AP Psych Ch 5 - States of Consciousness

-our awareness of ourselves and our environment

-conscious awareness is a part of dual processes

-like a cars speedometer-doesn’t make the car go, it just reflects what’s happening

consciousness

some states of consciousness occur spontaneously:

daydreaming, drowsiness, dreaming

some states of consciousness are physiologically induced:

hallucinations, orgasms, food or oxygen starvation

some states of consciousness are psychologically induced:

sensory deprivation, hypnosis, meditation

-a social interaction in which one person (the subject) responds to another person’s (the hypnotist’s) suggestions that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

-the power of the subject’s openness to suggestions, their ability to focus on certain images or behaviors

-people who are highly hyponotizable typically become deeply absorbed in imaginative activities

-people permanently vote only some of their experiences, and hypnosis will not be able to retrieve all memories

-can relieve pain

-inhibits pain related brain activity

hypnosis

-a suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors

-used for treating headaches, asthma, skin related disorders, obesity; drug or alcohol or smoking addictions don’t work

posthypnotic suggestion

attentional spotlight and interpretations powerfully influence ordinary perceptions as well as the power of social influence

the social influence of hypnosis theory

a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others

dissociation

-the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (like of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

-age influences what part of the day people feel most energized

circadian rhythm

a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for twitches) but other body systems are active

REM sleep

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

alpha waves

periodic, natural loss of consciousness-as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation

sleep

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimuli

hallucinations

sensations, like falling suddenly or floating, while sleeping

hypnagogic

bursts of rapid, rythmic brain-wave activity

sleep spindles

-the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

-less likely to wake up to loud sounds

delta wave

-encompasses all sleep stages except for REM sleep

-dreaming and bursts of activity while asleep

NREM sleep

the brain’s motor cortex is _____ during REM sleep, but the brainstem blocks it’s messages

active

the immobility from REM sleep lingering as you awaken

sleep paralysis

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm. in response to light, the SCN causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

-protection at night

-helps recuperate

-helps restore and rebuild fading memories of days experiences

-feeds creative thinking

-supports growth

sleep functions

-accumulated aft multiple nights of not sleeping well

-sleep deprivation increase gherkin, a hunger arousing hormone and decreases it’s decreases it’s hunger-suppressor, leptin

-also increases cortisol (stress) - stimulates body to make fat

sleep debt

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

insomnia

a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. the sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times

narcolepsy

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, they occur during NREM3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered (mostly target children)

night terrors

-”hallucinations of sleeping mind”; a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind. notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for the dreamer’s delusional acceptance of the content and later difficulties remembering it

-incorporate traces of previous day’s experiences and preoccupations

dream

according to Freud, the remembered storyline of a dream

manifest content

-according to Fred, the underlying meaning of a dream

-unconscious drives and wishes

-Freud thought most adult dream could be “traced back by analysis to erotic wishes”

latent content

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation (created by repeated awakenings during REM sleep)

REM rebound

continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

substance abuse disorder

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

psychoactive drug

-the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug’s effect

-marijuana is an exception

tolerance

a user’s brain chemistry adapts to offset the drug effect

neuroadaptation

compulsive craving of drugs or certain behaviors (such as gambling) despite known adverse consequences

addiction

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior

withdrawal

-drugs the depress central neural system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement

-induce sleep and reduce anxiety

barbiturates

-opium and it’s derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

-lethargy and blissful pleasure

-brain eventually stops producing endorphins with repeated use

opiates

-drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, ecstasy, and methamphetamine) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

-pupils dilate, heart and breathing rates increase, blipped sugar levels rise, drop in appetite

-energy and self confidence rise

stimulant

-druhs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded up body functions and associates energy and mood changes

-may impact sleep

amphetamines

-a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco

-found in cigarettes

-hard to quit

-signals CNS to release a flood od neurotransmitters -epinephrine and norepinephrine diminish appetite and boost alertness and mental efficiency-dopamine and opioids calm anxiety and reduce sensitivity to pain

nicotine

-a powerful and addictive stimulant, derived from the coca plant, producing temporarily alertness and euphoria

-trigger aggression and may tighten reactions; higher shock levels and may lead to emotional disturbances, suspiciousness, convulsions, cardiac arrest, to respiratory failure

cocaine

crystalized cocaine-faster working

crack

-a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the CNS, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; overtime, appears to reduce dopamine levels

-parent drug, amphetamine, but with greater effects

-triggers release of dopamine-stimulates brain cells that enhance energy and mood, result in approximately 8 hours of euphoria/heightened energy

-aftereffects include: irritability, insomnia, hypertension, seizures, social isolation, depression, and occasional violent ourbursts

methamphetamine

-a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short them health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin - producing neurons and to mood and cognition (methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

-triggers dopamine release; majority of effect comes from releasing stored serotonin and blocking it’s reuptake prolonging serotonin’s feel good effect

-effects are high energy, emotional elevation, (given social context) connections t those around them

ecstasy (MDMA)

-psychedelic (“mind-manifesting”) drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

-includes mild hallucinogen marijuana (natural), and LSD and MDMA (synthetic)

hallucinogens

-a powerful hallucinogenic drug, also known as acid

-euphoria and detachment to panic; loss of oxygen and extreme sensory deprivation

LSD (lysergic acid diethyl amide)

an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as cardiac arrest); often similar to drug induced hallucinations

near death experience

-the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations

-amplifies sensitivity to color, sound, tastes, and smells

-inhibits motor coordination

-effects linger in the body for a week or more

THC