Introduction to Consciousness and States of Consciousness

Flashcards defining key vocabulary terms from the introductory lecture on consciousness, sleep, sleep disorders, hypnosis, meditation, and psychoactive drugs.

Consciousness

A person's subjective experience of the world and mental processes.

Subjective Experience

An individual's unique personal perspective and internal experience, influenced by their thoughts, feelings, and biases.

Objective Experience

Information or events observed separate from personal thoughts, feelings, and biases, which are experienced in the same way by everyone.

Wilhelm Wundt

An early psychologist who attempted to understand consciousness using a subjective process of thinking about internal psychological occurrences.

Automatic Processing

Fast mental processing that occurs with minimal conscious awareness or effort, commonly used for well-learned tasks like driving or tying shoes.

Controlled Processing

Slow, intentional mental processing that requires conscious effort and attention, such as learning a new skill or navigating hazardous driving conditions.

Dualism

The philosophical position, advocated by René Descartes in the 1600s, holding that the mind or being is separate from the physical body.

Materialism

The view that the brain and mind are inseparable, and that conscious experience is created by physical neuronal processing in the brain.

Global Workspace Model

A psychological theory stating that consciousness arises from the interplay of different brain circuits rather than a single dedicated brain region.

Minimally Conscious State

A coma-related state where a person is capable of understanding language and processing mental activity, but cannot make their body respond.

Unresponsive Wakefulness Syndrome

A condition diagnosed when a state of coma lasts for more than one month.

Selective Attention

The ability to direct mental resources to relevant information in order to process it while ignoring irrelevant stimuli.

Inattentional Blindness

A failure to notice visible objects or changes in the environment because mental focus is directed elsewhere.

Subliminal Perception

The processing of sensory information by the brain without conscious awareness.

Circadian Rhythms

The regulation of biological cycles into regular daily patterns.

Melatonin

A hormone whose release is increased by darkness and reduced by bright light to help regulate biological sleep cycles.

Stage N1 Sleep

The initial stage of light sleep during which a person begins to fall asleep and may experience hypnic jerks.

Hypnic Jerk

An involuntary muscle twitch or sudden movement that occurs during stage N1 sleep as a person transitions into sleep.

Stage N2 Sleep

A sleep stage characterized by regular breathing, reduced sensitivity to external stimulation, and the presence of sleep spindles.

Stage N3 Sleep

Deep sleep stage during which it is most difficult to wake a sleeper.

REM Sleep

A stage of sleep marked by rapid eye movement, high brain activity, and vivid dreaming.

Activation-Synthesis Theory

A dream theory proposing that dreams are the brain's attempt to synthesize and make sense of random neuronal firing during sleep.

Neurocognitive Theory of Dreams

A theory viewing dreams as a simulation of personal beliefs, imagination, and daily experiences.

Restorative Theory

A theory stating that sleep allows the body to rest, repair damage, and replenish essential resources.

Circadian Rhythm Theory

A theory proposing that sleep evolved to keep animals inactive during times when danger is highest.

Consolidation Theory

A theory suggesting that sleep enables the brain to actively organize and store experiences from waking hours.

REM Rebound

An increase in the frequency and speed of entering REM sleep following a period of sleep deprivation.

Sleep Hygiene

The psychological term for practices and routines that promote consistent, high-quality sleep and maintain healthy biological rhythms.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by temporary pauses in breathing while asleep.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder causing extreme daytime sleepiness and sudden, involuntary episodes of falling asleep during routine activities.

REM Behavior Disorder

A condition in which the muscle paralysis normal to REM sleep fails, allowing individuals to physically act out their dreams.

Somnambulism

The technical term for sleepwalking, which usually occurs within the first couple of hours of sleep.

Hypnosis

A procedure in which a practitioner places a person in a relaxed, highly suggestible state.

Suggestibility

A psychological dimension that measures an individual's likelihood of entering a hypnotic or trance-like state.

Sociocognitive Theory of Hypnosis

A theory proposing that hypnotized individuals are not in an altered state of consciousness, but are playing the social role expected of a hypnotized person.

Dissociation Theory of Hypnosis

A theory stating that hypnosis produces a genuine altered state where conscious awareness becomes detached from other mental processes.

Hypnotic Analgesia

The application of hypnosis to alter sensory perception and reduce feelings of pain.

Mindfulness Meditation

A meditative practice where individuals allow thoughts to flow freely without judging, analyzing, or reacting to them.

Concentrative Meditation

A meditative practice involving focused attention on a specific breathing pattern, mental image, or repeated phrase known as a mantra.

Stimulants

A category of drugs that increases behavioral activity and mental processes, such as caffeine.

Depressants

A category of drugs that decreases behavioral activity and mental processes, such as alcohol.

Opioids

A class of psychoactive drugs that reduces pain sensations and generates pleasure.

Hallucinogens

A class of drugs that alters perception, thoughts, and sensory awareness.