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Selective attention

The process by which a person focuses on one particular stimulus while ignoring others. For example, listening to a single conversation in a crowded room.

Alpha waves

Brain waves that are present during a relaxed but awake state, typically ranging from 8 to 12 Hz. They are often associated with a calm and restful state.

Cocktail-party effect

The ability to focus one’s auditory attention on a particular stimulus, such as a conversation, while filtering out a range of other stimuli, like background noise.

Sleep spindles

Sudden bursts of oscillatory brain activity that occur during stage 2 of non-REM sleep, associated with memory processing.

Hallucinogens

Substances that cause altered states of perception and awareness, such as LSD or psilocybin, leading to vivid visual and auditory hallucinations.

REM sleep

A phase of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement, increased brain activity, and vivid dreams. It typically occurs after approximately 90 minutes of sleep.

Narcolepsy

A chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep, often at inappropriate times.

Sleep apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and daytime fatigue.

Night terrors

Sleep disturbances that occur during non-REM sleep, usually marked by extreme terror and panic, often with little or no memory of the event upon awakening.

Insomnia

A common sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking up too early, leading to daytime impairment.

Latent content

The underlying meaning or interpretation of a dream, as opposed to its manifest content, which is the literal storyline of the dream.

Hypnosis

A state of heightened suggestibility and focused attention, often accompanied by deep relaxation, utilized for therapeutic or entertainment purposes.

Psychoactive drugs

Chemical substances that alter perceptions, mood, and behaviors by affecting brain function, such as antidepressants or stimulants.

Manifest content

The literal storyline or surface narrative of a dream, as opposed to the deeper, symbolic meaning (latent content).

Circadian rhythm

The natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and other biological processes on a roughly 24-hour cycle.

Paradoxical sleep

Another term for REM sleep, where the brain is active and resembles wakefulness, but the body experiences atonia, or temporary paralysis.

Effects of psychoactive drugs

The varied and complex effects these substances have on the brain and behavior, which can include changes in mood, perception, and cognition.