Chapter 4 - Consciousness And Its Variations

Question 1

Consciousness

Answer 1

your immediate awareness of your internal states - your thoughts, sensations, memories - and the external world around you

Question 2

William James

Answer 2

Described consciousness as a stream or river
- consciousness allows people ti integrate past, present and future behavior, guide future actions, and maintain a sense of self

Question 3

Characteristics of attention

Answer 3

• Attention has limited capacity and is selective
• Attention can be blind (you can miss something right in front of your face)

Question 4

Misdirection

Answer 4

magicians exploit the limited, selective nature of attention

Question 5

Inattentional Blindness

Answer 5

one does not notice some significant object or event that is in clear field of vision

Question 6

Inattentional Deafness

Answer 6

failing to hear an auditory message when attention is elsewhere

Question 7

The Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (The Body’s Clock)

Answer 7

clues and cues the environment and tells us what to do and when to do it
- Environmental cues for circadian rhythm

Question 8

Pineal gland

Answer 8

gland that produces the hormone melatonin (helps regulate sleep)

Question 9

What is the best cue to regulate cycles (sleep)?

Answer 9

light (bright light), especially sunlight
- light is detected by photoreceptors in the supra charismatic nucleus in the hypothalamus

Question 10

What are the two basic types of sleep?

Answer 10

REM: rapid eye movement
NREM: non-rapid eye movement or quiet sleep

Question 11

Sleep Paralysis

Answer 11

being paralyzed while sleeping, you actually feel like what you are dreaming is real

Question 12

Beta Brain Waves

Answer 12

Brain wave pattern associated with alert wakefulness

Question 13

Alpha Brain Waves

Answer 13

brain waves associated with relaxed wakefulness and drowsiness

Question 14

Stages of NREM sleep

Answer 14

Stage 1: drowsiness/light sleep (alpha and theta waves)
Stage 2: light sleep (alpha and theta waves)
Stage 3 + 4: slow wave sleep (deep sleep) (delta waves)

Question 15

What waves are associated with REM sleep?

Answer 15

alpha and beta waves

Question 16

What would happen if you were not completely paralyzed during REM sleep?

Answer 16

you would begin to act out your dreams

Question 17

How many minutes are in each sleep cycle?

Answer 17

90 minutes

Question 18

Why do we sleep?

Answer 18

to clear brain of metabolic waste products; maintaining immune function, learning and memory, and regulating mood

Question 19

NREM and Memory Formation

Answer 19

slow-wave sleep contributes to forming new episodic memories, which are memories of personally experienced events

Question 20

REM sleep and Memory Formation

Answer 20

help consolidate procedural memories which involve learning a new skill or task until it can be performed

Question 21

Sleep Thinking

Answer 21

Occurs during NREM slow wave sleep
- vague, bland, thought like ruminations about real life events

Question 22

When do most dreams happen?

Answer 22

REM sleep
- they are more vivid during this cycle
- people report a dream about 90 percent of the time

Question 23

Nightmares

Answer 23

Vivid and frightening or unpleasant anxiety dreams during REM sleep
- increased by stress, caffeine, and lack of sleep
- most common in children (10% of adults experience nightmares weekly)
- not usually an indicator of a sleep or psychological disorder

Question 24

Night Terrors

Answer 24

happens during slow wave sleep
- don’t wake up but you have a physical reaction

Question 25

Dyssomnias

Answer 25

sleep disorders involving disruptions in the amount, quality, or timing of sleep - ex. insomnia, sleep apnea, narcolepsy

Question 26

Parasomnias

Answer 26

are undesired arousal or actions during sleep - sleep terrors, sleep sex, murder, talking

Question 27

Strategies for preventing sleep problems

Answer 27

- monitor intake of stimulants - establish a quiet bedtime routine - create the conditions for a restful sleep - establish a consistent sleep-wake schedule

Question 28

Hypnosis

Answer 28

cooperative (must be willing) social interaction in which the person responds to the hypnotists suggestions with changes in perception, memory and behavior

Question 29

Psychoactive Drugs

Answer 29

chemical substances that can alter arousal, mood, thinking, sensations and perception

Question 30

What are the four categories of Psychoactive drugs?

Answer 30

depressants, stimulants, psychedelics and opiates

Question 31

What type of influence do drugs have on brain activity?

Answer 31

- alter synaptic transmission amount neurons - increase/decrease neurotransmitter amounts - blocking, or mimicking/influencing a particular neurotransmitter's effects - ruin the reward pathway

Question 32

Physical Dependence

Answer 32

brain and body chemistry have physically adapted to a drug

Question 33

Drug Tolerance

Answer 33

increasing amounts needed to gain original effect

Question 34

Withdrawal symptoms

Answer 34

unpleasant physical reaction to lack of drug, plus intense craving

Question 35

Drug Rebound Effect

Answer 35

Withdrawal symptoms are the opposite of the drugs action

Question 36

Drug Abuse

Answer 36

recurrent drug use resulting in disruption of academic, social or occupational functioning in legal or psychological problems

Question 37

Change in reward circuitry

Answer 37

normal reinforcing experiences of everyday life are no longer satisfying or pleasurable

Question 38

Addiction

Answer 38

condition where a person feels physically compelled to take a substance

Question 39

Epigenetic

Answer 39

genes for addiction can be passed down to offspring

Question 40

Depressants

Answer 40

depress or inhibit CNS activity - produce drowsiness, sedation or sleep - relieve anxiety and lower inhibitions - ex. alcohol, inhalants, tranquilizers (xanex)

Question 41

Alcohol

Answer 41

Psychological effects: produce mild euphoria, lessens inhibitions by depressing brain centers that are responsible for judgement and control

Question 42

Opiates

Answer 42

Addictive drugs that relieve pain, produce mild feelings of euphoria - occupy endorphin receptors in the brain, mimicking the effect of endorphins (alter perception of pain

Question 43

Stimulants

Answer 43

increase brain activity - ex. caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, etc.

Question 44

Caffeine

Answer 44

Promotes wakefulness, mental alertness, vigilance, and faster thought processes - stimulates dopamine in brain's prefrontal cortex - can produce anxiety, restlessness and increased heart rate (ruins normal sleep patterns)

Question 45

Psychedelic Drugs

Answer 45

create profound perceptual distortions, alter mood, and affect thinking - means mind manifesting ex. LSD, marijuana