AP Psych Unit 2 Part 2 Vocab

Sleep

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

circadian rhythm

biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle.

REM sleep

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

Alpha waves

relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.

NREM sleep

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

Hallucinations

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

Hypnagogic hallucinations

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

Delta waves

large, slow brain waves associated with the deep sleep of NREM-3.

Suprachiasmatic nucleus

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

Insomina

recurring problems in falling or staying asleep.

Narcolepsy

sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

Sleep apnea

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

Night terror

sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; night terrors occur during NREM-3 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep.

Dreams

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

Manifest content

according to Freud, the symbolic, remembered story line of a dream.

Latent content

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

REM rebound

tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation.

Psychoactive drugs

chemical substance that alters perceptions and moods.

Substance use disorder

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.

Withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing an addictive drug,

Depressants

drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.

Alcohol use disorder (alcoholism)

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

Barbiturate

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.

Stimulant

drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

Nicotine

stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco.

Cocaine

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

Amphetamines

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

Methamphetamine

powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels.

Ecstasy

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.

Hallucinogen

psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input.

Near death experience

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

LSD

powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid.

THC

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

Consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Hypothesis

social interaction in which the hypnotist suggests to the subject that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur.

Posthypnotic suggestion

suggestion made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized.

Dissociation

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

Sigmund Freud

psychoanalysis (unconscious mind and its influence on behavior-id, ego, superego)

William James

functionalism (purpose of mental processes in adapting to the environment)

Ernest Hilgard

hypnosis and divided consciousness (multiple controls in human thought and action)