Unit 1 - chapter 3 (consciousness and two track mind)

Question 1

what is conscious experience a result of?

Answer 1

synchronized brain activity

Question 2

the difference between inattention blindness and change blindness

Answer 2

inattention blindness is failing to see visual objects when our attention is elsewhere.
change blindness is failing tontine a change in the environment.

Question 3

selective attention

Answer 3

the focusing of conscious awareness on a specific stimuli

Question 4

types of processing

Answer 4

dual processing: different information is processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.

parallel processing: processing many different aspects of a problem at the same time (ie routine business, riding the bike)

sequential processing: processing on aspect of a problem at a time (ie new or unknown business, learning how to ride a bike)

Question 5

stroop task

Answer 5

example of dual processing
assess the ability to inhibit cognitive interference that occurs when the processing of a specific stimulus feature impedes simultaneous processing of a second stimulus

Question 6

what is sleep

Answer 6

natural loss of consciousness

superchiasmatic nucleus (SCN): located in the pineal gland activated light-sensitive retinal proteins

Question 7

circadian rhythm

Answer 7

a biological clock

Question 8

stages of sleep

Answer 8

awake - alpha waves
NREM-1 - hallucinations (transition from being awake to asleep, not quite dreaming)
NREM-2 - spindles (~20 minutes, burst of rapid brain activity, very much asleep)
NREM-3 - delta waves (~30 min, very slow brain waves)
REM - eye movement (~30-45 min, rapid eye movement, dreams happen, HR increases, irregular breathing)

(NREM = non-rapid eye movement)

Question 9

REM sleep

Answer 9

motor cortex is activated but the brainstem blocks the messages

paradoxical sleep: the body is internally aroused with waking-like brain activity, but fully asleep and calm

time spent in REM (and NREM2) gets longer during the night while NREM3 gets shorter
*(there is a cycle through NREM2 through REM)

Question 10

why do we sleep

Answer 10

some ideas:

• protection
• recuperation
• restore and build
• memory consolidation
• creativity
• growth

Question 11

sleep loss and disorders

Answer 11

side effects of sleep loss:

• sleep debt
• depression
• weight gain (increases Relin hormone)
• immunodeficiency
• cognitive deficits

disorders:

• insomnia (struggling to fall and/or stay asleep)
• narcolepsy (go straight into REM sleep, sudden falling asleep)
• sleep apnea (snoring, waking up feeling like you didn’t sleep)
• sleepwalking/talking (normal activities while sleeping, during NREM3)
• night terrors (terrifies during sleep, acting out while asleep)
• sleep paralysis (unable to move, but awake)

Question 12

natural(fish) sleep aids

Answer 12

• regular exercise
• limit caffeine, food/drinks, and alcohol
• dimmed lights before bed
• regular sleep schedule
• relax your mind
• settle for less sleep

Question 13

what we dream and why

Answer 13

dreams: vivid, emotional, and sometimes bizarre sequences of images, emotions, and thoughts that happen during sleep
- occurs during REM
- dreams incorporate traces of the previous days’ nonsexual experiences and preoccupations
- two-track mind seamlessly can integrate sensory information into the dream’s storyline

Question 14

why we dream

Answer 14

Wish-fulfillment: Freudian concept, us expressing unacceptable feelings
Information-processing: helps us sort through the day prior
Physiological function: dreams may help us develop by strengthening neurons and pathways
Activation synthesis: neural activity evokes or triggers things we’ve seen while awake are weaved into stories
Cognitive-development: dreams reflect our level of development

Question 15

REM rebound

Answer 15

REM sleep is necessary
-even if you awaken frequently and are deprived of REM sleep, we quickly fall back into it and see increases in times spent in REM sleep

Question 16

substance use disorder (SUD)

Answer 16

psychoactive drugs are chemical substances that alter perceptions and moods (can alter physiological functions)

SUD: a disorder characterized by continued use and craving of a substance regardless of negative effects and physical risk

Question 17

types of psychoactive drugs

Answer 17

depressants: reduce neural activity and slow physiological functions
stimulants: excite/increase neural activity and speed up physiological functions
hallucinogens: psychedelics that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images despite lack of sensory input

Question 18

depressants

Answer 18

alcohol - complex, slows sympathetic nervous system, disrupts memory, can cause cognitive deficits

barbiturates - tranquilizer, reduce anxiety and depress CNS activity but impair memory and judgment

opiates - pain killers, derived from opium, depress neural activity

Question 19

stimulants

Answer 19

nicotine
methamphetamine
cocaine
ecstasy (MDMA)
caffeine

Question 20

hallucinogens

Answer 20

LSD
ecstasy
marijuana

Question 21

influences of drugs

Answer 21

Biological: drugs can alter brain functions, hormone levels, etc.

Psychological: people with depression and anxiety are more likely to abuse drugs

Social-cultural: people surrounded by others abusing drugs are most likely going to fall into that habit

Question 22

tolerance and withdrawal

Answer 22

tolerance - continued use changes brain chemistry to offset and adapt to the drug, users require more and more overtime to experience the same effect as the first time

withdrawal - discomfort and distress experienced after ceasing drug/alcohol use