PSY 1100 - Columbus State Community College - Chapter 4

Stream of Consciousness

a continuous flow of changing sensations, images, thoughts, and feelings

Metacognition

to describe the processes by which we think about thinking

Consciousness

an individuals awareness of external events and internal sensations under a condition of arousal

Awareness

the first part of consciousness; includes awareness of the self and thoughts about ones experiences

Arousal

the second part of consciousness; the psychological state of being engaged with the environment

Theory of Mind

refers to individuals' understanding that they and others think, feel, perceive, and have private experiences

Controlled Process

the most alert states of human consciousness; individuals actively focus their efforts toward a goal

Executive Function

key aspect of controlled processing is this; higher order, complex cognitive processes, including thinking, planning and problem solving

Automatic Processes

states of consciousness that require little attention and do not interfere with other ongoing activities; requires less conscious effort than controlled processes

Day dreaming

lies between active consciousness and dreaming while asleep; a little like dreaming while we are awake; requires low levels of conscious effort

Altered State of Consciousness

also called awareness; mental states that are noticeably different from normal awareness; ranges from loosing ones sense of self consciousness to hallucinating

Subconscious Processing of Information

can take place while we are asleep or awake

Sleep

a natural state of rest for the body and mind that involves the reversible loss of consciousness

Biological Rhythms

periodic physiological fluctuations in the body; we are unaware of most of these rhythms and they influence our behavior

Circadian Rhythms

daily behavioral or physiological cycles; daily circadian rhythms involve the sleep/wake cycle, body temperature, blood pressure, and low sugar level

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

SCN; the part of the brain that is responsible for Circadian rhythms; it is a small brain structure that uses input from the retina to synchronize its own rhythms with the daily cycle of light and dark

Biological Clocks

introduce irregularities into our sleep are jet travel, chasing work shifts, and insomnia

Insomnia

the inability to sleep

Sleep Deprivation

can influence moral judgement

Stages 1-4 are considered what?

Non-REM Sleep

In stage 2...

muscle activity decrease, and the person is no longer consciously aware of the environment; Theta continues but are interspersed with a defining characteristic of stage 2 sleep, sleep spindles

Sleep Spindles

involves a sudden increase in wave frequency

Stages 1 & 2 are considered...

light stages of sleep, and if people awaken during one of these stages the report not having been asleep at all

Stage 3 sleep and Stage 4 sleep are characterized by...

Delta Waves

Delta Waves

the slowest and highest amplitude brain waves during sleep

Stages 3 & 4 are often referred to as...

Delta sleep

Stage 3 is waves that are occurring...

less than 50% of the time

Stage 4 is waves that are occurring...

more than 50% of the time

Rapid Eye Movement

instead of re-entering stage 1, they enter this form of sleep instead

Neurotransmitters that are associated with sleep are...

serotonin, norepinephrine, and acetylacholine

Melatonin

hormone which is produced in the brain's and is secreted to increase sleepiness

Delta sleep is...

our deepest sleep; the time when our brain waves are least like waking brain waves

REM Sleep

active stage of sleep during which dreaming occurs; 20% in delta or deep sleep and 20% in REM sleep

Sleep can play a role in a large number of...

health problems, disease, and disorders

Sleeplessness is associated with...

obesity and heart disease; stroke and asthma

Somnambulism

formal term for sleep walking; occurs during the deepest stages of sleep (Delta Sleep)

Nightmare

a frightening dream that awakens a dreamer form REM sleep; adults wold likely experience this after losing a job

Night Terror

sudden arousal form sleep and intense fear; peak at ages 5-7 years of age are less common than nightmares, and unlike nightmares, the occur during slow wave, non-REM sleep

Narcolepsy

the sudden, overpowering urge to sleep

Sleep Apnea

a sleeping disorder in which individuals stop breathing because the windpipe fails to open or because brain processes involved in respiration fail to work properly

Manifest Content

the dreams surface content; contains dream symbols that disguise the dreams true meaning

