
- people under hypnosis are unaware of surroundings
