1.5a-1.5c psych

consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

help us understand life, learn new skills, and plan for the future

cognitive neuroscience

study of the brain activity linked with cognition (thinking, knowing, remembering, communicating)

dual processing

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

blind sight

condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it

(ex. can’t recognize objects, but still know how widely to open your hand to grasp them)

parallel processing

processing multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously

good for routine activities

sequential processing

processing one aspect of a stimulus or problem at a time

generally used to process new information or solve difficult problems

sleep

periodic, natural loss of consciousness

circadian rhythm

our biological clock

regular bodily rhythms (temperature, wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

REM sleep

recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur

paradoxical because muscles are relaxed while other body systems are active

rapid brain waves

eyes dart around

sexually aroused

alpha waves

relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

NREM sleep

encompasses all sleep stages except for REM

hypnagogic sensations

bizarre experiences, such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating, while transitioning to sleep

during stage 1 sleep

sleep spindles

bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain-wave activity that aid memory processing

during stage 2 sleep

delta waves

large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

stage 3 sleep

sleep stages

stage 1 → stage 2 → stage 3 → stage 2 → REM

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm

adjusts melatonin production in response to light

reasons for sleep

protection, restoration, memory consolidation, creative thinking, growth, energy conservation

sleep loss effects

sleep debt, anger, conflicts, depressive disorders

increases ghrelin, decreases leptin → hungrier

increases with cortisol → causes stress and more fat production

disrupts gene expression → health problems

enhances limbic system reactions to food, reduces cortical responses of temptation

insomnia

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

gets worse by worrying about it

narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks

random lapses into REM

sleep apnea

temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

somnambulism

sleepwalking

REM sleep behavior disorder

normal REM paralysis doesn’t occur, causing movement and talking during sleep

dream

a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind

80% have a negative event

men have more sexual imagery than women

storylines incorporate recent experiences, worries, and current environment

reasons for dreams

to file away memories, to develop and preserve neural pathways, to make sense of neural static, to reflect cognitive development

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation