Psychology Unit 5 States of Consciousness

Consciousness

Our awareness of ourselves and our environment

Altered state of consciousness (ASC)

A temporary mental state, other than ordinary waking consciousness, that includes sleep, dreaming, psychoactive drug use, meditation, and hypnosis.

Selective attention

The process of focusing conscious awareness onto a specific stimulus, while filtering out a range of other stimuli occurring simultaneously.

Inattentional blindness

The failure to notice a fully visible, but unexpected, stimulus when our attention is directed elsewhere; also known as perceptual blindness.

Controlled processes

The mental activities that require focused attention and generally interfere with other ongoing activities.

Automatic processes

The mental activities that require minimal attention and generally have little impact on other activities

Circadian rhythm

The internal, biological clock governing bodily activities, such as the sleep/wake cycle, and temperature, that occur on a 24- to 25-hour cycle. (Circa means “about,” and dies means “day.”)

Non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep

The sleep stages (1 through 3) during which a sleeper does not show rapid eye movements.

Rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep

The fourth stage of sleep, marked by rapid eye movements, irregular breathing, high-frequency brain waves, paralysis of large muscles, and often dreaming.

Adaptation/protection theory of sleep

The theory that sleep evolved to conserve energy and provide protection from predators.

Repair/restoration theory of sleep

The theory that sleep allows organisms to repair their bodies or recuperate from depleting daily waking activities.

Growth/development theory of sleep

The theory that sleep is correlated with changes in the structure and organization of the brain due to growth and development.

Learning/memory theory of sleep

The theory that sleep is important for learning and for the consolidation, storage, and maintenance of memories.

Wish-fulfillment view of dreams

The Freudian belief that dreams provide an outlet for unacceptable desires.

Latent content

According to Freud, a dream’s unconscious, hidden meaning is disguised in symbols within the dream’s manifest content (story line).

Manifest content

In Freudian dream analysis, the “surface,” or remembered, story line, which contains symbols that mask the dream’s latent content (the true meaning).

Activation–synthesis theory of dreams

The theory that dreams are a by-product of random, spontaneous stimulation of brain cells during sleep, which the brain combines (synthesizes) into coherent patterns, known as dreams.

Cognitive view of dreams

The perspective that dreaming is a type of information processing that helps us organize and interpret our everyday experiences.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder characterized by persistent problems in falling asleep, staying asleep, or awakening too early.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. (Narco means “numbness,” and lepsy means “seizure.”)

Sleep apnea

A sleep disorder of the upper respiratory system resulting from a repeated interruption of breathing during sleep; it also leads to loud snoring, poor-quality sleep, and excessive daytime sleepiness.

Nightmares

The anxiety-arousing dreams that generally occur near the end of the sleep cycle, during REM sleep.

Sleep terrors

The abrupt awakenings from NREM (non-rapid-eye-movement) sleep accompanied by intense physiological arousal and feelings of panic.

Psychoactive drug

A chemical that changes mental processes, such as conscious awareness, mood, and perception.

Agonist drug

A substance that binds to a receptor and mimics or enhances a neurotransmitter’s effect.

Antagonist drug

A substance that binds to a receptor and blocks a neurotransmitter’s effect.

Drug abuse

A type of drug taking that leads to emotional or physical harm to the drug user or others.

Addiction

A broad term that describes a condition in which the body requires a drug (or specific activity) in order to function without physical and psychological reactions to its absence; it is often the outcome of tolerance and dependence.

Psychological dependence

The psychological desire or craving to achieve a drug’s effect.

Physical dependence

The changes in bodily processes that make a drug necessary for minimal functioning.

Withdrawal

The discomfort and distress, including physical pain and intense cravings, experienced after stopping the use of an addictive drug

Tolerance

The bodily adjustment to continued use of a drug in which the drug user requires greater dosages to achieve the same effect.

Depressant

A drug that decreases bodily processes and overall responsiveness.

Opiate/opioid

A drug derived from opium that numbs the senses and relieves pain.

Hallucinogen

A drug that produces sensory or perceptual distortions.

Meditation

A group of techniques generally designed to focus attention, block out distractions, and produce an altered state of consciousness (ASC); it’s believed to enhance self-knowledge and well-being through reduced self-awareness.

Hypnosis

An altered state of consciousness (ASC) characterized by deep relaxation and a trance-like state of heightened suggestibility and intense focus.