03-03-25+altering+consciousness+CANVAS

Test Reminder

• Test 2 is scheduled for Monday, March 10.

• Content covered includes Chapter 3, Chapter 4, and all material presented in class and on Canvas since Test 1.

Beyond Conscious Awareness

Priming

• Definition: Recent experiences with a stimulus facilitate responses to related stimuli.

• Example: If one observes dirty hands, they might be inclined to wash them. Completing a word like S_ _ P could lead to interpretations like "SOAP" due to priming effects.

Subliminal Perception

• Definition: Processing information below conscious awareness.

• Impact on Behavior: Minimal effect; subliminal messages can briefly prime information (e.g., scent associations) but do not influence complex behavior significantly.

Automatic vs. Controlled Processing

Automatic Processing

• Involves tasks or skills that have been well-practiced, requiring little attention.

Controlled Processing

• Requires focused attention but does not necessitate 100% of attention capacity.

Consciousness and Attention Overview

• Consciousness serves as an adaptive mechanism to prioritize significant stimuli.

• Limitations on conscious processing help in conserving mental energy by avoiding irrelevant information.

• Exogenous Attention: Directs focus towards essential stimuli and events in the environment.

Varying Conscious Experience

• Actions and attentional focus significantly influence conscious experience.

Meditation

• Definition: Intense contemplation leading to profound calmness.

• Types: Mindfulness and concentrative meditation.

• Potential Benefits:

  • Lowered blood pressure.

  • Reduced stress levels.

  • Increased focus and attention.

  • Possible structural changes in the brain, possibly leading to reduced gray matter loss.

Losing the Self

• Examples include:

  • "Runners High": Euphoric feelings following exercise.

  • Religious Ecstasy: Often felt through music, dance, or chanting.

  • Flow State: High engagement in an enjoyable activity with diminished self-awareness and time perception.

Escaping the Self

• Escapist Activities allow individuals to divert their attention and avoid dealing with problems.

• Examples of activities: Watching TV, browsing the Internet, eating, playing video games.

• Can be distracting but might not always fulfill deeper needs.

Altering Consciousness

Hypnosis

• Changes in memory, perception, and voluntary actions occur in response to suggestions.

• Sociocognitive Theory: Hypnotized individuals behave based on their expectations about what being hypnotized entails.

• Neodissociation Theory: Suggests a dissociation of awareness from other aspects of consciousness during hypnosis.

• Limitations: Hypnosis does not constitute total mind control; it can be useful for pain treatment and enhancing confidence in memories, but not always in accuracy.

Brain Injuries

• Traumatic brain injuries can significantly alter conscious experience.

• Effects can vary greatly in nature and severity, leading to conditions such as coma, which shows a lack of responsiveness to the environment.

• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: A long-term effect of repeated head trauma.

Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drugs

• Definition: Chemicals that modify perceptions, mood, consciousness, cognition, or behavior by affecting neural transmission.

• Examples include:

  • Birds and Fermented Pyracantha: Behavioral changes in animals.

  • Cats & Catnip: Another example of altered states due to substances.

Types of Psychoactive Drugs

Depressants

• Function: Decrease neural activity and lower body functions.

• Examples: sedatives, tranquilizers, barbiturates, opiates, alcohol.

Stimulants

• Function: Increase neural activity and bodily functions.

• Common examples: caffeine, nicotine.

Opioids

• Function: Reduce pain and enhance pleasure.

Addiction

• Definition: A compulsive craving for and usage of drugs despite negative consequences.

Tolerance

• Concept: Users often require larger doses to achieve the same effects over time.

• Risk: Abrupt cessation during rehabilitation can lead to fatal overdose upon resuming use.

Dependence

• Types: Physical and psychological dependence.

• Effects: Bodies adapt to substances leading to tolerance; withdrawal symptoms can occur once the substance is discontinued.

• Symptoms may include: cravings and feelings of anxiety or depression.

Withdrawal

• Definition: Physical and psychological reactions following the cessation of an addictive substance.

• Common symptoms: anxiety, tension, intense cravings, physical discomforts like nausea, fever, and aches.