Lecture 7 - Consciousness

Question 1

Consciousness

Answer 1

Awareness of self and surroundings operates on a continuum

focused alertness – daydreaming - coma

Question 2

No agreed definition of consciousness

Answer 2

mind body dualism

subjective vs. objective

Question 3

the hard problem (Chalmers, 1994)

Answer 3

to explain how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experience
how sensations acquire characteristics such as colour and taste

Question 4

inattentional blindness

Answer 4

failure to recognise something in plain sight as you are not focusing on it

Question 5

to be conscious

Answer 5

to be awake and aware

Question 6

awake

Answer 6

opening eyes and performing reflexes - coughing etc

Question 7

aware

Answer 7

showing thought process and responding to people

Question 8

actions that are always unconscious e.g.

Answer 8

visuomotor control

Question 9

skilled actions once learned that can be conscious or unconscious e.g.

Answer 9

driving

Question 10

subliminal perception

Answer 10

stimuli below individual’s threshold for conscious perception
flashed images, below audible volume

eg. product placement and
attentional focus

Question 11

intentional operating process

Answer 11

searches for mental contents to create the desired mental state

Question 12

ironic monitoring process

Answer 12

searches for mental contents that signal the failure of mental control

Question 13

Psychoactive drugs

Answer 13

Classified by effect on behaviour:
sedatives and hypnotics
stimulants
opiates
hallucinogens and psychedelics
-spiritual/sacred significance in many cultures

Question 14

Psychedelics: a family of altered states

Answer 14

hallucinations
visual – patterns and colours
form constants – the spiral, cobweb, tunnel (or funnel or cone), lattice (or honeycomb)
hallucinations
visual – predictable colour changes
hallucinations
visual – patterns and colours
delusions
merging with surroundings
emotional changes
ranging from euphoria to terror

Question 15

Meditation – 2 main forms

Answer 15

• concentrative or one-point meditation
  diminish sensory input, attentional effort
  repeat mantra, ponder a koan, relaxation, movement (e.g. Tai chi

open meditation
aware of everything around, experience not met with a response e.g. mindfulness

ritualistic and require practice

Question 16

Hypnosis - defined

Answer 16

A social interaction in which one
person (the subject) responds to
suggestions offered by another
(the hypnotist) involving alterations in perception, memory, and voluntary action.

Question 17

Two views on hypnosis

Answer 17

altered consciousness
reported by ~40% of hypnotised
divided stream of consciousness
the hidden observer – Hilgard’s description of induced deafness
period of focussed attention
reported by ~60% of hypnotised
state of social compliance and suggestibility

Question 18

the hidden observer

Answer 18

Hilgard’s description of induced deafness

Question 19

The hypnotised state

Answer 19

receptive to suggestions
narrowing attention to single source
lack of initiative and willfull action
trancelike state
	BUT
outwardly, can appear fully alert and interacting normally

Question 20

positive hallucinations

Answer 20

sees or hears something not present

Question 21

negative hallucinations

Answer 21

fails to perceive something e.g. pain