States of Consciousness: Lecture 12 Flashcards
What are the 4 basic properties of consciousness
- It is intentional, it has unity, it is selective, it is transient
What biological systems are involved in regulating our states of consciousness
circadian rhythms
What biological systems are involved in regulating our sleep?
Circadian Rhythms (sleep/wake clock)
What is the function of sleep
It serves a homeostatic function
What are the 4 stages of sleep
stage 1,2,3 and REM
What is the most familiar and most mysterious part of our lives?
consciousness
What is consciousness?
Awareness of Internal and/or external stimuli
What happens to your consciousness when you’re meditating?
You are less aware of external and more aware of internal stimuli
What happens to your consciousness when you’re day dreaming?
you are still conscious but you are not aware of internal or external stimuli
What is the consciousness continuum
On one side you have deep sleep (where you aren’t aware of stimuli). on the other side you have full consciousness (where you are fully aware of stimuli)
What makes it that we are not always aware of all stimmuli?
the reticular formation
What do we mean by consciousness is intentional?
it is always doing something
what do we mean by consciousness has unity
Takes information from all our senses. Integrates it into a unified experience
What do we mean by consciousness is selective?
includes some objects but no others. Filters out irrelevant information. Can tune into certain changes.
What was the cherry study about consciousness?
- Participants did not notice the language in the left ear change from English to German
- But they did notice when the voice in the left ear changed from male to female. Because it’s a more dramatic change in environment.
What do we mean by consciousness is transient?
It has a tendency to change
What is consciousness rooted in?
biology
What is the biology root of consciousness ?
Circadian rhythms
What are circadian rhythms?
biological rhythms that take place over 24 hour period
- sleep wake cycle (change in consciousness)
- Temperature
- Blood Pressure
- Heart rate
- concentration
What does the paneel gland do?
releases melatonin
What is the supra chiasmatic nucleus?
a bunch of nerves that are part of the hypothalamus that regulates our sleep