AP Psychology Unit 5: States of Consciousness

Consciousness

our awareness or ourselves and our environment

Circadian rhythm

biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle

REM sleep

rapid eye movement; a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur

Alpha waves

the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

Sleep

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

Hallucinations

false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of external visual stimulus

Delta waves

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

NREM sleep

non-rapid eye movement sleep; encompasses all sleep stages expect for REM sleep

Insomnia

recurring problems in falling asleep or staying asleep

Narcolepsy

a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks

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

Dream

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

Manifest content

according to Freud, the remembered story line of the dream

Latent content

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation

Hypnosis

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

Posthypnotic suggestion

a suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors

Disassociation

a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others

Psychoactive drugs

a chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods

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

Withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discounting the use of an addictive drug

Physical dependence

a psychological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued

Psychological dependence

a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions

Depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Addiction

compulsive drug craving and use, despite adverse consequences

Opiates

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

Stimulates

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions

Amphetamines

drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes

Hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, 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