Unit 2 Chapter 3 Psych Vocab

Consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

Hypnosis

a social interaction in which one person suggests to another that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

Selective Attention

focusing conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

Cocktail Party Effect

the ability to focus on one stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli

Inattentional Blindness

failing to see visible objects when our attention is directed elsewhere

Change Blindness

failing to notice changes in the environment

Dual Processing

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

Blindsight

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

Parallel Processing

processing many aspects of a stimulus or problem 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 that occur on a 24-hour cycle

REM Sleep

rapid eye movement sleep; a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur; also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active

Alpha Waves

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

Hallucinations

false sensory experiences

Delta Waves

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm; in response to light, it causes the pineal gland to adjust melatonin production, thus modifying our feelings of sleepiness

Insomnia

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

Narcolepsy

a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks; the sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times

Sleep Apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

Night Terrors

a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; occur during N3 sleep, within 2 or 3 hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered

Dream

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

Manifest Content

the symbolic, remembered story line of a dream

Latent Content

the underlying meaning of a dream

REM Rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation

Psychoactive Drugs

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

Substance Use Disorder

a disorder characterized by continued substance craving and use despite significant life disruption and/or physical risk

Tolerance

the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug’s effect

Addiction

an everyday term for compulsive substance use (and sometimes for dysfunctional behavior patterns) that continues despite harmful consequences

Withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug or behavior

Depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Alcohol Use Disorder

alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal, and a drive to continue problematic use

Barbiturates

drugs that depress central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

Opiates

opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Amphetamines

drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing accelerated body functions and associated energy and mood changes

Nicotine

a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco products

Cocaine

a powerful and addictive stimulant derived from the coca plant; produces temporarily increased alertness and euphoria

Methamphetamine

a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with accelerated body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, reduces baseline dopamine levels

Ecstasy (MDMA)

a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen; produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition

Hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

Near-Death Experience

an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death; often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

LSD

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid

THC

the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations