STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS Flashcards
Define consciousness
our awareness of internal and external environments at any given time. It is described as personal, selective and continuous
Explain consciousness as a psychological construct
consciousness is referred to as a psychological construct as it is an entity we believe that exists but we cannot directly measure or observe this entity
What is subjective data?
data collected through personal observations, interpretations, emotions and judgement
What is objective data?
measurements of behaviour collected under control conditions which allow data to be directly observed or measured
What is the state of consciousness as described as a continuum?
total awareness-> complete lack of awareness
- selective attention
- controlled processes
- divided attention
- automatic processes
- day dreaming
- mediation
- hypnosis
- light sleep
- deep sleep
Define Normal waking consciousness (NWC)
a state of consciousness characterised by clear and organised alertness to internal and external stimuli. generally see the presence of beta brain waves
List common psychological characteristics experienced in NWC?
- moderate to high levels of awareness
- good memory and cognitive abilities
- focused attention on specific tasks
- an accurate perception of reality
Define altered state of consciousness (ASC)
a state of consciousness that is characteristically different from NWC as their is a lack of awareness, sensation and perception.
What are common psychological characteristics experienced in ASC?
- low levels of awareness
- memory difficulties and reduced cognitive abilities
- difficulty paying attention to specific tasks
- distorted perception of reality
- inappropriate or uncharacterised emotions
- lack of self control
What are the two types of ASC?
induced or naturally occurring
Define natural occurring ASC?
an asc that is produced spontaneously without any conscious effort or decision making. e.g day dreaming, sleep
Define induced ASC?
an ASC that is intentionally produced, for example hypnosis, drinking alcohol, doing drugs, medication, anaesthetised
Define electroencephalograph (EEG)
a machine used to detect,amplify and record the brains electrical activity, measured in the form of brainwaves
Define frequency and what high frequency suggests
The number of brainwaves per second. the higher the frequency the greater the brain activity
Define amplitude
the strength of the brainwave as measured by the size of peaks and troughs from a baseline of 0.
Define Beta brainwaves
brainwaves that are a characteristic of NWC. low amp and high frequency
Define Alpha brainwaves
brainwaves experienced during a deeply relaxed state. low amp and med-high frequency
Define Theta brainwaves
brainwaves experienced during early stages of sleep. med-high amp and low-med frequency
Define Delta brainwaves
brainwaves experienced during deepest stages of sleep, high amp low frequency
Define electro-oculograph (EOG)
a machine used to detect, amplify and record the electrical activity of muscles that control eye movement. recorded through small electrodes attached around eyes
Define electromyograph (EMG)
a machine used to detect, amplify and record the electrical activity of voluntary muscles. NWC=tense
ASC=muscles gradually relax
electrodes are attached to skin surface, chin, arm and leg
Other techniques to investigate consciousness
- speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks
- subjective reporting of consciousness
- sleep diaries and video monitoring
Explain the measurement of speed and accuracy of cognitive tasks
a common way to test speed and accuracy of cognitive tasks is through a PVT. A PVT requires participants to respond to visual stimuli to measure speed and accuracy
^in errors=ASC
Decrease in reaction time=ASC
Define self reports
involve an individual keeping record of their own subjective experience(thoughts feelings and behaviours).
Describe a sleep diary as a form of self reporting
a sleep diary is a log of subjective behavioural and psychological experiences surrounding a persons sleep. they may include consumption of food/drink before bed, amount of time it took to get to sleep or any sleep disturbance
What is an advantage of self reports?
provide an insight to covert thoughts of subject that cannot be directly observed
What is a disadvantage of self-reports?
accuracy may be affected as the subject may not remember details such as sleep disturbances
-dont recall what we do in sleep
Describe video monitoring as a form of investigating consciousness
video monitoring involves the use of infrared cameras to video a person while they are sleeping to record and analyse any observable disturbances in their sleep. may be conducted in a sleep laboratory
During NWC how is our awareness affected?
during NWC a person has a high level awareness off internal and external stimuli.
How is awareness affected in ASC?
during ASC awareness is greatly reduced, therefore we are less aware of internal stimuli. because of reduced awareness it is difficult to focus tour attention on a tasks that requires a high level of awareness.
