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Chapter 5 States of Consciousness

Chapter 5: States of Consciousness

History & Philosophy of Consciousness

  • Dualism and Monism: Perspectives on thought and matter.

    • Dualists: Believe in the separation of thought and matter.

      • Matter: Physical substance.

      • Thought: Non-material aspect arising from matter.

      • René Descartes: Prominent dualist.

    • Monists: Argue that thought and matter are one entity.

      • Thomas Hobbes: Notable monist.

Types of Consciousness

  • Conscious Level: Awareness of oneself and the environment.

  • Nonconscious Level: Bodily processes (e.g., heart rate, breathing) not usually perceived.

  • Preconscious Level: Information that is not actively thought about but can be accessed (e.g., favorite color).

  • Subconscious Level: Information not consciously available but inferred from behavior (e.g., Mere Exposure Effect).

States of Consciousness: Sleep

  • Circadian Rhythm:

    • Metabolic processes follow a pattern within a 24-hour cycle.

    • Studied using EEG (electroencephalogram) to measure brain activity.

Sleep Cycle & Stages

  • Sleep Cycle Duration: Approximately 90 minutes.

    • Stages of Sleep:

      • Wake/Alert

      • NREM-1 (Non-rapid Eye Movement 1)

      • NREM-2 (Non-rapid Eye Movement 2)

      • NREM-3 (Non-rapid Eye Movement 3)

      • REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Brain Activity During Sleep

  • Brain Waves:

    • Delta Wave: 0.5 - 3 Hz (Deep sleep)

    • Theta Wave: 4 - 7 Hz (Light sleep)

    • Alpha Wave: 8 - 13 Hz (Awake, relaxed)

    • Beta Wave: 14 Hz+ (Awake, excited)

    • Stimulants (e.g., caffeine) suppress Theta and Alpha waves and increase Beta waves, affecting mood and stress levels.

Brain Areas Involved in Sleep

  • Hypothalamus: Regulates sleep onset.

  • Hippocampus: Memory context during dreaming.

  • Amygdala: Processes emotions during dreams.

  • Thalamus: Blocks sensory signals during sleep.

  • Reticular Formation: Manages sleep-wake transitions.

  • Pons: Initiates REM sleep.

Sleep Disorders

  • Common Disorders:

    • Insomnia: Difficulty in sleeping; treat with lifestyle changes.

    • Narcolepsy: Unpredictable sleep episodes; managed with medication.

    • Sleep Apnea: Breathing interruptions during sleep; treated with a CPAP machine.

    • Night Terrors: Panic episodes during sleep; usually decrease with age.

    • Somnambulism (Sleepwalking).

Dreams

  • Definition: Narrative experiences during sleep, primarily occurring in REM.

  • Dream Theories:

    • Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory: Recognizes manifest (literal) & latent (symbolic) content in dreams

      • Example: Dream of being naked at school can indicate vulnerability.

    • Activation-Synthesis Theory: Dreams result from the brain interpreting random neural activity.

    • Information Processing Theory: Links dreaming with stress processing; increased daily stress correlates with intense dreams.

Hypnosis

  • Nature of Hypnosis: A questionable state of consciousness.

    • Posthypnotic Amnesia: Forgetting events during hypnosis.

    • Posthypnotic Suggestion: Instructions to behave in specific ways after hypnosis.

  • Theories of Hypnosis:

    • Role Theory: Hypnosis is not an altered state; suggestibility varies among individuals.

    • State Theory: Hypnosis exhibits characteristics of altered consciousness.

Pain Control & Hypnosis

  • Research demonstrates 'hidden observer' phenomenon; people can report pain under hypnosis, indicating multiple levels of consciousness.

Psychoactive Drugs

  • Definition: Chemicals affecting brain chemistry and functions.

  • Drug Impacts:

    • Agonists: Mimic neurotransmitters.

    • Antagonists: Block neurotransmitter receptors.

    • The blood-brain barrier protects but can be crossed by psychoactive substances.

Drug Classifications**

  • Stimulants: Increase metabolic activity (caffeine, cocaine).

  • Depressants: Decrease metabolic activity (alcohol, opiates).

  • Hallucinogens: Alter perceptions (LSD, marijuana).

Reverse Tolerance**

  • Some drugs, like THC, may remain in body fat and lead to heightened effects with lesser amounts due to accumulation.

Quiz**

  • Review key concepts and definitions for assessment preparation.