ap psych unit 1 part 2 sleep

consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment

cognitive neuroscience

the interdisciplinary study of brain activity linked w cognition (thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating)

dual processing

the principle that info is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

blindsight

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it (demonstrate dual processing)

parallel processing

processing multiple aspects of a stimulus simultaneously (faster, more automatic type of processing)

sequential processing

processing one aspect of a stimulus or problem at a time; generally used to process new info or to solve difficult problems (requires focused attention)

circadian rhythm

internal biological clock

alpha waves

relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state, when you are awake-beta waves

REM sleep

rapid eye movement sleep; a re-coocurring sleep stage during which vivd dreams commonly occur, heart rate rises and rapid breathing

NREM 1

transitioning from wake to sleep

• hypnagogic sensation: sensation of falling or leg/arm jerk

NREM 2

clearly asleep (20 mins). periodic sleep spindles: bursts of rapid brain wave activity

NREM 3

deep sleep. delta waves. hard to awaken. sleepwalking occurs in this stage

sleep paralysis

brainstem blocks motor cortex’s messages and muscles don’t move, but nervous system is very active “paradoxical sleep”

REM rebound

tendency for REM sleep increase following REM sleep duration

sleep stages

length of REM sleep increases the longer you remain and REM3 decreases

REM (stage 4) - rapid eye movement

• increases in length as night of sleep progressses

• vivd dreaming

• nightmares

• paralyzed body

• essential part of sleep for the mind

NREM (stages 1-3) - non rapid eye movement

• decreases in length as night of sleep progresses

• vague, partial imgaes and stories

• night terrors

• sleepwalking and talking

• essential part of sleep for the body

why do we sleep?

• memories are consolidated during REM

• human growth hormone relaeased during sleep to promote muscle development and growth

• energy is perserved

sleep loss

• affects mood and can increase risks

• offsets metabolism, can influence weight gain

• immune system suppession

• cognitive effects: decreased attention and slowed reaction time

insominia

recurring problems in falling and staying asleep

narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder chracterized by temporary sensations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

sleepwalking (somnambalism)

• a childhood disorder that runs in families

• occurs during NREM-3 sleep and is usually harmless

  • few recall nighttime trips

sleep talking

• a childhood disorder that runs in families

• can occur in any sleep stage

REM sleep behavior disorder

a sleep disprder in which normal REM paralysis doesn’t occur; instead twitching, kicking, or punching may occur

• often acting out a dream

dreams

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

action-synthesis theory

REM sleep triggers neural activity that evokes random visual mems, which our sleeping brain weaves into stories

consolidation theory

dreams are a result of memory consolidation that occurs during sleep

sensation

sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment

sensory receptors

sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli

preception

our brain organizes and interprets sensory info

bottom-up processing

begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory

top-down processing

starting with an expectation or assumption about what we are sensing

absolute threshold

the minimum stimulation needed to detect a particular stimulus 50% of the time

difference threshold

the minimum differenece between 2 stimuli required for detection 50% of the time (AKA the just noticable difference)