Chapter 8

What are the two main functions of consciousness?

Monitoring the self and the environment, and controlling thought and behavior.

Define attention in the context of consciousness.

The process of focusing awareness, providing heightened sensitivity to a limited range of experience.

What does divided attention mean?

Splitting attention between two or more stimuli or tasks.

How can consciousness be measured?

Through self-report questionnaires, brain imaging techniques, and behavioral observation.

What is flow in terms of mental state of consciousness?

A state of complete absorption in an activity, characterized by energized focus and intrinsic enjoyment.

What are the three types of mental processes according to Freud?

Conscious, preconscious, and unconscious processes.

What is the cognitive unconscious?

Information-processing mechanisms that occur outside of awareness.

What role does the reticular formation play in consciousness?

It regulates states of wakefulness and arousal.

What is the sleep-wake cycle?

A circadian rhythm, a cyclical biological process related to daily cycles of light and dark.

What are the two types of content in dreams according to Freud?

Manifest content (storyline) and latent content (underlying meaning).

What is the definition of altered states of consciousness?

Changes in the usual conscious ways of perceiving, thinking, and feeling.

What are depressants?

Drugs that slow down the nervous system.

What is the meaning of hallucinations?

Sensory perceptions that distort or occur without an external stimulus.

What is the difference between manifest content and latent content in dreams?

Manifest content is the obvious storyline of a dream, while latent content is the underlying meaning.

What is meditation?

An altered state characterized by a narrow focus on a single thought or an expansion of consciousness.

What is selective attention?

The process of filtering in important sensory information while filtering out less important information.

Define psychoactive substances.

Drugs that alter patterns of mental activity by operating on the nervous system.