Psychilogy Unit 1 Module 7

Consciousness

Our awareness of our own thoughts, feelings and perceptions (internal events) and our surroundings (external events) at any given moment.

Psychological construct

A hypothetical concept created to explain a phenomenon that is believed to exist or occur, but cannot be directly observed or measured.

Awareness

How conscious (aware) we are of internal and/or external event(s); level of awareness can vary in normal waking consciousness.

State of consciousness

An individual's level of awareness of internal events (thoughts, feelings and perceptions) and external surroundings.

Normal waking consciousness

The state of consciousness we experience when we are awake and aware of our thoughts, feelings and perceptions from internal events and the surrounding environment.

Altered state of consciousness

A state of consciousness that deviates from normal waking consciousness; can be deliberately induced or occur naturally.

Hyperarousal

An altered state of consciousness and heightened (or hyper) arousal.

Selective attention

The ability to focus on only select stimuli or objects in the environment and to filter out other distractions.

Divided attention

The ability to attend to and perform multiple activities at the same time.

Controlled process

A process that requires mental effort to focus attention on the required task.

Automatic process

A process that requires little attention and thought, and can allow you to do two things at once.

Sleep-wake cycle

The biological process of alternating between sleep and wakefulness.

Circadian rhythm

A biological rhythm that occurs approximately once every 24 hours; for example, the sleep-wake cycle and body temperature.

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

Located in the hypothalamus where the left and right optic nerves cross paths, it controls circadian rhythms in response to external stimuli.

Cortisol

A hormone released by the adrenal glands that is thought to play a role in initiating wakefulness, with levels peaking in the morning right before you wake up.

Melatonin

A sleep hormone secreted by the pineal gland that causes sleepiness and is released when it is dark.

Pineal gland

An endocrine gland in the middle of the brain that receives information about the level of light from the environment, and controls the production and secretion of melatonin.

Zeitgeber

An external or environmental cue that affects the sleep-wake cycle, such as the level of light in a room.

Physiological measures

The observation of a measurable bodily (physical or physiological) response (such as heart rate, brainwave activity and galvanic skin response).

Frequency

The number of brainwaves per second.

Amplitude

In terms of brainwaves, the height of the peaks and troughs of the curved graph that represents brainwave activity.

Beta wave

Typical brainwave pattern – high frequency (fast) and low amplitude (small) – during normal waking consciousness, associated with being alert, active, anxious and paying (selective) attention.

Alpha wave

Typical brainwave pattern (reasonably high frequency, but not as high as beta waves; low amplitude, but slightly higher than beta waves) that occurs when awake but very relaxed.

Theta waves

Typical brainwave pattern (medium frequency and mixed amplitude) during the early stages of sleep.

Delta waves

Typical brainwave pattern – a steady pattern of low frequency (slow) and high amplitude (large) – associated with NREM deep sleep.

Non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep

One of two phases of sleep, characterised by little or no rapid eye movement, and often divided into three stages of NREM sleep that are determined mainly by predominant brainwave patterns.

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

One of two phases of sleep, characterised by rapid eye movement.

Electrooculography (EOG)

A technique that detects, amplifies and records electrical activity in the muscles that allow the eye to move.

Electromyography (EMG)

A technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of muscles.

Polysomnogram

A continuously moving chart that displays data collected simultaneously from EEG, EOG, EMG and other devices.