States of Consciousness Flashcards
Selective Attention
> conscious awareness process
small part of all we experience
ex. Blink = brain ignores momentary blackout
Change Blindness
> oblivious to large differences in surroundings
>ex. 2/3 failed to notice change in person talking to
Dichotic Listening
> hear two diff messages (L&R ear) simultaneously
Shadowing Task
> say word for word message in primary ear
ensures paying attention
demanding job
Cherry’s Experiment
> volunteers given surprise memory test about secondary message
no recall
Moray’s Experiment
> short secondary message repeated 35 times
forgot content (did not realize change in language)
auditory properties remembered (tone/pitch)
Broadbent’s Filter Theory
> serial processing
>individual controls filter
Serial Processing
> only focus on one task
Treisman Experiment
Summary
> recorded arousal to shock/names read
>proves secondary message being attended to in some way
Treisman Experiment
Part I
> training phase
pair city names w/shock
record Galvanic Skin Response (like polygraph)
city names alone increased GSR
Treisman Experiment
Part II
> shadowing task, secondary message says city names
GSR recorded w/no electric shock
city name in unattended ear = GSR increase
no recall city names listed
contradicts Filter Theory
Capacity Theory
> attention is limited resource
individual controls distribution
difficult tasks require more
causes breakdown into serial processing
Parallel Processing
> multitasking
Truck/Bus Drivers
Capacity Theory Example
> navigate through course
remember how many lights turned on
after, analyzed driving record after two years
good at light monitoring test = better record
Split-span Technique & Fighter Pilot
Capacity Theory Example
> two simultaneous messages
try to remember numbers
good at task = better pilots
Distracted Driving Accidents
> cell phone: 4x
texting: 23x, 400% “eyes of road”, 8x more than drunk
3000 deaths (high as 8,000) , 330,000 injured
28% of fatal involved distracted driving
auto accidents #1 cause of death in young
Driving Experiment Results
>Ranks: 1) Control Group 2) Drunk (0.08) 3) Hands Free Cell >Cell User Facts: similar to 70 yr. olds, hands free was irrelevant, distracted 5-10 mins after end
Automatic Process
> typically result of practice
little/no conscious effort
may not remember
does not interfere with other mental processes
The Stroop Task
> have to read color not word
>automatic processes hurt task
Sleep/Dreams
> spend about 1/3 of life
>average 72 yr. old = 24 years of sleep
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
> measures brain waves
average: several thousands of active neurons
every 90 mins pass through 5 stages
Awake
Stages of Sleep
> low voltages
>high frequency beta waves
Drowsy
Stages of Sleep
> alpha waves prominent
Stage 1 Sleep
Stages of Sleep
> may not know asleep
>theta waves prominent
Stage 2 Sleep
Stages of Sleep
> sleep spindles and mixed EEG activity
>feels like sleep
Slow-wave Sleep
Stages of Sleep
> Stages 3 & 4
progressively more delta waves
large/irregular brain waves, low frequency
REM Sleep- Graph
Stages of Sleep
> low voltage
>high frequency waves
REM Sleep- Info
Stages of Sleep
> rapid eye movements
paradoxical sleep (deepest sleep vs/extremely active brain/body)
main dream state
altered state of consciousness
some areas of brain more active than when awake
Stages of Sleep
Overview
> Stages 1-4: person unconscious
Typical Night’s Sleep
> usually only remember last two dreams
deepest sleep in first half of night
most time in Stage 2
Why Sleep?
> amount needed different for everyone
don’t know exact reason
children: neurological development
adults: memory consolidation
Accidents and Sleep Deprivation
> graphed accidents before/after time change
>sleep deprivation causes accidents
Body Restitution Hypothesis
Explanations for Sleep
> sleep restores body
proved: releases growth hormones
disproved: body/brain aroused
ex. REM brings heart attack in elderly
Brain Restitution
Explanations for Sleep
> brain needs to replenish
proved: sleeping animals replenish
disproved: happens at night anyway
Evolutionary
Explanations for Sleep
> adaptive strategy
ex. being awake at night doesn’t benefit prey
proved: comoflage
disproved: at night predators don’t sleep, prey do
Energy Conservation
Explanations for Sleep
> sleep powers down/conserves calories/oxogen
>sleep a lot, typically weigh less
Activation Hypothesis
> dreams could relate to brain growth
activates/stimulates Central Nervous System
ex. animals twitch because of responses
dreams of kids are drastically different than adults
Dream Facts
> babies: 50% of time in REM
(9-10 hrs. dreaming out of 18-20 hrs. asleep)
adults: 25% of time in REM
Memory Consolidation
> dream for memory consolidation
>often dream content relates to life
Wilson & Louie Experiment
> trained rats to solve circular mazes
while in maze, electrobes recorded neurons firing with “unique pattern” or “signature”
monitored brain activity in hippocampus (while in REM)
active vs. sleep brain activity closely matched
Human Evidence of Memory Consolidation
> participants play Tetris, then sleep
after REM woken up and reported playing game/moving shapes & colors
dreaming seems like natural form of practice
visual practice helps in real world
Sleep and GPA
> positive correlation between GPA and sleep
>study first then sleep
William Dement Experiment
> REM deprivation
volunteers slept in lab 8 nights
6 nights:
exp. group- reach REM = wake up
control group- woke same # of times (not in REM)
final 2 nights: sleep like normal, record EEG
William Dement Experiment Results
> REM Rebound Effect- deprived tried to enter REM 2x as often by night 5
last 2 nights, spent 60% more time in REM
tried to catch up on REM (needed for brain)
Dreams Don’t Predict Future
> 5-6 dreams/night (2000 dreams/year)
by luck, one or two of events will happen
if 5 happen/year, then 99.75% did not happen (like lottery)
Characteristics of Hypnosis
> sleep is metaphor
selective attention becomes even more narrow
reality testing- checking surroundings (reduced)
people are suggestible
can cause temp forgetfulness
Hypnosis Facts
> requires willing/cooperative participant
hypnotic susceptibility is stable trait (not related to age)
suggestions control behavior within limits
wears off (good at reducing pain, not addictive, bad long-term treatment)
Hypnosis Example
> college students hear “experiment” and are compelled to touch forehead
combined with amnesia effect (did not know why did action)
Hypermnesia
> enhanced memory under hypnosis
Confabulation
> under/after hypnosis prone to mistakes and distortion of memory
Hallucinations Induced
> positive: see/hear things that aren’t real
negative: does not perceive something they’d normally be aware of
(ex. block pain temporarily)
Disassociation
> temp partition between fact/memory and consciousness
>pain & amnesia ||| consciousness
