Chapter 3 - Consciousness & The Two Track Mind

Clemson PSYC 2010, Section 7, Mary Taylor

Circadian Rhythms

Entrainment and Endogenous

Entrainment Rhythm

Sleep/Wake rhythm is synchronized with external event (darkness makes us sleepy)

Endogenous Rhythm

Generated within us and are biological (e.g., melatonin is an important biological factor on sleep)

Suprachiasmatic nucleus

Where sleep is controlled in the hypothalamus

Alpha Stage

The stage where you are awake but relaxed; _____ waves characterize this stage, which is the border between sleep & wakefulness

Hypnagogic state

The state between sleep and wakefulness

Non-REM stages

NREM-1, NREM-2, and NREM-3

NREM-1

Theta waves

NREM-2

Sleep Spindles

NREM-3

Beta Waves

Rapid Eye Movement

REM sleep/stage

Sleep Apnea

Symptoms include waking up suddenly, breathless. Breathing actually stops, so it can lead to cardiac issues & is stressful on the individual, who is usually unaware that they have it.

Narcolepsy

Sudden, unpredictable daytime attacks of extreme sleepiness, and is often genetic.

NREM-3 Sleep Disorders

Night terrors, sleepwalking & sleep talking

Night Terrors and Sleepwalking

Occurs in the deepest phase of sleep

Sleep Talking

Occurs at any stage of sleep

Sleepwalking

Occurs mostly during childhood but can happen at any age. Is usually simple movements such as sitting up or walking around but renders the person incapable of complex planning or movement.

Freud’s Wish Fulfillment

Dreams reflect unconscious wishes, manifest content vs latent content of dreams

Manifest Content

Surface content of dream (e.g., dreaming of diving into a lake)

Latent Content

Hidden meaning of a dream (e.g., the dive into the lake represents a rebirth or fresh start in a major life area)

Information Processing

Dreams help us consolidate memories

Physiological Function

Dreams stimulate neural pathways, they simply keep pathways active

Neural Activation

Dreams are random visual memories stimulated in the cortex; frontal lobe weaves into a story

Cognitive Development

Dreams reflect changes in knowledge and maturation