Latent Content

the dreams hidden content; its unconscious-and true-meaning

Cognitive Theory of Dreaming

proposes that we can understand dreaming by applying the same cognitive concepts we use in studying the waking mind

Activation-Synthesis Theory

dreaming occurs when the cerebral cortex synthesizes neural signals generated from activity in the lower part of the brain

Psychoactive Drugs

act on the nervous system to alter consciousness, modify perceptions, and change moods; increase dopamine levels in the brain's reward pathways

Tolerance

the need to take increasing amounts of a drug to get the same effect

Physical Dependence

the physiological need for a drug that causes unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as physical pain and a craving for the drug when it is discontinued

Psychological Dependence

the strong desire to repeat the use of a drug from emotional reasons, such as feeling of well-being and reduction of stress

Addiction

a physical or psychological dependence, or both, on the drug

Depressants

psychoactive drug that slow down mental and physical activity

Alcohol

powerful drug; acts on the body primarily as a depressant and slows down the brains activity

Binge Drinking

having five or more drinks in a row in the last 2 weeks

Alcoholism

a disorder that involves long-term, repeated, uncontrolled, compulsive, and excessive use of alcoholic beverages and that impairs the drinkers health and social relationships

Barbiturates

depressant drugs that decrease central nervous systems activity

Tranquilizers

depressant drugs that reduce anxiety and induce relaxation

Narcotics, or opiates

consist of opium and its derivates and depresses the central nervous systems activity

Stimulants

psychoactive drugs that increase the central nervous systems activity

Caffeine

the worlds most widely used psychoactive drug; a stimulant and a natural component of then pants that are the sources of coffee, tea, and cola drinks

Nicotine

main psychoactive ingredient in all forms of smoking and smokeless tobacco

Amphetamines, or "uppers"

stimulant drugs that people use to boost energy, stay awake, or lose weight

Cocaine

an illegal drug that comes from the coca plant, native to Bolivia and Peru

MDMA-called Ecstasy, X or XTC

an illegal synthetic drug with both stimulants and hallucinogenic properties

Hallucinogens

psychoactive drugs that modify a persons perceptual experiences and produce visual images that are not real

Marijuana

dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant Cannabis Sativa, which originates in Central Asia but is now grown in most parts of the world; mild hallucinogen

LSD, lysergic acid diethylamide

a hallucinogen that even in low doses produces striking perceptual changes

Hypnosis

an altered state of consciousness or as a psychological state of altered attention and expectations in which the individual is unusually receptive to suggestions

Divided Consciousness View of Hypnosis

proposed that hypnosis involves a special state of consciousness in which consciousness is split into separate components

Social Cognitive Behavior View of Hypnosis

hypnosis is a normal state in which the hypnotized person behaves the way he or she believes that a hypnotized person should behave

Meditation

involved attaining a peaceful state of mind which thoughts are not occupied by worry

Focused Attention

bringing ones awareness to ones inner life and attending to ones thoughts

Open Monitoring

the capacity to observe ones thoughts as they happen without getting preoccupied by them

Mindfullness Meditation

technique practice by yoga enthusiasts and Buddhist monks

Lovingkindnessmeditation

development of loving acceptance of oneself and other

Hypnagogic Reverie

an overwhelming feeling of wellness right before you fall asleep, the sense that everything is going to work out

reticular activation system

A network of structures including the brain stem, medulla, and thalamus that determine arousal, one aspect of consciousness.

Higher-level Consciousness

Involves controlled processing, in which individuals actively focus their efforts on attaining a goal; the most alert state of consciousness

Lower-Level Consciousness

Includes automatic processing that requires little attention, as well as daydreaming

Altered States of Consciousness

Can be produced by drugs, trauma, fatigue, possibly hypnosis, and sensory deprivation

Subconscious Awareness

Can occur when people are awake, as well as when they are sleeping and dreaming

No Awareness

Freud's belief that some unconscious thoughts are too laden with anxiety and other negative emotions for consciousness to admit them