Psychology Test 2

Module 4 – States of Consciousness

I. What is Consciousness?

  • Consciousness: awareness of thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations, and environments.

  • Sleep: characterized by reduced awareness of external stimuli and low levels of physical activity.

  • Wakefulness: distinct from sleep; involves alertness and responsiveness to external stimuli.

A. Terms

  1. Consciousness

  2. Sleep

  3. Wakefulness

  • For more: Sleep and Wakefulness - What's happening in your brain when you sleep? And what wakes you up?

B. Biological Rhythms

  1. The Circadian Rhythm

  • Roughly a 24-hour internal clock regulating alertness and sleepiness, influenced by body temperature and light.

  • Functions: controls various biological activities.

  • For more: The Circadian Rhythm.

II. Biological Clock

  • A schedule that strengthens with habit; waking and sleeping at similar times reinforces this clock.

  • Example: Feeling sleepy at 10 PM and waking at 6 AM even on weekends.

  • For more: The Biological Clock.

III. Homeostasis

  • Regulation to maintain stable internal conditions.

IV. Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

  • Located in the hypothalamus; regulates sleep and wakefulness in response to light levels via light-sensitive neurons.

V. Problems with Circadian Rhythms

  1. Melatonin

  • Produced by the pineal gland; increases drowsiness at night and is suppressed by light during the day.

  1. Sleep Regulation

  • Affects physiological activities like sleeping and fertility.

  • Good sleep habits help regulate physiological processes and synchronize inner rhythms with external environments.

VI. Disruptions of Normal Sleep

  1. Jet Lag

  • Caused by travel across time zones; leads to fatigue and irritability.

  1. Insomnia

  • Defined as a persistent inability to fall or stay asleep.

  1. Rotating Shift Work

  • Linked to health risks such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline.

VII. Insufficient Sleep

  • Sleep Debt: cumulative negative effects include mild depression, impaired memory, and poorer decision-making.

  • Higher rates of accidents may result from sleep debt in college students.

VIII. Sleep Deprivation Effects

  • After four days of sleep deprivation: potential for hallucinations; associated with various health problems including weight gain and poor immune response.

  • Tips for ensuring quality sleep: maintain good sleep hygiene.

IX. Sleep and Why We Sleep

A. What is Sleep?

  • Sleep Rebound: increased sleep following a period of deprivation.

  • Regulation of sleep cycles involving various hormones.

B. Why Do We Sleep?

  1. Evolutionary Psychology

  • Sleep restores resources expended during waking hours and may serve adaptive functions related to predation and safety.

  • Sleep deprivation leads to cognitive impairment and affects long-term memory.

X. Stages of Sleep

A. REM vs. NREM Sleep

  1. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) and Non-REM (NREM) sleep. B. Stages of Sleep

  2. Stage 1: transitional phase; easy to awaken.

  3. Stage 2: deep relaxation; theta waves with sleep spindles.

  4. Stages 3 and 4: slow-wave sleep; harder to awaken with delta waves.

  5. REM Sleep: associated with vivid dreams and brain activity resembling wakefulness.

XI. Dream Theories

  1. Freud's Dream Protection Theory: dreams act as protection from unacceptable wishes, distinguishing between manifest and latent content.

  2. Collective Unconscious (Jung): dreams connect us to shared unconscious ideas.

  3. Activation-Synthesis Theory (Hobson and McCarley): dreams stem from random neural activity during sleep.

  4. Neurocognitive Theory (Cartwright): dreams reflect cognitive abilities and aspects of waking life.

XII. Sleep Problems and Disorders

A. Insomnia

  • Causes: stress, medications, beverages, etc.

  • Management techniques include setting regular sleep schedules and environment adjustments.

B. Sleepwalking and Sexsomnia

  • Sleepwalking: often occurs in children; may appear clumsy.

  • Sexsomnia: engaging in sexual behaviors while asleep, sometimes leading to legal issues.

C. Night Terrors: intense fear during sleep with no memory of the dream; more common in children. D. Sleep Apnea: obstructive and central types; causes fatigue and increased risks of health concerns. E. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS): occurs without known cause; risk factors include premature birth and environmental extremes. F. Narcolepsy: causes sudden sleep urges; accompanied by hallucinations and cataplexy (loss of muscle tone).

XIII. Psychoactive Substances

  • Psychotropic drugs can change consciousness; they may treat conditions or be used recreationally.

A. Substance Use Disorders

  1. Diagnosis and Dependence: includes physical and psychological dependence.

  2. Tolerance

  3. Withdrawal

B. Drug Categories

  1. Depressants: Alcohol and prescription medications; signs of toxicity include confusion and slow breathing.

  2. Stimulants: Example - cocaine, associated with euphoria and increased energy.

  3. Opioids: Facilitate pain relief; high potential for misuse.

  4. Hallucinogens: alter sensory and perceptual experiences.

XIV. Other States of Consciousness

A. Hypnosis: can extract repressed memories; controversial on accuracy. B. Meditation: focuses awareness for relaxation and stress reduction.

XV. Sensation and Perception

A. Difference Between Sensation and Perception

  • Sensation: process of receiving stimuli; involves transduction.

  • Perception: interpretation of sensory input influenced by experience and expectations.

B. Key Concepts

  1. Transduction: conversion of sensory energy into neural signals.

  2. Thresholds: absolute and difference thresholds.

  3. Weber’s Law: demonstrates how thresholds vary with stimulus intensity.

XVI. Attention in Perception

  • Inattentional Blindness: individual fails to see stimuli in their environment when focused elsewhere.

XVII. Cultural Influences on Perception

  • Different cultural experiences can shape perceptual abilities and responses to stimuli.

Key Takeaways

  • Understanding consciousness involves examining various states, natural rhythms, and disturbances related to sleep and wakefulness. Numerous external and internal factors can affect how we experience consciousness and respond to stimuli.