Ch. 4 States of Consciousness

mere exposure effect

when we prefer something we have seen before over something new

priming

participants respond more quickly and/or accurately to questions they have seen before

blind sight

a phenomenon where a blind person can remember the path of something they can't see

conscious level

info about yourself and your environment you are aware of

non

conscious level

body processes controlled by your mind that we arent aware of

preconscious level

info about yourself and your environment that you arent currently thinking about

subconscious level

info we arent consciously aware of but we know must exist

unconscious level

events and feelings unacceptable to our conscious minds and are repressed into the unconscious

circadian cycle

physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24 hour cycle

sleep onset

period when we are falling asleep

stage 1 of sleep cycle

falling asleep

theta waves

high frequency low amplitude waves

stage 2 of sleep cycle

electroencephalogram(EEG) starts to show sleep spindles

sleep spindles

short bursts of rapid brain waves

stage 3 and 4 of sleep cycle

delta sleep, slow wave sleep, deep sleep

REM

eyes and muscles twitch, dreams are more likely to happen esp. detailed ones, our brain appears as active as when we are awake

insomnia

trouble falling asleep

narcolepsy

periods of intense sleepiness and may fall into REM sleep at unexpected times

sleep apnea

stop breathing for short periods of time during the night and waking up to gasp for air then falling asleep again

night terrors

randomly waking up and screaming or moving around

somnambulism

sleep walking

manifest content

literal content of our dreams

latent content

unconscious meaning of the dream

activation synthesis theory of dreaming

dreams are the brain's interpretation of what is happening physically during REM

information processing theory of dreaming

stress during the day increases the number and intensity of dreams

psychoactive drugs

chemicals that change the chemistry of the brain and creates an altered state of consciousness

blood brain barrier

thick walls surrounding the brain's blood vessels to protect it from harmful chemicals

agonists

drugs that mimic neurotransmitters

antagonists

drugs that block neurotransmitters

tolerance

physiological change that produces a need for more of the same drug to have an effect

withdrawal

stop taking a drug

withdrawal symptoms

effects in the body after quitting a drug

stimulants

speed up body processes and autonomic nervous system

depressants

slow down body processes and autonomic nervous system

hallucinogens/psychedelics

changes the perceptions of reality

reverse tolerance

second dose being less but causing the same or greater effect

opiates

act as agonists for endorphins, most powerful painkillers and mood elevators