Download Consciousness and Information Processing

Chapter 7- States of Consciousness
Day 1
What is Consciousness?
•Consciousness has been defined by psychologists as our awareness of ourselves and our
environment.
•
Consciousness and Information Processing
•Consciousness describes what we are aware of but many things are processed outside of
our “consciousness.”
•
•Consciousness has a limited capacity
Daydreams and Fantasies
•Almost everyone daydreams at one point or another.
•
•Although 95% of all people have sexual fantasies, men tend to fantasize more than
women.
•Fantasy-prone personality:
Why Might Daydreaming Be Helpful and Adaptive for Humans?
•A way to escape
•
•Aware of unfinished business
•
•Substitute for impulsive behavior
Biological Rhythms
•Biological Rhythms: periodic physiological fluctuations built into human beings.
Ex:
•Circadian Rhythm:
Is P.M.S. A Myth?!?
•“Premenstrual Syndrome:” feelings of increasing tension and stress that occur before
onset of menstruation.
•Human tendency to remember instances that confirm our beliefs.
•Placebos work the same
•
Sleep
•Sleep:
•Using an EEG, sleep researchers have shown the mind is “awake” during various stages
of sleep
Sleep Stages: Stage 1
•As we lay with our eyes closed we are in an awake but highly relaxed state characterized
by ___________________________ (slow waves) being emitted from our brain.
•As we fall asleep, we have a 50% decrease in alpha wave activity…sometimes referred
to as “drowsy sleep.”
•During Stage 1 sleep, we often experience _____________________: false sensory
experiences. We may feel a sensation of falling or floating.
•
Second Stage: Sleep Spindles
•After about 5 minutes in stage 1 sleep, you sleep into Stage 2 sleep which is
characterized by Sleep Spindles: ____________________________________________
•Stage where you are clearly asleep, sleep talking can occur in this stage or any other
later stage.
•
Stage Three: Transition Stage
•Stage Three begins your descent into “___________________________.”
•______________________: (large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep) begin
appearing in stage 3 but are increasingly apparent in Stage 4.
Stage Four: Delta Waves
•Stage of deep sleep characterized __________________________
•Stage when you are hard to awaken…but still aware of stimuli around you.
•
•Also experience __________________________.
Night Terrors
Occur during late stage 4 sleep and are characterized _________________________
___________________________________________________________________
R.E.M. Sleep (Paradoxical Sleep)
•After stage 4, your bodies cycles back to stage 3, stage 2, and into ____________.
•A Normal Sleep cycle lasts about ____________________.
•R.E.M.: ___________________________, stage where vivid dreams occur. Known as
Paradoxical because _____________________________________________.
•Heart rate increases, Breathing more rapid, _____________________________.
•Genitals become aroused during R.E.M. sleep even when dreams are not sexual in
nature.
•As sleep cycle continues, ____________________________________________.
So Why Do We Sleep?
•Most ppl will sleep for _________________ if they could
•
•Decrease in work productivity
•Increase in auto accidents
•
•Alter metabolic and hormonal functioning
•
Sleep Function
•Theories:
•1. Sleep ________________
•2. Helps us ________________________
•3. Might help us _______________
Sleep Disorders
•Insomnia_______________________________________
•10-15 % of adults
•Sleeping pills and alcohol might make it worse
–
•Narcolepsy: a sleep disorder characterized by _________________________________
–Usually____________ minutes
–1 in 2000 ppl
•R.E.M. sleep occurs at wrong time. Very little N.R.E.M. sleep goes directly to R.E.M.
•Cause- lack of neurotransmitter___________________________
•Sleep Apnea: sleep disorder characterized by a _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________
•Often complained about as “_______________________.”
•Often interrupts deep sleep stages leaving person feeling exhausted.
Day 2
Dreams
What’s the Meaning Of Dreams? Depends Who You Ask!
1. Psychoanalytic Theorists like Freud will argue that dreams represent the
___________________________.” Dreams represent unresolved wishes/desires and
discharge feelings that would be unacceptable if consciously voiced.
•Sigmund Freud- __________________________________ (1900)
–
–discharge otherwise unacceptable feelings
•Manifest Content: ____________________________________________________.
•Latent Content: _______________________________________________________
2. As Information Processing
– helps consolidate the ___________________
–Stimulates ____________________________
3 Physiological Function of Dreams: periodic brain activity associated with
R.E.M. sleep _______________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
4 Activation-Synthesis Theory: ___________________________________
__________________________________________________. Visual cortex among
other areas like the Limbic System are active during R.E.M. sleep. Mind always tries to
make sense of stimuli.
5 •Dreams As Part of Cognitive Development: all mammals experience R.E.M.
sleep and many researchers _______________________________________________.
6 •R.E.M. Rebound: _______________________________________________.
May illustrate a biological need for it
Lucid Dreams
•Lucid Dreams:
What do we dream about?
•Sex- 1 in 30 for ___________;1 in 10 for _____________
•Women dream about men and women; _______________________________________
•Most dreams are ________________________________
•Previous day’s experiences
•Forget things that happen ___________________________________
•Do not remember taped info
Hypnosis
•Hypnosis- a social interaction in which one person ( the hypnotist) suggests to another
( the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts or behaviors will occur
 Can anyone Experience Hypnosis?
It depends on the subject’s openness to suggestion
 Can Hypnosis Enhance Recall of Forgotten Events?
•Hypnosis does not help us recover “accurate memories as far back as birth”
•
 Can hypnosis force ppl to act against their will?
An authoritative person in a legitimate context can induce ppl- hypnotized or not- to
perform some unlikely acts
 Can Hypnosis Alleviate Pain
•________________
•10% of us can become so deeply hypnotized that even major surgery can be performed
without anesthesia
•Dissociation- a ________________________________________.
•Dissociate the sensation of the pain from the emotional suffering
•Selective Attention
 Is Hypnosis an Altered State of Consciousness
 Hypnosis as a social phenomenon
•Behaviors produced through hypnotic procedures can also be produced without them
•
 Hypnosis As A Divided Consciousness
•Explains hypnosis not as a unique “trance state” where the “subconscious” is under
control by the hypnotist but rather as a _______________________ caused by the
“subjective experience of hypnosis.”
•Hilgard’s Experiment
Hilgard’s Hidden Observer
•Hidden Observer: describes hypnotized subject’s awareness of experiences, such as
pain, that go unreported during hypnosis.
–Is a part of the person that has the experience
 Can Hypnosis Have an Effect After The Session?
•Posthypnotic Amnesia:
•Posthypnotic Suggestion:
 Near Death Experiences
Near Death Experiences:
Day 3- Drugs
Altered Consciousness and Drugs
Psychoactive Drug: Any chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood.
Three Basic Categories:
Depressants:
Stimulants:
Hallucinogens:
Why Do Drugs Mess People Up?
No matter what type of drug from alcohol to cocaine, drugs work at the
neurological level and at the _________________________.
Some drugs stimulate the release of certain neurotransmitters.
Others mimic the activity of neurotransmitters __________________
Others inhibit the release of neurotransmitters __________________
Drugs and Social Expectations
Drug experiences vary depending on the culture you are in.
Often people _________________________________________________.
Ex: _________________________________.
Depressants
Alcohol: ____________________________________________, inhibitions,
and can seriously alter physical functioning in high doses (balance, memory,
consciousness, death).
Urges you feel when sober, you are more likely to act upon when drunk.
Alcohol will increase any tendency you have whether it is harmful or helpful
Barbiturates: ______________________________________________
Ex: sleep aids, valium, “special k,” tranquilizers, etc
Opiates: _________________________________________________
Ex: morphine, heroin, opium.
Opiates usually mimic endorphins; causes massive craving and addiction
because body stops producing its ____________________
Stimulants
Wide variety of substances fall under the category of stimulants including:

