Sleep and Consciousness

Question 1

Describe the four types of EEGs

Answer 1

1. Alpha (12-30 Hz): associated with awakeness/concentration
2. Beta (8-13 Hz): associated with daydreaming
3. Theta (4-7 Hz): associated with drowsiness/light sleep
4. Delta (0.5-3 Hz): associated with deep sleep/coma

Question 2

Stage 1 of non-REM sleep (N1)

Answer 2

Dominated by theta waves

May experience hypnagonic hallucinations (seeing/hearing things), tetris effect (seeing blocks in sleep after playing tetris), hypnic jerks (feeling of falling)

Question 3

Stage 2 of non-REM sleep

Answer 3

Deeper than N1, more theta waves

Characterized by sleep spindles (rapid burst of brain activity) and k-complexes (suppression of brain activity to keep you asleep)

Question 4

Stage 3 of non-REM sleep

Answer 4

Slow wave sleep, very difficult to awaken, delta waves

Question 5

REM (rapid eye movement) stage

Answer 5

Eyes move but most other parts of body are paralyzed

Important for memory consolidation and formation of episodic memories

Dreaming occurs

Combination of alpha, beta, and dysynchronous waves

Question 6

Circadian rhythyms

Answer 6

Regular body rhythyms across a 24 hour period

Controlled by melatonin produced in the pineal gland

Question 7

What part of the brain is inhibited during dreaming?

Answer 7

The prefrontal cortex (part of the brain responsible for logic)

This is why dreams can be illogical

Question 8

Sigmund Freud’s Theory of Dreams

Answer 8

Dreams represent our unconscious feelings/thoughts/urges

Dreams can be interpreted by their literal meaning (manifest content) and hidden meaning (latent content)

Question 9

Activation Synthesis Hypothesis of Dreaming

Answer 9

The brain gets a lot of neural impulses in the brainstem. Our brain is trying to find meaning from random brain activity

Therefore, dreams may have no meaning

Question 10

Describe insomnia vs narcolepsy

Answer 10

Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep/stay asleep while narcolepsy occurs when people have random fits of sleepiness

Question 11

Sleep apnea

Answer 11

When the body doesn’t get enough oxygen and people wake up during the night to get more air

Intereferes with N3 stage

Question 12

During what stage does sleep walking occur?

Answer 12

N3

Question 13

What type of waves are increased during meditation and hypnotism?

Answer 13

Alpha waves (associated with relaxation)

Question 14

What two theories may describe how hypnotism works?

Answer 14

1. Dissociation Theory: hypnotism is an extreme form of divided consciousness
2. Social Influence Theory: people do and report what is expected of them