States of conscientiousness Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is consciousness?
Mental awareness of sensations, perceptions, memories, and feelings
Consciousness encompasses various states of awareness.
What are nonconscious processes?
Processes of acquisition of information outside of conscious awareness
Often linked to the autonomic nervous system.
What are preconscious memories?
Memories that are not in immediate awareness but are easily accessible
They can be recalled with minimal effort.
Define unconscious in the context of mental processes.
Many levels of processing that occur without awareness
Unconscious processes can influence thoughts and behavior.
What is daydreaming?
A common variation of consciousness where attention shifts to memories, expectations, desires, or fantasies
It often diverts attention from the immediate situation.
What are circadian rhythms?
Psychological patterns that repeat approximately every 24 hours
These rhythms influence sleep-wake cycles.
What characterizes REM sleep?
Marked by rapid eye movements and a return to stage 1 EEG patterns; mostly paralyzed during this stage
Dreaming during REM sleep is often vivid and bizarre.
What is unique about narcoleptics in relation to REM sleep?
They usually fall directly into REM sleep
Narcolepsy affects the regulation of sleep stages.
What is non-REM sleep?
Non-rapid eye movement sleep characteristic of stages 2, 3, and 4
Night terrors, somnambulism, and sleep talking occur during NREM sleep.
What is sleep paralysis?
The experience of waking up and feeling paralyzed, except for being able to breathe and move the eyes
Often occurs after a dream and can be frightening.
What leads to REM rebound?
REM sleep deprivation
What is sleep debt?
Deficiency caused by not getting the amount of sleep that one requires for optimal functioning; causes hypersomnia
What is manifest content in dreams?
What a person would remember as soon as they wake, consciously described when recalling the dream
What did Freud suggest about manifest content?
It possessed no meaning whatsoever and was a disguised representation of the true thought underlying the dream
What is latent content in dreams?
Holds the true meaning of the dream, the forbidden thoughts and unconscious desires
What does the activation-synthesis theory propose?
Brain cells are activated during REM sleep, and the brain struggles to interpret the information, manufacturing a dream
Who developed the activation-synthesis theory?
Allan Hobson & Robert McCarley
What is insomnia?
Difficulty in getting to sleep or staying asleep; chronic insomnia lasts more than three weeks
What is sleep apnea?
Repeated interruption of breathing during sleep, major cause of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
What are night terrors?
During NREM sleep, a person suffers total panic, may hallucinate, and awakens drenched in sweat
How long can night terror attacks last?
15-20 minutes
What is narcolepsy?
A sudden, irresistible sleep attack
What is cataplexy?
A sudden temporary paralysis of the muscles
What characterizes hypnosis?
An altered state of consciousness characterized by narrowed attention and increased suggestibility
