Study unit 3.1 Consciousness

Question 1

Consciousness

Answer 1

The awareness of external and internal stimuli, it is personal awareness. It includes your awareness of external events, internal sensations, of yourself as a unique being and your thoughts.

Question 2

William James

Answer 2

Stream of consciousness

Question 3

Sigmund Freud

Answer 3

Feelings and behavior are influenced by the unconscious (needs, wishes + conflicts) that lie below the surface of conscious awareness. Stream of consciousness has depth. First theorist to recognize that consciousness is not an all-or-none phenomenon.

Question 4

Electroencephalograph (EEG)

Answer 4

A device that monitors the electrical activity of the brain over time by means of recording electrodes attached to the surface of the scalp. It summarizes the rythm of cortical activity in terms of brain waves.

Question 5

Beta waves

Answer 5

Normal waking thought, alert problem-solving. 13-24 cps

Question 6

Alpha waves

Answer 6

Deep relaxation, blank mind, and meditation. 8-12 cps

Question 7

Theta waves

Answer 7

Lights sleep. 4-7 cps.

Question 8

Delta waves

Answer 8

Deep sleep. <4 cps.

Question 9

Biological rhythms

Answer 9

Periodic fluctuations in psychological functioning. Because of these rhythms, organisms have an internal “biological clock” that monitors the passage of time.

Question 10

Circadian rhythms

Answer 10

24-hour biological cycles found in humans and many other species. In humans, they are influential in sleep regulation. Individuals are physiologically primed to fall asleep most easily at a particular time. They also produce rhythmic variations in blood pressure, urine production, hormonal secretions, and other physical functions. Also effect alertness, short-term memory and other aspects of congnitive performance.

Question 11

Electromyograph (EMG)

Answer 11

Records muscular activity and tension.

Question 12

Electrooculography (EOG)

Answer 12

Records eye movement.

Question 13

Electrocardiograph (EKG)

Answer 13

Records the contractions of the heart.

Question 14

Stage 1

Answer 14

Brief transitional light sleep of 10-12 min.

Question 15

Stage 2

Answer 15

Respiration rate, heart rate, muscle tension and body temperature declines. It is light sleep of 10-25 min.

Question 16

Stage 3

Answer 16

Brain waves are higher in amplitude and slower in frequency. Also known as “slow-wave”, because of low-frequency delta waves in the EEG recording. It is a deep sleep that is reached in less than an hour and is 20-40 min.

Question 17

REM

Answer 17

It is deep sleep marked by rapid eye movement, high frequency brain waves and dreaming.

Question 18

Non-REM

Answer 18

Stages 1-3. Marked by the absence of rapid eye movement, varied EEG activity and little dreaming.

Question 19

Calvin Hall

Answer 19

Most dreams are relatively mundane, unfolding in familiar settings with a cast of characters dominated by family, friends, and colleagues.

Question 20

Sigmund Freud

Answer 20

Contents of waking life tend to spill into dreams - day residue. Events of emotional significance are especially likely to be incorporated. The prinicipal purpose of dreams is wish fulfillment. People fulfill unmet needs from waking hours through wishful thinking in dreams.

Question 21

Rosalind Cartwright

Answer 21

Dreams provide an opportunity to work through everyday problems and emotional issues. It allows people to reflect on recent emotional experiences and regulate their emotional tone. It contributes to improvements in moods when awaken. It allows people to engage in creative thinking of problems because it is not restrained by logic or realism.

Question 22

J. Allan Hobson

Answer 22

Dreams are by-product bursts of activity emanating from subcortical areas in the brain.

Question 23

The activation-synthesis model

Answer 23

Dreams are side effects of the neural activation that produces beta waves during REM sleep that are associated with wakefulness. Neurons firing periodically in lower brain centres send random signals to the cortex. The cortex synthesizes a dream to make sense of these signals.

Question 24

Hypnosis

Answer 24

The systematic procedure that typically produces a heightened state of suggestibility.

Question 25

Anesthesia (hypnotic phenomenon)

Answer 25

Some physicians, dentists, and psychologists use it as The systematic treatment for problems with pain, especially chronic pain.

Question 26

Sensory distortions + hallucinations (hypnotic phenomenon)

Answer 26

Led to experience auditory/visual hallucinations. Something sour taste sweet.

Question 27

Disinhibition (hypnotic phenomenon)

Answer 27

Reduce inhibitions that would normally prevent subjects from acting in ways they would see as immoral/unacceptable.

Question 28

Posthypnotic suggestions + ammnesia (hypnotic phenomenon)

Answer 28

Suggestions may influence behavior later on.

