PSYCH 100 Unit 2 Exam

Consciousness (def.)

defined by awareness of external events, internal sensations, and thoughts about one’s experiences

What are the levels of consciousness?

1. High-Level Consciousness

2. Lower-Level Consciousness

3. Altered States of Consciousness

4. Subconscious Awareness

5. No Awareness

Altered State of Consciousness (def.)

changes in awareness produced by trauma, fever, fatigue, sensory deprivation, meditation, drug use, and possibly hypnosis

Circadian Rhythm (def.)

Regular fluctuation from high to low points of certain bodily functions and behaviors

Circadian Rhythm affects functions of…

• Blood pressure

• Heart rate

• Appetite

• Secretion of hormones and digestive enzymes

• Sensory acuity

• Elimination

• Body’s response to medication

• Sleep

Understanding of sleep increased through the study of two types of sleep…

REM and Non-REM (NREM)

Lightest sleep

Non-REM Stage 1

Transitional state (between wakefulness and light sleep)

Non-REM Stage 1

Characterized by myoclonic jerks

Non-REM Stage 1

Myoclonic Jerks (def.)

sudden muscle movements that occur during Non-REM Stage 1 sleep

Myoclonic jerks demonstrate how the first stage of sleep often involves…

the fear of falling

Theta waves occur

Non-REM Stage 1

Somewhat more deeply asleep (mid-sleep)

Non-REM Stage 2

Theta waves AND sleep spindles occur

Non-REM Stage 2

Sleep Spindles (def.)

brief high-frequency bursts of neurons firing simultaneously; important to memory consolidation and play a role in the communication between the hippocampus and the neocortex

Deep Sleep

Non-REM Stage 3

Delta Waves

Non-REM Stage 3

Delta Waves (def.)

the slowest and highest-amplitude brain waves during sleep

Delta Sleep (def.)

our deepest sleep, the time when our brain waves are least like our brain waves while we are awake (Stage W).

Delta sleep

Non-REM Stage 3

Delta sleep is also called…

slow-wave sleep

Stage when children are bedwetting, sleepwalking, and sleep talking

Non-REM Stage 3

When awakened during this stage, people usually are confused and disoriented

Non-REM Stage 3

Heart and breathing reach their lowest and most stable levels of the entire night

Non-REM Stage 3

Delta waves reach nearly 100% (or approximately 50% to over 50–100% in older traditional textbook definitions where Stage 3 was 20–50% and Stage 4 exceeded 50%)

Non-REM Stage 3

Blood pressure and brain activity at lowest points in 24-hour period

Non-REM Stage 3

Typically you start the night in Non-REM sleep unless you are…

sleep deprived

REM Sleep stands for…

Rapid Eye Movement sleep

Why is REM sleep also called paradoxical sleep?

because the brain is highly active while the body remains temporarily paralyzed

Most stage R sleep takes place…

toward the end of a night’s sleep

The fourth and final stage

REM sleep (Stage R)

Intense brain activity (brain temperature rises rapidly)

REM sleep (Stage R)

Sexual excitement

REM sleep (Stage R)

Epinephrine release leads to increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration (breathing rate)

REM sleep (Stage R)

Theta waves in hippocampus

REM sleep (Stage R) AND Stage W

Neurons in hippocampus are activated (important in memory)

REM sleep (Stage R)

Body appears calm

REM sleep (Stage R)

EEG pattern shows fast waves similar to those of relaxed wakefulness

REM sleep (Stage R)

Eyes dart around

REM sleep (Stage R)

Dreaming occurs vividly and most frequently

REM sleep (Stage R)

What increased vital signs occur during REM sleep (Stage R)?

breathing becomes faster and irregular, while heart rate and blood pressure rise

Why does the external body appear calm during REM sleep (Stage R)

Muscle paralysis: most major voluntary muscles are completely relaxed and immobilized to keep you from acting out your dreams

During REM sleep, the brain conducts…

consolidation of learning and memory (all night studying doesn’t help)

Perceptual or motor skills increase after ____ hours of sleep.

