Unit 1: States of Conciousness

Consciousness

Awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Parallel processing

Processing many aspects of a problem or stimulus at the same time.

Sequential processing

Processing information one step at a time in a specific order.

Dual processing

The idea that information is processed simultaneously on both a conscious and unconscious level.

Biological rhythms

Periodic physiological cycles, such as sleep-wake cycles, that occur naturally in living organisms.

Circadian rhythms

Biological rhythms that operate on roughly a 24-hour cycle, influencing sleep and other bodily functions.

Jet lag

A disruption of circadian rhythms caused by traveling across time zones.

EEG

An electroencephalogram; a device that records electrical activity in the brain.

REM sleep

Rapid eye movement sleep; a stage of sleep associated with vivid dreaming and high brain activity.

NREM sleep

Non-rapid eye movement sleep; the stages of sleep involving slower brain activity and physical restoration.

Typical pattern of a night’s sleep

Sleep cycles between NREM and REM stages about every 90 minutes, with REM periods becoming longer later in the night.

Hypnagogic sensations

Strange sensations, such as falling or floating, experienced while falling asleep.

REM rebound

The tendency for REM sleep to increase after REM sleep deprivation.

Restoration theory of sleep

The theory that sleep allows the body and brain to repair and restore themselves.

Evolutionary theory of sleep

The theory that sleep evolved to protect organisms during dangerous times of day.

Information-processing theory of sleep

The theory that sleep helps organize and consolidate memories.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder involving sudden and uncontrollable episodes of sleep during the day.

Sleep apnea

A sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep.

Insomnia

Persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep.

Sleepwalking

A disorder in which a person walks or performs activities while still asleep, usually during deep NREM sleep.

Sleep talking

Talking aloud while asleep.

Night terrors

Intense episodes of fear and panic during deep NREM sleep, often without memory afterward.

REM sleep behavior disorder

A disorder in which people physically act out their dreams during REM sleep.

William Dement

A sleep researcher considered one of the founders of modern sleep science who studied REM sleep and sleep disorders.

Lucid dreams

Dreams in which the dreamer is aware they are dreaming and may be able to control the dream.

Activation-synthesis model

The theory that dreams result from the brain trying to make sense of random neural activity during sleep.

Consolidation theory of dreaming

The theory that dreaming helps strengthen and organize memories.

Latent content of dreaming

According to Freud, the hidden symbolic meaning of a dream.

Manifest content of dreaming

According to Freud, the actual storyline or events experienced in a dream.

Dissociation

A split in consciousness that allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others outside awareness.