Psy 120 Chapter 6

Front 1

activation-synthesis hypothesis

Back 1

The idea that dreams represent the brain's attempt to make sense of the random patterns of neural activity generated during sleep.

Front 2

alpha waves

Back 2

The pattern of brain activity observed in someone who is in a relaxed state.

Front 3

attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Back 3

A psychological disorder marked by difficulties in concentrating or in sustaining attention for extended periods; can be associated with hyperactivity.

Front 4

automaticity

Back 4

Fast and effortless processing that requires little or no focused attention.

Front 5

biological clocks

Back 5

Brain structures that schedule rhythmic variations in bodily functions by triggering them at the appropriate times.

Front 6

circadian rhythms

Back 6

Biological activities that rise and fall in accordance with a 24-hour cycle.

Front 7

cocktail party effect

Back 7

The ability to focus on one auditory message and ignore others; also refers to the tendency to notice when your name suddenly appears in a message that you've been actively ignoring.

Front 8

consciousness

Back 8

The subjective awareness of internal and external events.

Front 9

delta activity

Back 9

The pattern of brain activity observed in stage 3 and stage 4 sleep; it's characterized by synchronized slow waves. Also called slow-wave sleep.

Front 10

depressants

Back 10

A class of drugs that slows or depresses the ongoing activity of the central nervous system.

Front 11

dichotic listening

Back 11

Different auditory messages are presented separately and simultaneously to each ear. The subject's task is to repeat aloud one message while ignoring the other.

Front 12

drug dependency

Back 12

A condition in which one experiences a physical or a psychological need for continued use of a drug.

Front 13

hallucinogens

Back 13

A class of drugs that tends to disrupt normal mental and emotional functioning, including distorting perception and altering reality.

Front 14

hypersomnia

Back 14

A chronic condition marked by excessive sleepiness.

Front 15

hypnosis

Back 15

A form of social interaction that produces a heightened state of suggestibility in a willing participant.

Front 16

hypnotic dissociation

Back 16

A hypnotically induced splitting of consciousness during which multiple forms of awareness already exist.

Front 17

hypnotic hypermnesia

Back 17

The supposed enhancement in memory that occurs under hypnosis; there is little if any evidence to support the existence of this effect.

Front 18

insomnia

Back 18

A chronic condition marked by difficulties in initiating or maintaining sleep, lasting for a period of at least one month.

Front 19

latent content

Back 19

According to Freud, the true psychological meaning of dream symbols.

Front 20

manifest content

Back 20

According to Freud, the actual symbols and events experienced in a dream.

Front 21

meditation

Back 21

A technique for self-induced manipulation of awareness, often used for the purpose of relaxation and self-reflection.

Front 22

narcolepsy

Back 22

A rare sleep disorder characterized by sudden extreme sleepiness.

Front 23

night terrors

Back 23

Terrifying experiences, which occur mainly in children, in which the sleeper awakens suddenly in an extreme state of panic.

Front 24

nightmares

Back 24

Frightening and anxiety-arousing dreams that occur primarily during the REM stage of sleep.

Front 25

opiates

Back 25

A class of drugs that reduces anxiety, lowers sensitivity to pain, and elevates mood; opiates often act to depress nervous system activity.

Front 26

psychoactive drugs

Back 26

Drugs that affect behavior and mental processes through alterations of conscious awareness.

Front 27

REM

Back 27

A stage of sleep characterized by rapid eye movements and low-amplitude, irregular EEG patterns resembling those found in the waking brain. REM is typically associated with dreaming.

Front 28

REM rebound

Back 28

The tendency to increase time spent in REM sleep after REM deprivation.

Front 29

sleepwalking

Back 29

The sleeper arises during sleep and wanders about.

Front 30

stimulants

Back 30

A class of drugs that increases central nervous system activity, enhancing neural transmission.

Front 31

theta waves

Back 31

The pattern of brain activity observed in stage 1 sleep.

Front 32

tolerance

Back 32

An adaptation made by the body to compensate for the continued use of a drug, such that increasing amounts of the drug are needed to produce the same physical and behavioral effects.

Front 33

visual neglect

Back 33

A complex disorder of attention characterized by a tendency to ignore things that appear on one side of the body (usually the left side).

Front 34

withdrawal

Back 34

Physical reactions, such as sweating, vomiting, changes in heart rate, or tremors, that occur when a person stops taking certain drugs after continued use.