Nicotine

Cocaine

_______________________________________, often use to keep awake, lose
weight, or to boost mood.
All stimulants can become _____________________ and often come with a
“crash” when high is over with.
Cocaine: powerful stimulant ___________________________ that induces 15
to 30 minute “rush.” ______________produces even quicker and more intense
high but lasts shorter period of time.
Drug __________________________________________________________
_____________________________________. Also increases paranoia and
increases risk of heart problems.
May ___________________________ and causes extreme addiction
Methamphetamine: (___________________________). Causes large
increases in alertness and may cause increase in energy and produce a euphoria.
Often ____________________________________, insomnia, nervousness, or
even seizures.
Hallucinogens
Also called psychedelics: _________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Most well known hallucinogen is LSD: (lysergic acid diethylamine):
______________________________________________
Other examples include: marijuana, peyote, and “magic mushrooms,”
Marijuana: consists of flowers and leaves from the hemp plant and when
smoked or ingested acts as a ____________________________________.
Relaxes, disinhibits, and impairs motor functions of individuals while at the
same time amplifying sensitivity to colors, sounds, tastes, and smells.
Main active ingredient=_________________________
In recent years, Marijuana has also been promoted for __________________.
Advocates say that marijuana serves as ____________________________
________________________________, nausea, or that have trouble eating.
Although the medical community is split on issue, most recognize the
________________________________________ to using the drug medically.
Marijuana also ______________________________ and may cause sexual
dysfunctions.
General Concepts and Drugs
Physical vs. Psychological Dependence
Tolerance:
Withdrawal:
Influences on Drug Use
Perception of the risk involved with a drug helps predict levels of use.
Also evidence that there may be biological influences in drug use. Couple
examples:
_________________ with alcoholism other twin has increased risk.
Molecular geneticists have found ______________ that is more common
in people with alcoholism.
___________________________________________.
Family strength, religiousness, morality are near as big as predictors as
whether or not peers use drugs. _________________________________
_____________________________________________
Why many addicts have to change their __________________ in order
to remain drug free.