States of Consciousness Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering terms and definitions from Chapter 4: States of Consciousness.

Consciousness

Awareness of internal and external stimuli, such as feelings of hunger and pain or detection of light.

Wakefulness

High levels of sensory awareness, thought, and behavior.

Biological Rhythm

An internal cycle of biological activity, such as fluctuations in body temperature, menstrual cycles, and levels of alertness.

Circadian Rhythm

A biological rhythm that occurs over approximately 24 hours.

Homeostasis

The tendency to maintain a balance, or optimal level, within a biological system.

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

Located in the hypothalamus, it serves as the brain's clock mechanism and synchronizes with the outside world using light information from the retina.

Melatonin

A hormone released by the pineal gland that regulates the sleep-wake cycle; its release is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by daylight.

Sleep Regulation

The brain's control of switching between sleep and wakefulness as well as coordinating this cycle with the outside world.

Chronotype

An individual's personal circadian pattern of activity.

Jet Lag

Symptoms such as fatigue, sluggishness, irritability, and insomnia caused by a mismatch between internal circadian cycles and the environment.

Rotating Shift Work

A work schedule that changes from early to late on a daily or weekly basis, making it difficult to maintain a normal circadian rhythm.

Sleep Debt

The cumulative result of insufficient sleep on a chronic basis.

Sleep Rebound

The tendency for a sleep-deprived individual to take a shorter time to fall asleep during subsequent opportunities for sleep.

Sleep

A state marked by relatively low physical activity and a reduced sense of awareness.

Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

A sleep stage characterized by rapid eye movements, paralysis of voluntary muscles, dreaming, and brain waves similar to wakefulness.

Manifest Content

According to Sigmund Freud, the actual content or storyline of a dream.

Latent Content

According to Sigmund Freud, the hidden meaning behind a dream.

Collective Unconscious

Carl Jung's concept of a theoretical repository of information shared by all people across cultures.

Lucid Dreams

Dreams in which certain aspects of wakefulness are maintained and a person becomes aware that they are dreaming.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder defined by difficulty falling or staying asleep for at least 3 nights a week for at least one month's time.

Parasomnia

A category of sleep disorders involving unwanted motor behavior or experiences throughout the sleep cycle.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

A parasomnia occurring when the muscle paralysis associated with REM sleep does not occur, leading to high levels of physical activity.

Restless Leg Syndrome

A parasomnia involving uncomfortable sensations in the legs when trying to fall asleep that are relieved by moving the legs.

Night Terrors

A parasomnia occurring during NREM sleep where the sleeper experiences a sense of panic and may scream or attempt to escape.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder occurring when individuals stop breathing during sleep, usually for 10-20 seconds or longer.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

A type of sleep apnea occurring when an airway becomes blocked and air is prevented from entering the lungs.

Central Sleep Apnea

A type of sleep apnea occurring when the central nervous system (CNS) fails to initiate breaths.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

A condition occurring when an infant younger than 12 months stops breathing during sleep and dies.

Narcolepsy

A disorder involving an irresistible urge to fall asleep during waking hours, often triggered by heightened arousal or stress.

Cataplexy

Loss of muscle tone while awake, or complete paralysis of voluntary muscles, often associated with narcolepsy.

Hypnagogic Hallucinations

Vivid, dream-like hallucinations associated with narcolepsy.

Substance Use Disorder

A compulsive pattern of drug use despite negative consequences, as defined by the DSM-5.

Physiological Dependence

Dependence involving changes in normal bodily functions and physical withdrawal symptoms upon cessation of drug use.

Psychological Dependence

An emotional need for a drug.

Tolerance

Occurs when a person requires more and more of a drug to achieve effects previously experienced at lower doses.

Withdrawal

Negative symptoms experienced when drug use is discontinued.

Stimulants

Drugs that increase overall levels of neural activity, usually acting as dopamine agonists by preventing dopamine reuptake.

Opioids

Drugs that serve as analgesics (decrease pain) through their effects on the endogenous opioid neurotransmitter system.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that cause changes in sensory and perceptual experiences, which can involve vivid hallucinations.

Hypnosis

An extreme focus on the self that involves suggested changes of behavior and experience.

Meditation

The act of focusing on a single target such as breath or a repeated sound to increase awareness of the moment.