Normal waking consciousness and altered states of consciousness (chapter2)

Question 1

alcohol-induced state of consciousness

Answer 1

an altered state of consciousness due to the

consumption of alcohol, a depressant drug.

Question 2

altered states of consciousness

Answer 2

any state of consciousness that deviates
from normal waking consciousness,
in terms of marked differences in level
of awareness, perceptions, memories,
thinking, emotions, behaviours and one’s
sense of time, place and self-control.
It can be deliberately induced or occur
naturally.

Question 3

attention

Answer 3

relates to the information that you are
actively processing, either consciously
or outside our conscious awareness.
Attention can be focussed on events
that are taking place in the environment
(external) or inside our minds (internal)
and shift consciously or unconsciously.

Question 4

automatic processes

Answer 4

processes that require very little
awareness or mental effort to be
performed well and generally don’t
interfere with other automatic or
controlled processes. Automatic
processes require little attention and can
allow you to do two things at once.

Question 5

cognition

Answer 5

a broad term that relates to mental
activities such as thinking, problem
solving, language, reasoning and so
forth. It entails our knowledge, beliefs,
thoughts and ideas that we have about
ourselves and our environment.

Question 6

consciousness

Answer 6

our awareness of your own thoughts,
feelings and perceptions (internal events)
and our surroundings (external stimuli)
at any given moment.

Question 7

continuum of awareness

Answer 7

the levels of awareness that
can be experienced, from deep
unconsciousness to heightened
awareness, on a continuous scale
including normal waking states and
altered states of consciousness. It is
presented on a continuous scale.

Question 8

controlled processes

Answer 8

processes that require mental effort
to focus attention on the required task.
You are unable to complete another
controlled process at the same time as
they both require your full attention and
therefore will interfere with each other.

Question 9

daydreams

Answer 9

our private thoughts, feelings and imagined
scenarios that occur when we shift our
attention to internally while ignoring
the external world. Daydreams tend to
be visualised thoughts that are usually
positive and pleasurable. They occur
naturally and often and mostly considered
an altered state of consciousness.

Question 10

divided attention

Answer 10

refers to our capacity to perform two or
more activities at the same time. This is
generally only possible if the tasks can be
performed with very little mental effort

Question 11

normal waking consciousness

Answer 11

the states of consciousness we
experience when we are awake and aware
of our thoughts, feelings, and perceptions
from internal events and the surrounding
environment. During normal waking
consciousness, we experience a real
sense of time and place. Our experience
during normal waking consciousness
creates our reality and a baseline to judge
all other states of consciousness.

Question 12

perception

Answer 12

the processes involving the way the
brain organises and interprets sensory
information.

Question 13

selective attention

Answer 13

refers to the limitations placed on how
much we can focus on at any given
moment. It is usually difficult to attend
to more than one event at the same
time, especially if this requires a great
deal of mental effort.

Question 14

states of consciousness

Answer 14

An individual’s level of awareness of
internal events (thoughts, feelings and
perceptions) and external surroundings.
An individual experiences a range
of different states of consciousness
throughout the day.