psych unit 4 aos 1

consciousness

the awareness of your own internal mental processes, including your thoughts, feelings, sensations and perceptions, and your awareness of the external world around you

psychological construct

a concept that cannot be objectively observed or measured directly through the collection of data, but is widely understood to exist

normal waking consciousness- states of consciousness

a state associated with being aware of our internal and external environments- when you are awake and aware of your external environments

altered state of consciousness- states of consciousness

any state that differs in awareness when compared to normal waking consciousness- daydreaming

naturally occurring altered state of consciousness

an altered state of consciousness that occurs without any external influence- sleep or state of fatigue

induced altered state of consciousness

an altered state of consciousness that has been brought about on purpose-alcohol induced state, under anaesthetic, hypnosis

sleep

a naturally occurring and reversible altered state of consciousness, characterised by a reduction in awareness and responsiveness to external surroundings

non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM)

a type of sleep characterised by a progressive decline in physiological activity

rapid eye movement sleep (REM)

a type of sleep characterised by quick darting of the eyes behind closed eyelids and an increase in physiological activity

polysomnography

a multi-parameter sleep study used as a diagnostic tool in sleep medicine

electro-encephalography (EEG)

a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the brain

electromyography (EMG)

a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the skeletal muscles

electro-oculography (EOG)

a technique that detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the muscles controlling the eyes

sleep diary

a subjective self-report tool used by a person to track their own sleep and wake patterns

video monitoring

a sleep study tool used to collect qualitative visual and audio information about a person’s sleep

circadian rhythm

biological processes that coordinate the timing of body activities over a 24-hour period- sleep wake cycle

ultradian rhythms

biological processes that coordinate the timing of body activities over a period of less than 24 hours-sleep episode (8-10 hours)

suprachiasmatic nucleus

a master body clock in the hypothalamus that regulates body activities to a daily schedule of sleep and wakefulness

zeitgeber

an environmental cue such as light, temperature and eating patterns that can synchronise and regulate the body’s circadian rhythm

melatonin

a hormone that induces drowsiness and decreases cell activity

lifespan

the period of time a person is alive

newborns (0-3 months) circadian rhythm

Newborns do not have an established circadian rhythm. Their sleeping patterns are erratic, with their sleep distributed across the full 24-hour day.

infants (4-11 months) circadian rhythm

from 4 months, an infant’s sleep becomes more nocturnal. As they continue to develop and experience rapid physiological changes, children begin to have a fairly consistent circadian rhythm.

adolescent (14-17 years) circadian rhythm

Adolescents experience a shift in their circadian

rhythm; they may not feel tired until later in the evening. This can result in a delayed sleep phase syndrome.

adult (18-64) circadian rhythm

the circadian rhythm returns to more normal timing, and most healthy adults experience a consistent

circadian rhythm if they are following a regular routine with relatively stable bedtimes and wake times.

older adult (65+) circadian rhythm

may prefer an earlier bedtime and therefore an earlier waking in the morning.