8-10

As sleep begins, the levels of __________ sent to the __________ from the reticular formation start __________, and they continue to fall until they reach their lowest levels during the deepest sleep stage- __________.

neurotransmitters; forebrain; dropping; stage N3

Stage R sleep is initiated by a rise in __________.

acetylcholine

REM sleep ends when there is a rise in ____________ and ____________.

serotonin; norepinephrine

You are most likely to wake up just after…

a REM period

If you do not wake up just after a REM period, then…

the level of the neurotransmitters falls again, and you enter another sleep cycle

Stage R sleep is initiated by a rise in acetylcholine levels which activates…

the cerebral cortex while the rest of the brain remains relatively inactive

REM sleep ends when there is a rise in serotonin and norepinephrine, which increases…

the level of forebrain activity nearly to the awakened state

Sleep deprivation is associated with…

• Difficulty concentrating

• General irritability 

• Decreases cognitive functioning

• Impairs learning

• Long-term health effects (immune system impairment)

• Technically could be fatal (animal studies)

• Causes many accidents and fatalities

After a period of REM sleep deprivation…

the amount (duration, percentage, frequency, or intensity) of REM sleep increases (A.K.A. REM Rebound)

REM Rebound is often associated with…

• sleep deprivation

• alcohol use/withdrawal

• medication changes

• substance use/withdrawal

• starting CPAP treatment (continuous positive airway pressure machine helps treat sleep apnea)

• high stress

Alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, and LSD use suppress __________ and results in __________.

REM sleep; REM rebound

Characteristics of typical sleep in infants and young children.

• Sleep the most (16 hours a day)

• Have the highest amount of REM and slow-wave sleep

Characteristics of typical sleep in ages 6-puberty.

Sleep and awake same time daily (most consistent)

Characteristics of typical sleep in adolescents

• Sleep patterns are influenced by schedules

• Poor sleep may contribute to poor school performance

• Changing School schedules due to sleep research

Need sleep for…

brain growth

During REM you are continually…

dreaming

You can dream in any stage of sleep, but it usually happens during…

REM sleep (Stage R)

Why do dreams not make sense yet still feel really terrifying?

frontal lobes are mostly turned off, but the amygdala is extremely active

REM dreams have…

story-like qualities (making them more memorable)

In comparison to Non-REM dreams, REM dreams are…

more vivid, visual, and emotional

During REM sleep the brain is…

very active

In comparison to REM dreams, Non-REM dreams are…

• Less frequent than REM dreams

• Less memorable than REM dreams

Lucid Dreams (def.)

A dream where individual is aware of dreaming and whose content the individual is often able to influence while dreaming

Recurring dreams usually stop happening after…

puberty

Freudian Interpretation (def.)

Believed dreams satisfy unconscious sexual and aggressive desires and so must be disguised

Manifest Content (def.)

The content of a dream as recalled by the dreamer

Latent Content (def.)

The underlying meaning of the dream

Problem-Focused Interpretation (def.)

dreams are an expression of current ongoing concerns and can resolve or clarify current problems

In Problem-Focused Interpretation of dreams, we…

relate images in dream to things in your waking life

Activation-Synthesis Interpretation (def.)

Dreams are the brain’s attempt to make sense of the random brain activity during REM sleep

In Activation-Synthesis Interpretation of dreams, we…

construct a story around the brain activity

Sleep Phenomena are also known as…

parasomnias

All parasomnias are more common in __________ (especially habitually).

children

Crazy things that happen while sleeping and may disrupt normal life, which can be categorized as a…

disorder

Somnambulism (def.)

sleepwalking, occurs during partial arousal from stage 3 non-REM sleep

Somniloquy (def.)

sleeptalking, occurs during any sleep stage; is more frequent among children

Sleep terror (def.)

• happens during partial arousal from stage 3 non-REM sleep

• usually begins with a piercing scream

Nightmares (def.)

are frightening dreams that occur during REM sleep