Consciousness, Heredity and Sensation

These flashcards cover key concepts from the lecture on consciousness, heredity, and sensation, focusing on definitions and significant theories in psychology.

Consciousness

Awareness of self and environment.

Biological Rhythms

Patterns of physiological changes that occur on a regular basis, including annual, monthly, and daily cycles.

Circadian Rhythms

24-hour cycles affecting alertness, body temperature, and hormone levels.

REM Sleep

A sleep stage characterized by rapid eye movements and high brain activity, often associated with vivid dreaming.

NREM Sleep

Non-REM sleep, encompassing stages of light to deep sleep without rapid eye movement.

Sleep Deprivation

A condition resulting from insufficient sleep, which can lead to irritability, impaired concentration, and health issues.

Insomnia

Difficulty falling or staying asleep, often linked to stress or poor sleep habits.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.

Dream Theory - Freudian

Theory suggesting dreams express repressed wishes and have both manifest and latent content.

Dream Theory - Information Processing

Theory proposing dreams help in consolidating new information and reactivating neural pathways.

Dream Theory - Activation-Synthesis

Theory suggesting dreams result from the brain's attempts to make sense of random neural activity.

Addiction

A psychological or physical dependence on a substance, marked by tolerance and withdrawal symptoms.

Stimulants

Substances that increase sympathy nervous system activity, such as caffeine and amphetamines.

Depressants

Drugs that reduce nervous system activity, such as alcohol and benzodiazepines.

Hallucinogens

Substances that alter perception and can cause hallucinations, such as LSD and marijuana.

Hypnosis

A state of heightened suggestibility, often used for pain relief or to explore memories.

Heritability

The extent to which differences in a trait within a population can be attributed to genetics.

Sensation vs. Perception

Sensation refers to the transduction of stimuli into neural energy, while perception is the organization of those sensations.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum intensity of a stimulus that can be detected more than 50% of the time.

Weber’s Law

Principle stating that the just noticeable difference in a stimulus is proportional to the intensity of the stimulus.

Trichromatic Theory

The theory that color vision is based on the activation of three types of cones: red, blue, and green.

Opponent Process Theory

Theory proposing that color perception depends on pairs of opposing colors, such as red-green and blue-yellow.

Transduction

The conversion of one form of energy into another, such as sound waves into neural impulses.

Frequency Theory

The theory that the frequency of auditory nerve impulses corresponds to the frequency of the sound wave.

Place Theory

Theory positing that different frequencies stimulate different places along the cochlea.

Taste Buds

Sensory structures that detect taste, with six primary types: salt, sweet, sour, bitter, umami, and oleogustus.

Synesthesia

A condition where stimulation of one sensory modality leads to automatic experiences in another modality.