Consciousness

 

Term

Definition

Example 

Conscious

-our awareness of ourselves and our environment 

Nonconscious 

-includes the various biological processes that are constantly occurring without your conscious awareness

-ex: heart rate, breathing, digestion and other automatic responses 

Preconscious 

-information about yourself or the environment that you are not currently aware or thinking of but you can easily call to mind when asked

-level of consciousness that includes stored information 

Subconscious 

-hidden thoughts or feelings that you are not consciously aware of but influence your behavior 

Unconscious 

-hidden level of the mind that includes repressed memories, feelings, or desires 

-hidden from conscious awareness because it would cause stress or anxiety

-introduced by Sigmund Freud 

Circadian rhythm 

-24 hour cycle of the body

-daily patterns of bodily changes 

Hypnagogic Sensation 

-sensory experiences that can occur when you drift into sleep

-most common are a sensation of falling or muscle spams/jerks in legs or arms

NREM 1 Sleep

- light sleep,  

-small, irregular beta waves that transition into alpha waves 

NREM 2 Sleep

- sleep spindles appear, broken up by K complexes (large, slow waves); skeletal muscles relax

NREM 3 Sleep

- delta waves, deep sleep 

-breathing and heart rate decrease 

-restorative sleep- helps the immune system, replenishment of hormones 

REM

- eyes move vigorously, associated w/ dreaming; brain waves: theta &beta

-Each sleep cycle is 90 min; as hours of sleep increase the time spent in NREM sleep decreases while REM sleep gets longer

-Sleep period goes from 1,2,3,4 and then retreats back to 1, and then enters REM 

-this sleep is for the brain 

If we do not get enough REM sleep then we can have REM Rebound 

Beta Waves

-waves produced when we are awake and alert

Alpha Waves

-brain waves produced when awake but relaxed

Sleep Spindles

-occur in Stage 2

-spikes of very rapid electrical activity

Delta Waves

-longer, slower electrical waves

-characteristic of NREM 3 sleep 

Paradoxical Sleep

-the fact that REM is a very deep stage of sleep yet our brain waves resemble those observed when we are awake but the body is paralyzed from the neck down  

-brain is active and heart rate and blood pressure elevated

Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD)

-sleep disorder where you physically act out your dreams because the body does not go into sleep paralysis

-the only sleep disorder that occurs during REM sleep 

Sleep Apnea

-person frequently stops breathing during the night and brain sends out an alert of lack of oxygen causing the sleeper to snort in air

-awakening himself to some degree but often without complete awareness

-correlated with obesity and muscle mass 

Narcolepsy

-uncontrollable sleep 

-sudden, involuntary sleep where the person quickly enters REM sleep 

Insomnia 

-lack of sleep: trouble falling asleep or staying asleep

-common occurrence when we are distressed 

Somnambulism 

-also known as sleepwalking 

-NREM sleep disorder where people will move around and perform activities while they are sleeping 

REM Rebound

-if (in a REM deprivation studied) an individual is awakened at the onset of each REM period for some time, and then is allowed to sleep normally, the sleeper tends to have longer REM periods

-suggests that bodies need REM

Dream Theory Activation Synthesis 

-dreams are the product of random neural activity due to while we are sleeping

- the brain is trying to make sense of the activity 

Dream Theory 

Consolidation 

-dreams is the brain’s way of integrating new information into our memory and a way to deal with stress and emotions 

Psycho-active drugs, their effects and classifications

-psychoactive drugs – chemical substance that impacts behavior, perceptions, moods, or mental processes

-4 broad categories: central nervous system (CNS) depressants, CNS stimulants, narcotics, and hallucinogens 

-depressants: alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers; slow CNS activity, elevate mood, relax inhibitions, intoxicate  

-stimulants: caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine; activate CNS, speed up bodily function, activate motivation centers 

-narcotics: derived from opium plant: morphine, heroin; suppress pain, euphoria 

-hallucinogens: LSD, peyote, PCP; alter or distort perceptions, can evoke sensation experiences in the absence of a stimuli 

Agonist

-drugs that are chemically similar to natural neurotransmitters that it can bind to receptors sites 

Antagonist

-drugs that block the reuptake of neurotransmitters or block receptor sites 

Addiction  

-continuing to use a substance despite it having adverse effects on the body 

Tolerance

-a need for increasing amounts of a drug to experience the same effect 

Withdrawal

-symptoms that occur when you discontinue the use of a drug

-withdrawal symptoms vary from drug to drug