Measuring Consciousness

Question 1

Amplitude (Brainwaves)

Answer 1

The height of the peaks and troughs of the curved graph that represents brainwave activity.

Question 2

Alpha brainwaves

Answer 2

Reasonably high frequency and low amplitude, slightly higher than beta. Relaxed wakefulness. Meditation, drowsy, falling asleep. Associated with relaxation, aiding mental coordination, calmness and learning. May be seen in people in a coma. Too much associated with inability to focus.Too little associated with anxiety and insomnia.

Question 3

Brainwaves

Answer 3

Spontaneous electrical activity emitted by the brain generally associated with varying states of consciousness.

Question 4

Beta brainwaves

Answer 4

High frequency and low amplitude that normally occurs when an individual is awake and alert. Most typical NWC brainwave including alert, attentive anxious and selective attention. Involved in conscious thought, logical thinking and problem solving Eyes are open; person is awake and alert. Too much associated with anxiety and stress. Too little associated with ADHD and depression

Question 5

Delta brainwave

Answer 5

Low frequency, high amplitude. NREM Deep, relaxing and restorative sleep. Very limited, if any, external awareness. May be associated with healing and regeneration. Brain tumours. Too much associated with brain injuries, inability to think. Too little associated with poor sleep, inability to revitalise brain or body.

Question 6

Electroencephalogram EEG

Answer 6

An instrument that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the brain in the form of brainwaves. EEG recordings indicate changes in brainwave activity associated with changes to states of consciousness. Also indicate changes in brainwave activity during the various stages of sleep.

Question 7

Electroencephalograph

Answer 7

A graph depicting the electrical activity of the brain measured by an electroencephalograph.

Question 8

Electromyograph

Answer 8

A graph depicting the electrical activity of the muscles of the body measured by an electromyograph.

Question 9

Electromyogram EMG

Answer 9

An instrument that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of muscles of the body. The EMG can be useful to determine whether a person is awake or not and, if REM or NREM. When someone is awake, activity on the EMG recordings are moderate and high. Moderate to low during NREM sleep with some mild spasms and virtually non-existent during REM sleep.

Question 10

Electrooculograph

Answer 10

A graph depicting the electrical activity of the muscles surrounding the eye measured by an electrooculograph.

Question 11

Frequency (Brainwaves)

Answer 11

The number of brainwaves per second. High-frequency brainwave patterns indicate faster brainwaves as demonstrated by more waves per unit of time.

Question 12

Electrooculogram EOG

Answer 12

An instrument that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the muscles surrounding the eye. The EOG is particularly useful to determine whether a person is in REM or NREM. When awake, our eyes may move rapidly depending on what we are doing eg if you are in deep thought/staring, there will be little eye movement. If looking for a friend in a crowd, more eye movement.

Question 13

Objective data and measurement

Answer 13

Data that is measured according to identifiable external criteria
objective measurement. Physical measurements that are free of bias, such as height.

Question 14

Level of awareness

Answer 14

The amount of awareness that an inidividual has of internal and external events.

Question 15

Sleep diary

Answer 15

A subjective measure of self report in which statements and answers are made by the participants concerning their thoughts and feelings in relation to their sleep and waking time activities.

Question 16

Polysomnogram

Answer 16

Data can be collected simultaneously from
the EEG, EOG, EMG and any other devices and displayed on a continuously moving chart, known as a polysomnogram. This allows a researcher to compare corresponding data at once and make more informed decisions about the state of consciousness and any underlying problems.

Question 17

Subjective data

Answer 17

Information about the variables being studied based on opinion, with no external yardstick by which they are measured. A personal evaluation that could be biased or difficult to compare with other measurements, such as reporting feelings.

Question 18

Video monitoring

Answer 18

A subjective measure in which infrared lights are used to record footage of observable behaviours that occur during sleep. Is done silently without disturbing the subject.

Question 19

Theta brainwaves

Answer 19

Medium frequency and mixed amplitude. The typical brainwave pattern during the early stages of sleep. May be present when daydreaming and associated with experiencing emotions and deep meditation. Too much associated with ADHD, impulsivity, inattentiveness. Too little associated with anxiety, stress, poor emotional awareness.

