Chapter 5: States of Consciousness

Blood Alcohol Content (BAC)

A measure of the percentage of alcohol present in a person’s blood, commonly used to assess intoxication.

Circadian rhythm

The body’s natural sleep–wake cycle, influenced by light exposure, daily routines, and biological processes such as body temperature and hormone release.

Consciousness

Awareness or deliberate perception of internal and external stimuli.

Cues

Stimuli that have particular significance or meaning to a perceiver.

Depressants

A class of drugs that slow down physiological and mental processes.

Dissociation

A state of narrowed attention in which awareness of the environment is reduced while focus on a single stimulus or thought is heightened.

Euphoria

An intense feeling of pleasure, excitement, or happiness.

Flexible Correction Model

The idea that people can revise judgments or beliefs if they recognize that those judgments may have been biased.

Hallucinogens

Substances that alter perception, often causing hallucinations or distortions in time and sensory experience.

Hypnosis

A state of consciousness involving heightened responsiveness to suggestion, intense focus, dissociation from the environment, and relaxation.

Hypnotherapy

The use of hypnotic techniques, such as suggestion and relaxation, to promote positive behavioral or psychological change.

Implicit Association Test (IAT)

A reaction-time task used to measure automatic associations between concepts and evaluations.

Jet lag

Fatigue and disorientation resulting from rapid travel across multiple time zones.

Melatonin

A hormone associated with increased drowsiness and regulation of the sleep–wake cycle.

Mindfulness

A state of heightened awareness of one’s thoughts and feelings, combined with deliberate and controlled evaluation of those thoughts.

Priming

The activation of certain thoughts or feelings that makes them more accessible and likely to influence behavior.

Stimulants

A class of drugs that speed up physiological and mental processes.

Trance states

States of consciousness characterized by dissociation and a feeling of separation between the self and the physical environment.