consciousness
Awareness of ourselves and our environment
pseudoscientific claim
an assertion that attempts to appear scientific but is not really based on science
biological rhythms
periodic physiological fluctuations
circadian rhythms
Biological rhythms that occur approximately every 24 hours
ultradian rhythms
biological rhythms that occur more than once each day
infradian rhythms
biological rhythms that occur once a month or once a season
William Dement
sleep researcher who coined the term rapid eye movement (REM)
melatonin
Hormone that helps regulate daily biological rhythms
EEG
machine that amplifies and records waves of electrical activity as they sweep across the brains surface =.
REM SLEEP
A recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur.
insomnia
recurring problems in falling or staying asleep
sleep apnea
a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings
narcolepsy
A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.
somnambulism
Sleepwalking, which usually starts in the deeper stages of N-REM sleep. The sleepwalker can walk and talk and is able to see but rarely has any memory of the event.
night terrors
Sleep-related problem characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, they occur during NREM 3 sleep, occur within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered.
dual processing
the principle that information is often processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks at the same time
hypnosis
social interaction in which a hypnotist makes suggestions about perceptions, feelings, thoughts or behaviors and those suggestions are followed.
social influence theory
Theory that powerful social influences can produce a state of hypnosis
divided consciousness
theory that during hypnosis our consciousness splits so that one aspect of consciousness is not aware of the role other parts are playing
Ernest Hilgard
pioneering hypnosis researcher and advocate of the divided consciousness theory of hypnosis
posthypnotic suggestion
hypnotic suggestion that the subject will carry out after the hypnosis session has ended
placebo
an inactive substance or condition that is sometimes given to those in a control for confounding variables