Sleep Disorders, Dreams, Consciousness, Dualism

Introspection

A person’s report of their conscious experience

Behaviorism

Observable behavior and responses

Cognitive psychology

Mental processes such as attention and memory

Cognitive neuroscience

Mental processes in relation to brain activity - physical evidence

Consciousness

Awareness of thoughts, memories, sensations, and the environment

Dualism

The view that mind and body are distinct

Mind-body problem

The question of how mental experience relates to the physical body and brain

Monism

The view that mind and body are parts of one system rather than separate substances

Rene Descartes

“I think, therefore I am” - made relationship between mind and body a central philosophical question

Subconscious

Memories or information that are not currently in awareness but can be brought to mind

Unconscious

Processes that occur outside awareness - automatic processes such as breathing

Dual processing

Mind can process information on more than one track at the same time

Conscious: focused, sequential, effortful - carefully deciding how to solve a new problem

Outside awareness: rapid, parallel, automatic - responding quickly to a familiar cue

Sleep as a state of consciousness

Sleep is a recurring biological state in which awareness changes

Stage 1 NREM

Light transition between wakefulness and sleep; easy to awaken, hypnic jerks may occur

Stage 2 NREM

Light sleep; body temperature and heart rate decrease, sleep spindles and K-complexes appear in brain-wave recordings

Stage 3 NREM

Deep, restorative sleep; delta waves dominate, awakening can be difficult, body carries out restorative processes

REM sleep

Rapid eye movements; brain activity resembles wakefulness; vivid dreams are common, muscles are temporarily inhibited, REM periods tend to lengthen later in the night