Psyc 101 Exam 2

Chapters 4 and 5

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 behaviorq

sleep

low levels of psychical activity and reduced sensory awareness

biological rhythm

internal cycle of biological activity

biological rhythm examples

fluctuation of body temp, individual’s menstrual cycle, levels of alertness

controls biological rhythms

the hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining homeostasis (the tendency to maintain a balance, or optimal level, within a biological system)

circadian rhythm

a biological rhythm that occurs over approximately 24 hours

sleep-wake cycle

linked to out environments natural light-dark cycle and generated by the superchiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)

at the base of the hypothalamus, light impacts and helps control

melatonin

released by the pineal gland and is stimulated by darkness, making and sleepy, and is inhibited by daylight, affecting our sleep-wake cycle

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sleep regulation

the brain’s control of switching between sleep and wakefulness disruptions of normal sleep

jet lag

symptoms resulting from the mismatch between our internal circadian cycles and our environment

jet lag symptoms

fatigue, sluggishness, irritability, insomnia

rotating shift work

a work schedule that changes from early to late on a daily/weekly basis

results of rotating shift work

persistent feelings of exhaustion and agitation, sleeping problems, and can lead to signs of depression and anxiety

sleep debt

result in insufficient sleep on a chronic basis

sleep rebound

a sleep deprived individual will tend 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

secretion and regulation of hormones in sleep

melatonin, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and growth hormone

brain areas involved in sleep

hypothalamus, thalamus, pineal gland, pons, pituitary gland, suprachiasmatic nucleus

sleep theories

1. sleep is essential to restore resources that are expended during the day
2. sleep is an adaptive response to predatory risks, which increases in darkness

(little evidence to support these)

why we sleep

cognitive function :

* sleep deprivation results in disruptions in cognition and memory deficits
* these impairments become more severe as the amount of sleep deprivation increases

slow wave

essential for effective memory formation

alpha

relatively low frequency, relatively high amplitude, synchronized

theta

low frequency, moderately low amplitude

delta

low frequency, high amplitude, desynchronized

awake

beta

stage 1 NREM

alpha

stage 2 NREM

theta (sleep spindles ; k-complexes)

stage 3 NREM

delta

stage 1

transitional phase occurring between wakefulness and sleep

* rates of respiration and heartbeat slow down

stage 2

body goes into deep relaxation

* characterized by the appearance of both sleep spindles (high frequency) and k-complexes (high amplitude)

sleep spindles

rapid burst of high frequency brainwaves

k-complexes

rapid burst of high amplitude brainwaves

stage 3

known as slow-wave sleep

* respiration and heart rate slow down further

rapid eye movement (REM)

rapid eye movements, paralysis of voluntary muscles, brain waves are similar to those seen during wakefulness, REM rebound

sigmund freud

saw dreams as a way to gain access to the unconscious

manifest content

the actual content of the dream

latent content

the hidden meaning of the dream

carl jung

believed that dreams allow us to tap into the collective unconscious and certain symbols in dreams reflected universal archetypes regardless of culture or location

cartwright and hobson

believed dreams may represent life events that are important to the dreams and may represent protoconsciousness or a virtual reality

lucid dreams

certain aspects of wakefulness are maintained during a dream state

insomnia

difficulty falling or staying asleep at least 3 times a week for at least 1 month’s time

insomnia contributing factors

age, drug use, exercise, mental health, bedtime routines

insomnia treatments

stress management techniques, changes in problematic behaviors that could attribute to insomnia, and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on cognitive processes and problem behaviors

sleep walking

sleeper engages in relatively complex behaviors that can range from wandering around the house driving a car

* usually occurs during slow-wave sleep

sleep walking treatments

antidepressants, benzodiazepines

rem sleep behavior disorder (RBD)

occurs when the muscle paralysis associated with REM sleep does not occur

* includes high levels of physical activity during REM sleep

RBD treatment

clonazepam

restless leg syndrome

involves uncomfortable sensations in the legs when trying to fall asleep that are relieved by moving the legs

restless leg syndrome treatments

a variety of medications ; related to diabetes, treated like diabetes

night terrors

sleeper experiences a sense of panic and may scream or attempt to escape

night terrors treatments

no treatment, will eventually go away

sleep apnea

occurs when individuals stop breathing during their sleep, usually for 10-20 seconds or longer

obstructive

airway becomes blocked and air is prevented from entering the lungs

central

central nervous system fails to initiate breaths

sleep apnea treatments

continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)

* pumps air into the persons airways

sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

occurs when an infant stops breathing during sleep and dies

SIDS contributing factors

premature birth, smoking within the home, hyperthermia

narcolepsy

involves an irresistible urge to fall asleep during waking hours

cataplexy

loss of muscle tone while awake or in some cases complete paralysis

hypnagogic hallucinations

vivid, dream-like hallucinations

narcolepsy treatments

psychomotor stimulant drugs

parasomnias

unwanted movements

substance use disorder

a compulsive pattern of drug use despite negative consequences

physiological dependence

involves changes in normal bodily functions and withdrawal upon cessation of use

psychological dependence

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 experiences when drug use is discontinued

* typical symptoms are opposite of what the drug does

depressants

drugs that suppress the central nervous system (CNS) activity

alcohol

depressant ; decreases reaction time and visual activity, lowers levels of alertness, reduces behavioral control

depressant examples

alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines

stimulants

increases overall levels of neural activity

stimulants examples

cocaine, amphetamine, MDMA

stimulants side effects

nausea, elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, feelings of anxiety, hallucinations, paranoia

caffeine

increases levels of alertness and arousal, involves antagonizing adenosine activity

nicotine

most commonly used in tobacco products, like cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and e-cigarettes ; interacts with acetylcholine receptors

opioids

serve as analgesics (decrease pain) through their effects on endogenous opioid neurotransmitter system

* have potent pain-killing effects and are often abused

opioid examples

heroin, morphine, methadone, codeine, fentanyl

hallucinogens

cause changes in sensory and perceptual experiences

* variable with regards to the specific neurotransmitter systems they affect

hallucinogen examples

marijuana, mescaline, PCP, LSD, ketamine

hypnosis

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

* has been used to draw out information believed in someone’s memory

meditation

the act of being fully aware in the present moment which can be achieved through focusing on a single target (like breath)

hypnosis uses

pain management, treatment of depression and anxiety, quitting smoking, and weight loss

meditation uses

stress management, sleep quality, pain management, and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders

sensation

when sensory info is detected by a sensory receptor

transduction

conversion of sensory stimulus energy into action potential

absolute threshold

the minimum amount of a stimulus needed for us to notice it 50% of the time

absolute threshold examples

* a candle flame seen at 30 miles on a clear, dark night
* the tick of a watch under quiet conditions at 20 feet

difference threshold

the minimum amount of change in a stimulus needed to detect a difference (changes depending on the stimulus intensity)

bottom-up processing

basic sensory features are analyzed and recombined

top-down processing

perception influenced by knowledge, experience, expectations, and motivations

perception

the way sensory info is organized, interpreted, and consciously experienced

sensory adaptation

not perceiving stimuli that have been relatively constant over a period of time

sensory adaptation example

adapting to the smell of cooking in a kitchen

attention

influences what stimulus we adapt to

attention example

tuning out music at a party when conversing

motivation

influence what we attend to

motivation example

looking for your child in a crowded venue

inattention blindness

failure to notice something visible due to attending something else