States of Consciousness Unit 1 AP Psych

Consciouness

Our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

Cognitive neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked with cognition (thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating)

Dual processing

The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.

Blind sight

An ability to respond to visual information despite having no conscious knowledge of seeing anything.

Parallel Processing

Processing multiple aspects of a stimulus simultaneously.

Sequential processing

Processing one aspect of a stimulus or problem at a time; generally used to process new information or to solve difficult problems.

Sleep

A periodic, natural loss of consciousness — as distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation.

Circadian Rhythm

Our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24 hr cycle

Sleep cycle stage 1

A brief transitional stage of light sleep that usually lasts only 10-12 minutes.

What does the brain produce during stage 1 of sleep cycle?

Brain produces theta waves

What occurs during stage 1 of sleep cycle

Hallucinations & hypnagogic sensations occur during this stage

Sleep cycle stage 2

Theta Waves that get progressively slower

Sleep cycle stage 2 typically lasts?

Typically lasts about 20 minutes

What occurs during sleep cycle stage 2?

Sleep spindles

Sleep spindles

Short bursts of rapid brain waves appear

Sleep cycle stage 3

Slow wave sleep

What does sleep cycle stage 3 produce?

Produces delta waves

What happens if awakened from sleep cycle stage 3?

If awakened, you will be very groggy

Sleep cycle stage 3 is vital for what?

Vital for restoring body’s growth hormones and good overall health

What is REM

Rapid Eye Movement

What is sleep cycle stage 4 REM often called?

Often called paradoxical sleep because the brain is very active

What primarily occurs in REM?

Dreams primarily occur in REM

What happens to the body during sleep cycle stage 4 REM?

Body is essentially paralyzed

Suprachiasmatic nucleus

A pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm. In response to light the SCN adjusts melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness.

Sleep’s functions

• Protects us from harming ourselves

• Body & Brain repair, rewire, reorganization

• Memory consolidation

• Feeds creative thinking & problem solving

• Muscle development and growth

• Energy preservation