States of Consciousness

consciousness

awareness of oneself and one's environment

preconscious/subconscious

information that is not conscious but is retrievable into conscious awareness

unconscious

reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories of which we are unaware but which influences our behavior.

iceberg

analogy used by Freud to describe consciousness

dream analysis

a psychoanalytic technique in which the therapist interprets the symbolic meaning of the client's dreams.

manifest content

according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream

latent content

according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream

annual cycle

cycles that occur in our bodies on a yearly basis, such as SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), birds migrating south, or bears hibernating

28-day cycle

cycles that occur every month, such as a woman's menstrual cycle

circadian rhythm

a 24-hour rhythm, such as the body clock (body temperature and wakefulness)

90-minute cycle

length of a sleep cycle

subliminal messaging

a signal or message designed to pass below the normal limits of perception

product placement

application of subliminal messaging used by advertisers to influence consumers

Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

unique phase of sleep distinguishable by random/rapid movement of the eyes, accompanied with low muscle tone throughout the body, and the propensity of the sleeper to dream vividly

sleep deprivation

any significant loss of sleep, resulting in problems in concentration, irritability, and increased risk to physical health

altered state of consciousness

any state which is significantly different from a normative waking beta wave state

hypnosis

a state of highly focused attention or concentration, often associated with relaxation, and heightened suggestibility

meditation

the focusing of attention to a particular stimulus such as. breathing or a mantra, which produces relaxation

stimulant

drugs including those that increase activity of the body and are pleasurable and invigorating

hallucinogen

a type of drug that alters perception of reality

depressant

a drug that lowers neurotransmission levels, which is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in various areas of the brain

narcotic

drug that relieves pain and induces sleep