Unite 3 - States of Being Chapters 4 and 12 Flashcards
Sleeping and Dreaming Revitalize Us for Action
Consciousness, our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment, is functional because it allows us to plan activities and monitor our goals.
Psychologists believe that consciousness is the result of neural activity in the brain.
Human and animal behaviour is influenced by biological rhythms, including annual, monthly, and circadian rhythms.
Sleep consists of two major stages: REM and non-REM sleep. Non-REM sleep has three substages: N1, N2, and N3.
Each sleep stage is marked by a specific pattern of biological responses and brainwaves.
Sleep is essential for adequate functioning during the day. Sleep disorders, including insomnia, sleep apnea, and narcolepsy, may make it hard for us to sleep well.
Dreams occur primarily during REM sleep. Some theories of dreaming, such as Freud’s, are based on the content of the dreams. Other theories of dreaming propose that dreaming is related to memory consolidation. The activation-synthesis theory of dreaming is based only on neural activity. The threat-simulation theory of dreaming holds that dreams provide a way for dreamers to rehearse how to deal with biologically significant events in waking life.
Altering Consciousness With Psychoactive Drugs
Psychoactive drugs are chemicals that change our state of consciousness. They work by influencing neurotransmitters in the central nervous system.
Using psychoactive drugs may create tolerance and, when they are no longer used, withdrawal. Addiction may result from tolerance and the difficulty of withdrawal.
Stimulants, including caffeine, nicotine, and amphetamines, increase neural activity by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in the central nervous system.
Depressants, including, alcohol, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines, decrease consciousness by increasing the production of the neurotransmitter GABA and decreasing the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Opioids, including codeine, opium, morphine, and heroin, produce euphoria and analgesia by increasing activity in opioid receptor neurons.
Hallucinogens, including cannabis, mescaline, and LSD, create an extreme alteration of consciousness as well as the possibility of hallucinations.
Recreational drug use is influenced by social norms as well as by individual differences. People who are more likely to take risks are also more likely to use drugs.
Altering Consciousness Without Drugs
Hypnosis is a trance-like state of consciousness consisting of deep relaxation, heightened susceptibility, and intense focus.
Hypnosis is not useful for helping people remember past events, but it can be used to alleviate anxiety and pain.
Sensory deprivation is the intentional reduction of stimulation to one or more of the senses. It can be used therapeutically to treat insomnia, muscle tension, and pain.
Meditation refers to a range of techniques that can create relaxation and wellbeing.
The History of Positive Psychology
Positive psychology began to develop in the 1990s with a focus on the strengths, virtues, and talents that contribute to successful functioning and enable individuals and communities to flourish.
Positive psychology has identified six core positive traits (i.e., virtues): courage, justice, humanity, temperance, transcendence, and wisdom.
The scientific study of positive psychology has resulted in ten key findings.
Forgiveness, gratitude, and humility are three key strengths that contribute to happiness and wellbeing.
Positive psychology is now a flourishing field of research that provides evidence for how people can achieve the greatest sense of happiness, purpose, and wellbeing.
The Science of Happiness
Three types of happiness, or subjective wellbeing, have been identified: life satisfaction, positive feelings, and low levels of negative feelings. People can experience none or all of these, as well as only one or two.
Both internal (e.g., a sense of optimism) and external factors (e.g., a lack of material resources) are associated with happiness.
Research shows that money is not the key to happiness.
Some people are happier because they are resilient, and they are able to adapt to their circumstances and bounce back from negative experiences without dwelling on them.
Subjective wellbeing is associated with a number of positive health, personal, and social benefits.
It is possible to measure people’s level of happiness and to adopt concrete strategies to improve it.
Understanding Stress
There are a variety of ways to define stress, but one important component is the perception of being overwhelmed or under threat.
Our appraisals of stressors influence our reactions to them.
Primary appraisal involves judging the potential harm or threat to wellbeing of a stressor.
Secondary appraisal involves judging what options are available to cope with the stressor and the likely effectiveness of them.
Health psychology encompasses the scientific study of stress, its effects, and how people react to stress.
One of the body’s responses to stress is the flight-or-fight response. The physiological changes associated with the flight-or-fight response are an adaptation for dealing with a possible threat.
Hans Selye described the three stages in the general adaptation syndrome as the body’s response to stress: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. Alarm contains the initial flight-or-fight response.
The physiological mechanisms of the flight-or-fight response include the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
Extreme or chronic stress heightens the potential for illness due to the prolonged effects of the physiological response to stress.
Stressors
Stressful events can range from life changes, such as moving, to traumatic events, such as a physical attack.
Holmes and Rahe developed the Social Readjustment Rating Scale to quantify the amount of life change people are exposed to, which corresponded to how much readjustment people would be expected to have to make. This is a way of assessing how much stress exists in people’s lives.
Higher scores on the Social Readjustment Rating Scale are related to illness and mental health problems.
Minor irritations and daily annoyances also contribute to people’s stress. These are termed daily hassles. These are also associated with health problems and low mood.
Some occupations are inherently more stressful than others, such as being a police officer, a teacher, or an air traffic controller.
Promoting Wellness
The biopsychosocial model of health posits that biology, psychology, and social factors are just as important in the development of disease as biological causes like germs and viruses.
Several factors are known to contribute to resilience: the use of coping strategies, a sense of control and self-efficacy, good social relationships, a positive disposition and sense of optimism, and managing one’s stress.
Health behaviours like sleeping enough and not smoking are protective against the effects of stress.
The existence of computer software applications and other online applications is making it easier for people to engage in and monitor their positive health behaviours.
