CHP8: Nature of consciousness AOS1 Flashcards
(38 cards)
Consciousness
The awareness of our own thoughts, feelings and perceptions (internal events) and our surroundings (external events) at any given moment.
Consciousness continuum
A progression of states of consciousness ranging from least aware to most aware.
A state of consciousness
Our level of awareness of internal events and external surroundings.
Normal waking consciousness (NWC)
The state of being awake and aware of internal and external stimuli (i.e. thoughts, feelings, and behaviours).
Altered states of consciousness (ASC
A state of consciousness that is characterized by different levels of awareness as compared to normal waking consciousness in terms of awareness, thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Naturally occurring altered states of consciousness
A type of altered state of consciousness that involve physiological and psychological automatic changes that occur without intervention, in an expected, natural way, and without our conscious control (e.g. daydreaming, drowsiness, or sleep).
Induced altered state of consciousness
A type of altered state of consciousness that involve physiological and psychological changes that occur due to purposeful action or aid, they have been intentionally brought about (e.g. alcohol-induced, medication, an induced coma etc).
Levels of awareness
The degree to which an individual is conscious of stimuli.
Selective attention
Choosing and attending to a specific stimulus to the exclusion of others either through an internally sourced event (e.g. pain) or an externally sourced event (e.g. watching a car drive past).
Divided attention
The ability to distribute our attention and undertake two or more activities simultaneously.
Levels of processing
Refers to the nature of mental operation which measures how much focus and concentration are required to complete a task or understand information.
Automatic processes
Tasks that require low levels of mental processing.
Controlled processes
Tasks that require high levels of mental processing.
Content limitations
Content refers to the information an individual is consciously aware of. Content limitations refer to constraints a person exerts over the information in their own mind.
Perceptual and cognitive distortions
Atypical or abnormal variation in the way an individual interprets and processes sensory stimuli and thoughts.
Emotional awareness
The level of understanding and control people have over their feelings, as well as the ability to accurately perceive the emotions of others.
Self-control
A person’s ability to restrain or hold composure over their thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Time orientation
Perception of how much or how little time has elapsed, and the ability to situate events in the past present or future.
Perception
Organising sensory input and giving it meaning.
Cognition
Mental activities such as thinking, problem-solving, language, analysis and reasoning.
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Detects, amplifies, and records the electrical activity of the brain that comes from the communication of neurons in the brain. This activity is represented in the form of brain wave patterns which can correlate to different states of consciousness.
Electromyograph (EMG)
Detects, amplifies, and records the electrical activity of the body’s muscles through the movement and tension of muscles that are recorded.
Electro-occulograph (EOG)
Detects, amplifies, and records the electrical activity of muscles that move the eyes.
Subjective reporting
A method of data collection involving accounts directly from the individual about some aspects of their behaviour, biology, or psychology. As it involved methods of self-reporting it can be considered biased.
