Unit 4 AOS 1 Flashcards
(18 cards)
1
Q
Psychological construct
A
A psychological construct is an entity we believe to exist, because we can measure its effects, but we cannot directly measure the entity itself
2
Q
Normal waking consciousness (NWC):
A
- Normal waking conciousness is the state of conciousness most people spend the majority of their time in
- It is charchterised by the ability to be aware of both internal and external stimuli
- During NWC, people are able to regulate their emotions, control their actions and thoughts, have an accurate sense of time and are able to accurately percive internal and external stimuli
3
Q
- Altered State of Conciousness (ASC)
A
- Altered state of conciousness is a broad term that covers any state of conciousness that differs from norma; waking conciousness
- Is charchterised by different levels of awarness as compard to normal waking conciousness
- They are often a temporary change in state of conciousness and can be broadly categorised into naturally occuring ASC’s or induced ASC’s. In any ASC, there may be perceptual or cognitive distortions, changes in self-control, emotional regulation and time oritentation. They are typically marked by decreased levels of awarness.
4
Q
The continum of conciousness:
.
A
- Our conscious mind is feeling, thinking and deciding using effort, energy and control. Meanwhile our unconcious brain is seeing, organising, categorising, simplifying, instructing and influencing our behaviour. This can be reffered to the dual processing model of conciousness
5
Q
Charchteristics of sleep:
A
- Reduced ability to control behaviour
- Reduction in the control we have over thoughts
- Less accurate understanding of the passage of time
- Perceptual and cognitive distortions
6
Q
Two different types of sleep:
A
- Rapid Eye Movement (REM)
- Non-rapid eye movement (MREM)
7
Q
Charachteristics of REM sleep:
A
- The sleeper is considered to have highly active brain and a less active body during REM sleep
- The sleeper is virtually paralysed during REM sleep, meaning that most muscle movement is not possible
- REM is a relatively light stage of sleep, despite the muscle paralysis, the brain is actrive and sleepers can be woken fairly easily
8
Q
Charachteristics of MREM sleep:
A
- The sleeper is considered to have a less active brain then normal waking consciousness
- As opposed to REM sleep, physical movement is possible in NREM sleep, therfore the body is said to be ‘more active’ in this stage of sleep. However movement tends to decrease as NREM stages progress
- Muscle movement is possible fro the sleeper during NREM sleep
9
Q
Stage 1: NREM Sleep (Light Sleep)
A
- Definition: The first stage of NREM sleep is a transitional phase between wakefulness and sleep. It’s a light sleep stage where the body starts to relax.
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Key Features:
- Duration: Lasts for about 1–7 minutes.
- Brain Activity: Characterized by alpha waves (relaxed wakefulness) transitioning to theta waves (slower and lower in frequency).
- Physical Changes: Muscle relaxation, slow eye movements, and lowered heart rate and breathing.
- Subjective Experience: People may experience hypnic jerks (sudden muscle contractions) and hypnagogic imagery (vivid, dream-like sensations)
10
Q
Stage 2: NREM Sleep (Light Sleep, Deeper than Stage 1)
A
- Definition: Stage 2 is a deeper form of light sleep, where the body continues to relax further. It is the longest stage of NREM sleep.
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Key Features:
- Duration: Lasts for about 10–25 minutes in the first cycle, increasing in later cycles.
- Brain Activity: Dominated by theta waves, with the appearance of sleep spindles (short bursts of high-frequency brain waves) and K-complexes (large, slow brain waves).
- Physical Changes: Heart rate and breathing become more regular. Body temperature drops and muscles relax further.
- Subjective Experience: People are less likely to be easily awakened and may experience sleep talking
11
Q
Stage 3: NREM Sleep (Deep Sleep)
A
- Definition: This is the deepest stage of NREM sleep, crucial for physical restoration and recovery.
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Key Features:
- Duration: Shorter than Stage 2, around 20–40 minutes in the first sleep cycle.
- Brain Activity: Characterized by delta waves (slow, high-amplitude waves). This stage is sometimes referred to as slow-wave sleep (SWS).
- Physical Changes: Significant relaxation of muscles, the lowest heart rate and blood pressure, and slower breathing.
- Subjective Experience: It’s harder to be awakened from Stage 3. This is the stage where sleepwalking and night terrors may occur.
- Importance: Critical for physical restoration, immune function, and growth.
12
Q
Summary of Key Differences:
A
- Stage 1: Light sleep, transition between wakefulness and sleep.
- Stage 2: Light sleep, deeper than Stage 1, characterized by sleep spindles and K-complexes.
- Stage 3: Deep sleep (slow-wave sleep), dominated by delta waves, essential for physical restoration.
13
Q
Measuring sleep:
DARE
A
- Detects
- Amplifies
- Records
- Electrical activity
14
Q
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
A
- A device that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the brain
- When neurons communicate, they emit elecgtrical impulses. These impulses are detected by the EEG and then presented as brain wave patterns, these brain waves can be used to amke a judgement about the state wave patterns correlate to different states of consciousness.
- Brain waves vary in frequency (rate) and amplitude (height)
15
Q
EEG
A
EEG’s can indicate whether an individual might be altered in state of conciousness and therfore whether they may be asleep
Often, an EEG will show a higher frquency and lower amplitude when in normal waking conciousness, and a lower frequency and higher amptitute during an altered state of conciousness.
16
Q
An EEG is likely to show:
A
- Higher frequency and lower amplitute in REM sleep
- High frequency and low amplitude in NREM sleep stage 1, but lower frequency and higher amplitude than normal-waking conciousness
- Medium frequency and medium amplitiude in NREM sleep stage 3
- A strength of EEG’s as a measure of sleep is that it is useful for sleep studies or diagnoses of pateints with brain damage or a neurological or mental disorder
- A limitation of EEG’s as a measure of sleep is that is measures neural activity underneath thick and hard skull and this is not entirely precise. It also does not pinpoint or identity functional or dysfunctional areas of the brain as well as neuroimaging techniwues, such as fMRI
17
Q
Elecotromyograph (EMG):
A
- A device that detects, amplifies, and records the electrical activity of the body’s muscles. By attaching electrodes to the skin above the muscles uner investigation, the movement and tension of muscles are recorded.
- Muscle movement and tension can be used to identifiy differnt stages and types of sleep an individual may be expereincing:
- During REM sleep, EMG readings show low activity, due to there being low levels of physiological activity during this type of sleep
- During NREM sleep, EMG readings show medium/moderate activity, dyue to there being some physiological activity during this type of sleep. However, as NREM sleep stages progess, an EMG is likely to show lower activity as movement is less likely to occur (although it is still possible)
18
Q
Electo-oculargraph (EOG)
A
- A device that detects, amplifies and records the electircal activity of the muscles responsible for eye movement
- The movement of these muscles, and therfore movement of the eyes, is measured by electides that are attached to the skin above the muscles
- One of the main distingushing features of REM sleep and NREM sleep is eye movement. EOG’S are helpful in determining what type of sleep an individual is experiencing:
- During REM sleep, an individual experiences rapid eye movement, so an EOG is liekly to show high activity
- During NREM sleep, an individual experiences rapid eye
