Topic 6 - Consciousness Flashcards
Define consciousness
The subjective awareness of mental events
Name 4 measures of consciousnes.
Self reporting
Experience-sampling
Brain imaging techniques
Direct observation and recording behaviour
What are 2 functions of consciousness?
Monitor - self & the environment
Control - thoughts and behaviour
What area in brain is activated when people exercise conscious control?
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Define attention.
The process of focusing conscious awareness, providing heightened sensitivity to a limited range of experience requiring more extensive information processing.
What are the 3 components of attention?
Orienting
Controlling contents of consciousness
Maintaining alertness
How is divided attention studied?
Dichotic listening tasks.
What are the 3 types of daydreaming?
- Positive constructive daydreaming.
- Guilty-dysphoric daydreaming
- Poor attentional control
How did Freud define consciousness?
One of three mental systems: Conscious = in awareness
Preconscious = could be readily brought into awareness if needed
Unconscious = inaccessible to consciousness - repressed
Define subliminal perception
Refers to perception of stimuli below the threshold of consciousness
What is the cognitive view of the unconscious?
That it is information processing mechanisms such as implicit memory.
Damage to which area of the brain can lead to a complete loss of consciousness?
The hindbrain
As people begin to relax and close their eyes for sleep, what waves emerge and what do they show?
Alpha waves - they show a slowing of mental activity and transition into sleep.
What waves are present in sleep stage 1?
What physiological changes occur?
Theta waves.
Eye mvt slows, muscles relax, BP drops
What changes are seen in brain waves in sleep stage 2?
Slightly larger waves, interrupted by bursts of low amplitude activity (sleep spindles)
Slow, high amplitude waves = K-complexes
Sleep deepens, alpha activity disappears
What waves are seen in Sleep Stage 3?
What signifies transition from Stage 3-4?
Large, slow, rhythmic delta waves emerge.
When delta waves are more than 50% of brain activity, person has moved to stage 4.
What is stage 4 characterised by?
Relaxed muscles, decreased respiration rate and lower body temp.
What occurs after sleep stage 4?
Stage 4 is interrupted and the stages reverse. Instead of reaching stage 1, the sleeper enters REM sleep.
What is REM sleep characterised by?
Rapid eye movement.
Pulse quickens, BP increases, RR is fast & irregular, signs of sexual arousal.
Dreaming occurs in REM
What brain areas are active in REM?
Pons, thalamus, amygdala.
Visual association areas in occipital and temporal lobes.
Why do we accept bizarre story lines in dreams?
because the frontal circuits involved in critical thinking and social judgement are shut off during dreams.
How long is a sleep cycle typically?
90 mins
What brain waves are seen in meditation?
Alpha & Beta
Occasionally Delta
Define mindfulness
A state of focused awareness whereby an individual calls upon all senses to shift focus from external stimuli to internal awareness and develop the mental, emotional, physical and social competencies needed to successfully handle life’s challenges.
Mindfulness involves a heightened awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
What is the hidden observer?
The hidden observer theory by Ernest Hilgard assumes that a separate consciousness is formed in an individual’s mind during hypnosis which is capable of observing the individual.
The conscious participant has no idea what has happened during hypnosis but the hidden observer can recall all of it.
How does alcohol reduce anxiety?
Appears to enhance GABA activity. GABA inhibits norepinephrine which is involved in anxiety
What are the two groups of disorders of consciousness?
UWS - unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (prev. vegetative)
MCS - minimally conscious state
