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Selective attention

The focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus, such as concentrating on a conversation in a noisy room.

Alpha waves

Brain waves that occur when a person is awake but relaxed, typically ranging from 8 to 12 Hz in frequency.

Cocktail-party effect

The ability to focus one's auditory attention on a particular stimulus while filtering out a range of other stimuli, such as hearing one's name in a crowded room.

Sleep spindles

Short bursts of brain activity that occur during non-REM sleep, believed to be important for memory consolidation.

Hallucinogens

Substances that cause profound alterations in sensory perception, mood, and cognitive processes; examples include LSD and psilocybin.

REM sleep

A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movement, heightened brain activity, and vivid dreams; typically occurs every 90 minutes during sleep.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks, often triggered by strong emotions.

Sleep apnea

A sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, leading to poor sleep quality and fatigue.

Night terrors

Episodes of terror during sleep that cause a child to wake up suddenly in a panicked state, often with physiological symptoms.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder defined by the inability to fall asleep or remain asleep, resulting in daytime impairment.

Latent content

The hidden psychological meaning of a dream, as opposed to its manifest content, which is the actual storyline.

Hypnosis

A state of focused attention and heightened suggestibility, often used for therapeutic purposes to aid in behavior change.

Psychoactive drugs

Substances that alter brain function and result in changes in mood, perception, and behavior, such as alcohol and caffeine.

Manifest content

The actual literal content and storyline of a dream, as opposed to its latent content.

Circadian rhythm

The natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats roughly every 24 hours.

Paradoxical sleep

Another term for REM sleep, where brain activity resembles that of wakefulness, but the body is deeply relaxed and immobilized.

Effects of psychoactive drugs

The various physiological and psychological impacts that these drugs can have on the user, including addiction, tolerance, and withdrawal.