Question 20

Heart rate

Answer 20

ECG or EKG detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the heart muscles.

Question 21

Body temp

Answer 21

Recording temp on skin of fingers.

Question 22

Galvanic skin response

Answer 22

Sweating, as skin becomes moist, electrical activity increases.

Question 23

Electrocardiograph

Answer 23

Measures electrical activity of heart

Question 24

3 methods used to measure consciousness

Answer 24

Measurement of physiological responses - EEG, EOG, EMG

Behavioural and cognitive measures

Subjective measures

Question 25

Physiological measures

Answer 25

Provide psychologists with information about how bodily functions change during normal waking consciousness and altered states of consciousness. Such bodily functions include brainwave patterns, eye muscle movement, body muscle movement, heart rate, body temperature, galvanic skin response, respiration rate and blood pressure.

Question 26

Gamma waves

Answer 26

Highest frequency brainwaves that occur when hyper alert. Learning new things. Can occur in rem sleep. Anaesthetised. Altruism and universal love. Simultaneous processing of information from different areas of the brain. Too much associated with anxiety and stress. Too little associated with ADHD and depression.

Question 27

Features of stage 2 NREM

Answer 27

K-complexes (sharp rise and fall in amplitude, lasting
for about two seconds) and sleep spindles (periodic bursts of rapid frequency) are indicative of stage 2 non–rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep.

Question 28

Sawtooth waves

Answer 28

Sawtooth waves are random, fast waves that are slightly bigger than alpha waves. They resemble waves for being awake but occur among the beta-like waves observed during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Sawtooth waves are associated with dreaming.

Question 29

REM Sleep waves

Answer 29

Beta like.

Question 30

Self reports

Answer 30

Statements and answers to questions made by the participants concerning their thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Includes subjective measures such as sleep diaries.

Question 31

Behavioural and cognitive measurements

Answer 31

We can use behavioural and cognitive measures to study consciousness, such as measuring a person’s performance on certain tasks.

Question 32

Speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks

Answer 32

Measuring the speed and accuracy of cognitive tasks such as thinking, problem solving, language and reasoning during different times of the day or different states of consciousness. Can inform us of the characteristics associated with normal waking consciousness and altered states of consciousness.

Question 33

One advantage of physiological measurements

Answer 33

Most objective and reliable means of indicating different states of consciousness

Question 34

2 disadvantages of physiological measurements

Answer 34

> Cannot describe the person’s private and personal conscious experience . Researchers may be able to observe physiological changes, but they won’t really know about the experience unless they ask the participants!

> Changes in physiological events may be due to other reasons a besides a change in state of consciousness

Question 35

Advantages of measurement of speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks

Answer 35

> More objective in nature than self-reports, because likely to record similar findings over time and between researchers

> May offer closer insight into an individual’s conscious experience physiological measurement.

Question 36

One disadvantage of measurements of speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks.

Answer 36

cannot get inside a person’s mind. Such a measure still requires us to record observations (performance) and then infer what they mean in terms of consciousness

Question 37

2 advantages of video monitoring

Answer 37

The recordings can be observed at any time after the period of sleep and given to other researchers to interpret. Recordings can also be shown to the participant to help them become aware of and understand their behaviour.

Often the data is recorded alongside physiological measurements such as photographs that are taken every few seconds. If done at home, video monitoring allows the participant to sleep in their natural environment. This way, the participant is more likely to sleep as they normally do and the researcher is more likely to collect realistic data.

Question 38

2 disadvantages of video monitoring

Answer 38

> Like other behavioural observations, video monitoring cannot tell us what is going on inside the body or what the participant is experiencing. Data can be open to interpretation so requires clear definitions for a specific behaviour

> May miss important events if only considering still photographs every few seconds/minutes. Otherwise, lots of information to sift through

Question 39

One advantage of self reports

Answer 39

Gives a rich and important insight into actual thoughts, feelings and behaviours experienced by the participants.

Question 40

2 disadvantages of self reports

Answer 40

> A subjective measure that is open to interpretation and difficult to communicate and compare with others. Can be difficult to interpret the results accurately.

> Onus on participant to be self- aware and able to complete the task honestly and at the times required. Participants can choose to leave out information.