Intro to psychology - basic processes: Chapter 5 - Consciousness

Consciousness

The awareness of external and internal stimuli.

Attention

A focused state of consciousness that is intentional and used to distinguish specific stimuli.

Mind wandering

A state of consciousness characterized by the experience of task unrelated thoughts occurring without much effort or intentional attention.

EEGs (Electroinsphllograph)

A device that records the electrical activity of the brain, specifically surface level activity in the cortical regions caused by action potentials.

Beta waves

EEG brain wave patterns associated with a fully awake and alert state, characterized by high frequency and short amplitude.

Alpha waves

EEG patterns typically associated with relaxed and calm waking states.

Theta waves

EEG patterns associated with light sleep states, such as Stage $1$ non REM sleep.

Delta waves

EEG patterns characterized by slower frequencies and higher amplitudes, associated with deep slow wave sleep in Stage $3$.

Circadian rhythms

The $24$-hour biological cycle influenced by biology and the environment that affects blood pressure, urine production, and hormone secretions.

Melatonin

A hormone produced by the pineal gland that helps regulate the sleep cycle; its production is typically inhibited by light exposure.

Superior calul calulus nucleus

The brain structure that receives light signals from the retina and relays them to the pineal gland to regulate hormone release.

Light therapy

An environmental intervention used to reset the biological clock and treat depression by exposing individuals to light during darker months like November and December.

Jet lag

A disruption of circadian rhythms caused by flying across different time zones, leading to a reduction in sleep quality.

Stage 1 non REM sleep

A brief transition stage of light sleep lasting between $1$ to $12$ minutes, where breathing and heart rate slow and theta waves appear.

Hypnotic jerks

Brief muscle contractions or jerky movements of the chin and body that occur during the transition from an alert state to Stage $1$ sleep.

Stage 2 non REM sleep

A stage of sleep where physiological functions continue to slow and brain activity is marked by sleep spindles and mixed EEG patterns.

Sleep spindles

Brief bursts of higher frequency brain wave activity characteristic of Stage $2$ sleep.

Stage 3 non REM sleep

The deep stage of sleep where physiological responses are at their slowest and brain activity is dominated by delta waves.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep

A deep stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements, irregular breathing, vivid dreams, and beta-like high frequency brain waves.

Sleep cycles

The repeated progression through sleep stages during the night; humans generally experience around $4$ cycles per night.

Slow delta stage 3 sleep proportion

The amount of time young adults spend in deep delta sleep, estimated at $15$ to $23\%$ of their total sleep.

REM sleep proportion

The percentage of total sleep time spent in the rapid eye movement stage for young adults, typically $20$ to $25\%$.

Hemispatial neglect

A condition revealing a distinction between the brain's processing of information and the experience of that processing, often characterized by an unawareness of one side of the field of vision.

Consciousness

The experience of the brain's processing of information, including awareness of both the external world and our internal selves, thoughts, and emotions.

Models

Continuously updating, simplified descriptions of objects and events in the world built by the brain based on sensory input to determine appropriate responses.

White light perception

A simplified model where the visual system codes light as brightness without color, despite it actually containing wavelengths corresponding to all different viewable colors.

Model of the physical body

A brain model that keeps track of the configuration of limbs, size, shape, and movement, but omits details like individual cells or muscles.

Attention

The brain's ability to focus on specific objects and events and shift that focus between internal and external needs.

$$86\text{ billion}$$

The approximate number of neurons constantly interacting in the brain, making it impossible for the brain's model of its own processing to be perfectly self-descriptive.

MRI studies

A research method used to pinpoint neural networks by comparing patterns of activation when a participant is and is not conscious of a sensory stimulus.

Vegetative state

A condition with no sign of consciousness which can be caused by extensive damage to the neural network involved in conscious awareness.

EEGs

Tools that measure brain activities by capturing electrical activities on the surface area of the brain to indicate different states of consciousness.

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

The stage of sleep characterized by eyes moving back and forth, which is typically when vivid dreams occur.

Dream Content

The specific elements of a dream, which are often related to waking life, day events, or stimuli experienced while dreaming.

Choli nation

A group in northern Uganda who believe that spirits can infiltrate dreams to communicate messages from past generations.

Sigmund Freud

A psychologist who believed dreams represent the manifestation of repressed, unconscious thoughts and inappropriate wish fulfillments.

Latent content

The hidden, unconscious, or unresolved issues that manifest in dreams according to Freudian theory.

Problem-solving theory of dreams

The idea that dreams provide opportunities to work through everyday problems and can be a source of creative inspiration.

Activation-synthesis model

A theory arguing that dreams are byproducts of random bursts of activity from subcortical areas during REM sleep, which the cortex then tries to make sense of by constructing a narrative.

Hypnosis

A state of consciousness involving a heightened state of suggestibility, often induced through systematic procedures.

Hypnotic induction techniques

Procedures used to put someone into a hypnotic state, which can include suggestions of getting sleepy or the use of objects like stopwatches.

Social-cognitive theory of hypnosis

The theory that suggestible people in a hypnotic state are acting out a role expectation based on how they think they are supposed to behave.

