Module 4: States of Consciousness

Consciousness

the awareness of internal and external stimuli

Examples of Internal Stimuli

pain, hunger, thirst, sleepiness, and knowing thoughts/emotions

Examples of External Stimuli

sight, feeling temperature, and hearing

Sleep

low levels of physical activity and reduced sensory awareness

Wakefulness

high levels of sensory awareness, thought, and behavior

Biological Rhythms

internal rhythms of biological activity

Circadian Rhythm

biological clock that works over a 24 hours period

Homeostasis

maintaining balance at an optimal level

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

region of the hypothalamus responsible for using light signal to regulate the circadian rhythm

Melatonin

regulator hormone of the sleep cycle

Pineal Gland

located inside the brain and releases melatonin

Sleep Regulation

brain's control of switching between sleep and wakefulness as well as coordinating this cycle with the outside world

rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

characterized by darting movement while eyes are closed

Non REM sleep

four stages, body is at a restful state where brain activity, breathing, and heart rate slows

Stage 1 sleep

transitional stage between wakefulness and sleep, alpha and theta waves

stage 2

body goes into deep relaxation

theta waves and sleep spindles occur

associated with K-complex

sleep spindle

burst of higher frequency brain waves that are important to learning and memory

K-Complex

high amplitude pattern of brain activity often in response to environmental stimuli

stage 3 and 4

deep sleep characterized by delta waves,heart rate and breathing slows rapidly

Freud's Thoughts on Dreams

way to gain access to the unconscious

way to increase self awareness and valuable insight

manifest content

actual content of a dream

latent content

hidden meaning of a dream

collective unconscious

Carl Jung, symbols in dream have similar meanings regardless of culture and location

lucid dreams

aspects of wakefulness are maintained in a dream state

depressant

drugs that suppress the CNS

decreased reaction time, visual acuity, alertness, and behavioral control

stimulants

drugs that increase neural activity

hallucinogens

drugs that alter sensory and perceptual experiences

hypnosis

state of extreme self focus when minimal attention is given to external stimuli

components that bring person to hypnosis state

guided to focus on one thing

made comfortable or sleepy

open to the process

encouraged to use imagination

how does hypnosis work?

theory 1- dissociated state of consciousness

theory 2- social cognitive theory

hypnogogic sensations

sensations of falling or floating that are sometimes later incorporated into memories

Insomia

inability to sleep

hypersomia

excessive daytime sleepiness

Narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks

sleep apnea

a disorder in which the person stops breathing for brief periods while asleep

REM Rebound

increased amounts of REM sleep after being deprived of REM sleep on earlier nights

activation synthesis theory

dreams allow the brain to make sense of random neural activity

information processing model

dreams process information gathered daily

psychoactive drugs and effects

produce a different state of consciousness by stimulating, inhibiting or mimicking a neurotransmitter