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Chapter 4: States of Consciousness
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Consciousness

The awareness of the
sensations, thoughts, and
feelings being experienced at a
given moment
– Waking consciousness
– Altered states of consciousness
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Stages of Sleep

Stage 1
– The stage of transition between wakefulness
and sleep that is characterized by relatively
rapid, low-voltage brain waves
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Stage 2
– Characterized by a slower, more regular wave
pattern and momentary interruptions of
sharply pointed spiky waves called sleep
spindles
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Stages of Sleep

Stage 3
– Brain waves become slower with an appearance of higher
peaks and lower valleys in the wave pattern

Stage 4
– Deepest stage of sleep where people are least
responsive to outside stimuli and the wave patterns are
more slower and regular
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REM Sleep: The Paradox of Sleep
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Sleep that occupies a little over 20% of
an adult’s sleeping time and is
characterized by
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Rapid eye
movement
Increased and
irregular heart rate
Increase in blood
pressure
Increase in
breathing rate
Erections in males
Usually
accompanied by
dreams
Person’s body is
typically
“paralyzed”
REM rebound
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The Function and Meaning of
Dreaming

Unconscious wish fulfillment
theory (Freud 1900)
– Proposed that dreams
represented unconscious
wishes that dreamers desire
to see fulfilled
– Latent content refers to the
“disguised” meaning of the
dream
– Manifest content refers to
the actual story line of the
dream
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The Function and Meaning of
Dreaming

Dreams-for-survival theory
– Dreams permit information that
is critical for our daily survival
to be reconsidered and
reprocessed during sleep
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The Function and Meaning of
Dreaming

Activation-synthesis theory
– The brain produces random
electrical energy during
REM sleep that stimulates
memories lodged in various
portions of the brain which
are put together to make a
logical story line
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Sleep Disturbances
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Insomnia
Sleep apnea
Sudden infant death
syndrome
Narcolepsy
Sleepwalking
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Circadian Rhythms: Life Cycles

Biological processes that
occur repeatedly on
approximately a 24-hour
cycle
– Seasonal affective disorder
– Jet lag

Daydreams
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Hypnosis

Originated by Franz Mesmer
in the 18th century, it is
described as being a trancelike state of heightened
susceptibility to the
suggestions of others
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Applications
– Controlling pain
– Reducing smoking
– Treating psychological
disorders
– Assisting law enforcement
– Improving athletic
performance
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Meditation

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A learned technique for
refocusing attention that
brings about an altered state
of consciousness
Mantra
– Repetition of a sound, word,
or syllable
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Drug Use: The Highs And Lows of
Consciousness

Psychoactive drugs
– Influence a person’s
emotions, perceptions, and
behavior
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Addictive drugs
– Produce a biological or
psychological dependence
in the user, and withdrawal
from them leads to a craving
for the drug that, in some
cases, may be nearly
irresistible
– Biologically based
– Psychologically based
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Stimulants: Drug Highs

Affects the central nervous
system by causing a rise in
heart rate, blood pressure,
and muscular tension
–
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Caffeine
Nicotine
Cocaine
Amphetamines
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Depressants: Drug Lows
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Impede the nervous system
by causing neurons to fire
more slowly
Alcohol
– Rohypnol
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Barbiturates
– Nembutal
– Seconal
– Phenobarbital
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Narcotics: Relieving Pain and Anxiety
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Increase relaxation and
relieve pain and anxiety
Heroin
– Methadone

Morphine
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Hallucinogens: Psychedelic Drugs
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Drug that is capable of
producing hallucinations, or
changes in the perceptual
process
Marijuana
MDMA (Ecstasy)
LSD
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