Question 29

Hypnosis as role playing

Answer 29

Behave as they think hypnotized people are supposed to. Subject’s role expectation that produce hypnotic effects, rather than a special, trancelike state of consciousness.

Question 30

Ernest Hilgard (Hypnosis as an altered state of consciousness)

Answer 30

Hypnosis creates a dissociation in consciousness. It splits consciousness into two streams: one for communication with the hypnotist and the external world, and the other is the difficult to detect “hidden observer”.

Question 31

Dissociation

Answer 31

Splitting off of mental processes into two seperate, simultaneous streams of consciousness.

Question 32

Meditation

Answer 32

Family of practices that train attention to heighten awareness and bring mental processes under greater voluntary control.

Question 33

Focused attention (meditation)

Answer 33

Attention is concentrated on a specific object, image, sound or bodily sensation. Narrowing attention to clear the mind of clutter.

Question 34

Open monitoring (meditation)

Answer 34

Attention is directed to the contents of one’s moment-to-moment experiences in a nonjudgemental + nonatractive way. Expanding attention to become a detatched observer of the flow of one’s own sensations, thoughts and feelings.

Question 35

Psychoactive drugs

Answer 35

Chemical substances that modify mental, emotional, or behavioral functioning.

Question 36

Narcotics (opiates)

Answer 36

Morphine, heroin, and oxycodone. Drugs derived from opium that are capable of relieving pain. The desired affects are euphoria, relaxation (Who cares?), anxiety reduction, and pain relief. The potential short term side effects are lethargy, drowsiness, nausea, impaired coordination, impaired mental functioning and constipation.

Question 37

Sedatives

Answer 37

Barbiturates (e.g. Seconal) and nonbarbiturates (e.g. Quaalude). Sleep-inducing drugs that tend to reduce central nervous system activation and behavioral activity. The medical use is for sleeping and anticovulsant. The desired effects are euphoria, relaxation, anxiety reduction and reduced inhibitions. Short term side effects include lethargy, drowsiness, severly impaired coordination, impaired mental functioning, emotional swings and dejection.

Question 38

Stimulants

Answer 38

Amphetamines and cocaine. Drugs that tend to increase central nervous system activity and behavioral activity. The medical use includes treatment of hyperactibity and narcolepsy, and also serves as a local anesthetic (only cocaine). The desired effects include elation, excitement, increased alertness, increased energy and reduced fatigue. The short term side effects include increased blood pressure and heart rate, increased talkativeness, restlessness, irratibility, insomonia, reduced appetite, increased sweating and urination, anxiety, paranoia, increased aggresiveness and panic.

Question 39

Hallucinogenes

Answer 39

LSD, Mescaline and Psilocybin. A diverse group of drugs that have powerful effects on mental and emotional functioning, marked most notably by distortions in sensory and perceptual experience. The desired effects are increased sensory awareness, euphoria, altered perceptions, halluciniations and insightful experiences. The short term side effects include dilated pupils, nausea, emotional swings, paranoia, jumbled thought processes, impaired judgement, anxiety and panic reaction.

Question 40

Cannabis

Answer 40

Marijuana, Hashish and THC. Hemp plant from which these are derived. The medical use is for treatment of glaucoma and chemotheraphy-induced nausea and vommiting. The desired effects are mild euphoria, relaxation, altered perceptions and enhanced awareness. The side effects include elevated heart rate, bloodshot eyes, dry mouth, reduced short-term memory, sluggish motor coordination, sluggish mental functioning and anxiety.

Question 41

Alchohol

Answer 41

Contains ethyl alchohol. The desired effects are mild euphoria, relaxation, anxiety reduction and reduced inhibitions. The short term side effects are severly impaired coordination, impaired mental functioning, increased urination, emotional swings, depression, quarelsomeness and hangover.

Question 42

Tolerance

Answer 42

A progressive decrease in a person’s responsiveness to a drug as a result of continued use.

Question 43

Mesolimbic dopamine pathway

Answer 43

The “reward pathway”. A neural circuit that runs from an area in the midbrain, through the nucleus accumbens, and on to the prefrontal cortex. Large and rapid increases in the release of dopamine along this pathway are thought to be the neural basis of the reinforcing effects of most abused drugs.

Question 44

Physical dependence

Answer 44

Exists when a person must continue to take a drug to avoid withdrawal illness.

Question 45

Psychological dependence

Answer 45

Exists when a person must continue to take a drug to satisfy intense menral and emotional cravings.