Dissociation

A split-off of mental processes into two separate, simultaneous streams of awareness during hypnosis.

Hidden observer

In dissociation theory, the second stream of consciousness that is difficult to detect but remains aware of what is happening during hypnosis.

Meditation

A family of practices used to train the mind to be aware of the present moment and block out internal or environmental distractions.

Focused attention

A style of meditation where concentration is narrowed to a specific object, such as a sound or a chime, to block everything else out.

Open monitoring

A style of meditation where attention is focused on observing the content of one's own thoughts non-judgmentally, as if they were clouds passing in the sky.

Alpha and theta waves

Specific brain wave patterns that become more prominent in individuals who practice meditation consistently over long periods.

Mesopotamian Dream Recording

Practice dating back to the third millennium BCE where kings recorded and interpreted their dreams on wax tablets.

Ancient Egyptian Dream Book

A document written a thousand years after the Mesopotamian records that listed over a hundred common dreams and their meanings.

Sigmund Freud's Theory

Proposed in the early 1900s, this theory suggests dreams are symbolic representations of unconscious primitive thoughts, urges, and desires related to wish fulfillment.

2010 3-D Maze Study

Research finding that subjects who napped and dreamed of a complex maze were up to $10$ times better at it on their second attempt compared to others.

Reverse Learning

A 1983 neurobiological theory suggesting that during REM sleep, the neocortex reviews and dumps unnecessary neural connections to prevent parasitic thoughts.

Neural Connections

The architecture of the brain contains approximately $10,000 \text{ trillion}$ of these, which are filtered during the unlearning process of dreaming.

Continual Activation Theory

The proposal that dreams result from the brain's need to constantly consolidate and create long-term memories, acting like a "random screen saver."

Primitive Instinct Rehearsal Theory

The theory that dreams of dangerous or threatening situations allow a person to practice their fight or flight instincts to keep them sharp for real life.

Dream to Heal

A theory suggesting that dreaming during REM sleep, when stress neurotransmitters are less active, helps take the edge off painful experiences for psychological healing.

Committee of Sleep

A term used by John Steinbeck to describe how the mind can solve problems and formulate solutions in dreams without the constraints of conventional logic.

August Kekule

The renowned chemist who discovered the structure of the benzene molecule through a dream.

Psychoactive chemicals

Chemicals that work towards modifying mental, emotional, and or behavioral functioning.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit information between neurons at junctions called synapses.

Synapses

The junctions where neurotransmitters transmit information between neurons.

General mechanism of drug action

Altering neurotransmitter activity in the brain by reducing or increasing the amount of neurotransmitters in the synaptic gap.

Amphetamines

Stimulants that exert effects by increasing the release of dopamine and norepinephrine by presynaptic neurons and interfering with their re-uptake.

Cocaine

A stimulant that mainly blocks the re-uptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin.

Dopamine circuits

Neural pathways that, when elevated by drugs like amphetamines or cocaine, cause pleasurable and rewarding effects.

Nucleus accumbens

A subcortical region that is part of the reward system impacted by the excitation of neurotransmitters.

Mesocortical pathways

Neural pathways critical for high levels of cognitive functioning such as working memory, planning, motivation, attention, and emotion regulation.

THC

The main active ingredient in cannabis responsible for mood-altering properties, a mild relaxed euphoria state, and enhanced sensory awareness.

Cannabinoid receptors

Receptors located in the brain and throughout the body that pick up THC.

GABA and Glutamate synapses

Particular pathways where THC has influencing activities, which can help increase endorphins and activate dopamine circuits.

Opioids

A class of drugs including morphine, heroin, oxycodone, fentanyl, and carfetanol that focus on pain relief and euphoria.

Ethyl alcohol

The common drinking alcohol found in beer, wine, and spirits that produces relaxed euphoria and diminished inhibition.

Cerebrum (alcohol effects)

The brain area associated with coordination, slow reflexes, and walking that is impacted by alcohol consumption.

Hypothalamus (alcohol effects)

A brain area affected by alcohol that results in a slowed heart rate.

Neurons

The cells that process information in the brain.

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals released from the axon of one neuron to the dendrite of another to change the electrical charge of the receiving neuron.

Axon

The part of the neuron responsible for releasing neurotransmitters.

Dendrite

The part of the neuron that receives chemical signals from another neuron.

Cannabinoids

Molecules produced in the human brain or found in cannabis that resemble specialized neurotransmitters released by neurons after firing.

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

The specific chemical in cannabis that resembles the natural neurotransmitter called anandamide.

Anandamide

A natural transmitter produced in the human brain that is mimicked by the chemical THC.

Refractory period

A temporary state during which neurons become unresponsive after firing to prevent overreacting or being too dominant.

Dopamine and Norepinephrine

Levels of these neurotransmitters are affected by cannabinoids, leading to experiences of euphoria, relaxation, and pain modulation.

Cannabinoid receptors

Receptors located in brain areas controlling short-term memory, learning, coordination, movement control, and higher cognitive functions.