ap psych unit 1 sleep and visualization

consciousness

our subjective awareness of ourselves and our environment.

cognitive neuroscience

study of the brain activity linked with our mental processes.

blindsight

a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it.

parallel processing

processing multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously.

sequential processing

processing one aspect of a stimulus or problem at a time; generally used to process new information or to solve difficult problems.

circadian rhythm

our biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle.

REM sleep

rapid eye movement sleep; a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur.

hypnagogic sensations

bizarre experiences, such as jerking or a feeling of falling or floating weightlessly, while transitioning to sleep.

delta waves

the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep.

major sleep disorder

insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, sleepwalking (somnambulism), or REM sleep behavior disorder

Insomnia

the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, leading to daytime impairments.

narcolepsy

a neurological disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, leading to disrupted sleep and fatigue.

REM sleep disorder

Acting out the content of dreams while asleep, including vocalizing or motor behaviors such as kicking or punching.

perception

the processes by which her brain organizes and interprets sensory input

sensation

the process by which our sensory receptors and nervous system receive and represent stimulus energies from our environment.

bottom up processing

information processing that begins with the sensory receptors and works up to the brain’s integration of sensory information.

top down processing

information processing that starts with higher-level mental processes and uses existing knowledge and expectations to interpret sensory information.

subliminal

below your absolute threshold

difference threshold

the minimum difference between two stimuli required for detection 50% of the time.

absolute threshold

the minimum stimulus needed to detect a particular sense.

eye parts:
cornea

the eye’s clear, protective outer layer, covering the pupil and iris.

pupil

the adjustable opening in the center of the eye through which light enters.

iris

a colored muscle that dilates or constricts in response to light intensity.

retina

the light-sensitive back inner surface of the eye, containing the receptor rods and cones plus layers of neurons that begin the processing of visual information.