Define controlled processes
are actions that require high levels of attention, awareness and concentration in order to actively achieve goals. can only be done in NWC. all attention must be on task
Define selective attention
is attending to a particular stimulus while ignoring others. requires high level of attention
Can a controlled process become an automatic process?
yes only with practice though
Define automatic process
is a set of actions that require little conscious effort or awareness and do not interfere with performance of other activities. therefore can complete in ASC
Define divided attention
is being able to distribute your attention to 2 or more tasks/stimuli simultaneously
What combinations of processes can be done using divided attention?
2 automatic processes simultaneously or 1 automatic and 1 controlled
Describe content limitations in NWC
during NWC our thoughts are usually controlled and limited to reality. this allows us to control the content of our thoughts. during NWC our thoughts are usually organised and logical. also have the ability to process a lot of information
Describe content limitations in ASC
during ASC the amount of information that can be processed is limited due to reduced awareness and cognitive functioning. our thoughts are not controlled and may be illogical
Define perceptual distortions
perceptual distortions refer to mistakes that we make internally processing our environment
Is there any perceptual distortions in NWC?
no, in NWC we are accurately able to perceive the world around us. We feel pain and hurt and see that things exist
What is perceptual distortion like in ASC?
in ASC sensations and perceptions can be dulled or they can be sharpened
Two examples of perceptual distortions that may occur in ASC
hallucinations= sensory experience that does not exist delusions= though or belief that is not supported by reality
Are there any forms of cognitive distortion in NWC? explain
no, in NWC an effective memory system is required and our thinking and cognition is local and organised
What forms of cognitive distortions are experienced in ASC?
in ASC memory is often disrupters and everyday tasks can be difficult to perform. memory tends to be less accurate, with people storing less information.
What is our emotional awareness like in NWC?
emotions are usually appropriate to the situation in terms of experience and intensity
What is emotional awareness like I’m ASC?
in ASC emotions can be intensified, blunted or totally inappropriate to the situation
Define self control
self control is characterised by a good sense of management of physical responses
What is self control like in NWC?
in NWC people are able to exhibit fine motor skills and can coordinate very complex movements. people are also able to make decisions and consider the implications
What is self control like in ASC?
it is compromised
What is the perception of time like in NWC?
peoples perception of time are generally accurate
What is perception of time like in ASC?
perception of time is often distorted. time can feel like it either paling more quickly or more slowly than it is
Define psychoactive drugs
are any class of drugs that alters a brains chemistry and subsequently changes a persons perceptions, though and behaviour. They are effective because they cross the blood-brain barrier
What is the blood-brain barrier ?
a mechanism that prevents or slows the passage of potentially harmful molecules in the blood from entering the brain
Define stimulants
s group of drugs that elevate mood, increase alertness and reduce fatigue by exciting neural activity in the brain, which increases bodily functions
Characteristic of stimulants
- increase in blood pressure heart rate blood glucose constricts blood vessels
What are some examples of stimulants?
caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine, cocaine
How do stimulants affect our alertness?
-cause an increase in beta waves and sometimes alpha
-when experiencing greater levels of beta waves we can experience stress and anxiety
alpha=more creative
What are the psychological effects of stimulants?
- elevated mood
- increase alertness
- reduced fatigue
- reduced appetite
- increased energy
Define Depressants
a class of drugs that calm neural activity and slow down bodily functions.
What are some examples of depressants?
- alcohol
- benzodiazepines
- barbiturates
- opioids
- cannabis
What are generally effects of depressants?
- increased fatigue and drowsiness
- lowered heart rate
- reduced anxiety and calming nerves
How do depressants affect our alertness ?
-slow down neural activity and calm the body associated with alpha, theta and delta brainwaves
THETA= consciousness to outside world is shut off
DELTA= decrease in stereo hormone cortisol
Define sleep deprivation
going without sleep r not getting sufficient amounts of sleep to support daytime functioning
Define partial sleep deprivation
occurs when a person is getting some sleep in a 24hr period but less than normally required for daytime functioning