Exploring Psychology Chapter 6: States Of Consciousness

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consciousness

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our awareness of ourselves and our environment

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selective attention

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the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

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inattentional blindness

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failing to see visible objects when attention is directed elsewhere

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change blindness

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people exhibit no reaction to a sudden change (out of sight, out of mind)

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choice blindness

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when given a choice people forget the choice and do not register their response even though it has been changed

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pop-out

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stimuli that is strikingly distinct and powerful, draws our attention

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circadian rhythym

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the biological clock; regular body rhythyms(Ex. temperature and wakefulness) that occur in a 24 hour cycle

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pineal gland

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produces melatonin

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REM sleep

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rapid eye movement sleep, a recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed(except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active

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alpha waves

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the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state

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sleep

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periodic, natural, reversible loss of consciousness- as distant from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation

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hallucinations

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false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absense of an external visual stimulus

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delta waves

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the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep

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insomnia

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recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

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narcolepsy

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a sleep disorder charcterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inoppurtune times

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sleep apnea

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a sleep disorder charcterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

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night terrors

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a sleep disorder charcterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during Stage 4 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered

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dream

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a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind; notable for their haluucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruinties, and for the dreamer's delusional acceptance of the content and later difficulties remembering it

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manifest content

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according to Freud, the remembered story line of a dream, (as distinct from it's latent, or hidden, content)

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latent content

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according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream(as distinct from it's manifest content)

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REM rebound

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the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation(created by repeated awakenings during REM sleep)

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Freud's wish-fulfillment theory

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dreams provide a "psychic safety valve"-expressing otherwise unacceptable feelings; contain manifest(remembered) content and a deeper layer of latent content(hidden meaning)

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information-processing theory

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dreams help us sort out the day's events and consolidate our memories

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physiological function theory

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regular brain stimulation from REM sleep may help develop and preserve neural pathways

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activation-synthesis theory

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REM sleep triggers neural activity that evokes random visual memories, which our sleeping brain weaves into stories

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cognitive theory

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dream content reflects dreamers' cognitive development-their knowledge and understanding

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hypnosis

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a social interaction in which one person(the hypnotist) suggests to another(the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

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posthypnotic suggestion

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a suggestion, made during a hypnosis session, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors

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dissociation

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a split in consciousness, which allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur simultaneously with others

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psychoactive drug

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a chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood

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tolerance

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the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect

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withdrawal

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the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug

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physical dependence

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a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued

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addiction

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compulsive drug craving and use

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barbiturates

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drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement

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opiates

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opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

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stimulants

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drugs(such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphhetamines, cocaine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up bodily functions

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amphetamines

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drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes

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methamphetamine

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a powerfully addicitve drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes, over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels

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Ecstasy(MDMA)

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a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. Produces euphoria and social intimacy, but with shortterm health risks and longer-term harm to seratonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition

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hallucinogens

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psychadelic ("mind-manifesting") drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absense of sensory input

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LSD

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a powerful hallucinogen drug; also known as acid

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near-death experience

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an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death(such as through cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

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THC

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the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations