Brain States and Consciousness 2c

Psychology: Consciousness, Sleep & Dreams — Flashcards

What is consciousness?

Awareness of yourself and your surroundings.

What is the hard problem of consciousness?

How brain activity creates subjective mental experiences.

What is biological psychology?

Study of how biological processes affect behavior and mental processes.

What is cognitive neuroscience?

Study of connections between brain activity and mental processes.

What is the mind-body problem?

How the mind relates to the physical brain and body.

What is selective attention?

Focusing on certain information while ignoring other information.

What is an fMRI?

A scan that identifies brain activity through blood-flow changes.

What is sequential processing?

Processing information one step at a time, often consciously.

What is parallel processing?

Processing multiple streams of information simultaneously, often unconsciously.

What is the two-track mind?

Conscious and unconscious processes operate together.

What is cortex-wide activity?

Coordinated activity across the brain's cortex supporting awareness.

What is a threshold for consciousness?

The point when brain activity becomes sufficient for conscious awareness.

What is voluntary control?

The ability to consciously choose and direct actions.

What are altered states of consciousness?

States such as sleep, dreaming, meditation, and hypnosis.

What is a circadian rhythm?

The body's internal biological clock, roughly 24 hours long.

What is melatonin?

A hormone that promotes sleep.

What is the SCN?

The suprachiasmatic nucleus; it helps regulate the biological clock.

What is an EEG?

A device that records electrical activity in the brain.

What are the four sleep stages in order?

N1, N2, N3, then REM; the cycle repeats throughout the night.

What happens during N1 sleep?

Light sleep; brief images or falling sensations may occur.

What happens during N2 sleep?

Deeper sleep with bursts of rhythmic brain-wave activity.

What happens during N3 sleep?

Deep slow-wave sleep with delta waves; difficult to awaken.

What happens during REM sleep?

Vivid dreams, rapid eye movements, active brain, relaxed muscles.

Why is REM sleep called paradoxical sleep?

The brain is active while the body is largely paralyzed.

What are hypnagogic sensations?

Brief images or sensations experienced while falling asleep.

What is REM rebound?

Increased REM sleep after REM deprivation.

What are five reasons we sleep?

Protection, recovery, memory consolidation, creative thinking, and growth.

How does sleep deprivation affect us?

Worsens mood, memory, focus, immunity, reaction time, and school performance.

How can sleep deprivation affect weight?

It disrupts hunger hormones and may increase weight gain.

What are good sleep habits?

Keep a regular schedule, limit screens and caffeine, and keep the room dark and cool.

What is insomnia?

Ongoing difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

What is narcolepsy?

Sudden attacks of overwhelming sleepiness.

What is sleep apnea?

Repeated pauses in breathing during sleep.

What is REM sleep behavior disorder?

Acting out dreams during REM sleep.

What is sleepwalking (somnambulism)?

Walking or performing activities while asleep, usually during N3.

What are night terrors?

Intense fear and agitation during N3 sleep, distinct from nightmares.

What are dreams often like?

Vivid, emotional, sometimes bizarre, and often linked to daily experiences.

What is Freud's wish fulfillment theory?

Dreams express hidden wishes and unconscious desires.

What is manifest content?

The remembered storyline of a dream.

What is latent content?

The hidden meaning Freud believed a dream contained.

What is information-processing theory?

Dreaming helps process daily experiences and strengthen memories.

What is activation-synthesis theory?

The brain creates stories from random neural activity.

What is the key difference between sequential and parallel processing?

Sequential is one step at a time; parallel handles multiple processes at once.