Week 2-Chapter 3 Chapter Review-Consciousness And The Two-Track Mind

Front 1

3-1
What is the place of consciousness in psychology's history?

Back 1

-Late 1800's psychology was "the description and explanation of states of consciousness."
-20th century scientific study of psychology was difficult-influenced by "behaviorism"-scientists began studying consciousness based on "direct observation and behavior."
-Late 1960's-advanced in neuroscience allowed study of brain activity during, sleep, dream state, and other mental states; and consciousness altered hypnosis and drugs.
-Psychologists put emphasis on "cognition", or mental process.
-Psychologist NOW define consciousness as "an awareness of ourselves and our environment." Science explores BIOLOGY of consciousness.

Front 2

-2
What is the "dual-processing" being revealed by today's cognitive neuroscience?

Back 2

-Dual processing is our conscious and unconscious mind. Many of our function are controlled by our unconscious. Our conscious track works with our unconscious simultaneously guiding our actions.

Front 3

3-3
How much information to we consciously attend to at once?

Back 3

-Our 5 senses take in 11,000,000 bits of information per second. Our conscious mind processes about 40, our unconscious absorbs the other 10,999,960.
-Our conscious mind is one place at a time.

Front 4

3-4
How do our biological rhythms influence our daily functioning?

Back 4

-Our biological rhythm refers to our "circadian rhythm" or our internal biological clock that influences our activities in a 24 hour period.
-Mental function is strongest at our daily peak. Body temperature and other autonomic systems react based on time of day. Biological rhythm allows us to wake up in the morning, peak during the day, and sleep (recharge) at night.
-Age and experience alters our biological rhythm. At a younger age, our biological clock encourages night time activity, when were older, we peak more in the morning. Children and menopause effect womens biological rhythm.

Front 5

3-5
What is the biological rhythm of our sleeping and dreaming stage?

Back 5

-Every 90 minutes we cycle between 4 sleep stages, or REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycles.
-non-REM Stage 1 Sleep-After first lying down to sleep; ALPHA waves are present, slow breathing and irregular brain waves.
-NREM-2 Sleep- After 20 minutes, sleep spindles: bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain waves.
-NREM-3 Deep Sleep- lasts 30 minues, slow DELTA waves, hard to awaken.
-Return to NREM-2-After 1 hour, about 1/2 night spent in this stage.
-REM sleep- 10 minutes, rapid, saw toothed brain movement (soimilar to NREM-1 sleep), increased HR, rapid, irregular breathing, every 30 seconds eyes dart, which indicate the beginning of a dream.
-Motor cortex becomes active during REM, but brainstem blocks transmission. Body is internally aroused, but paralyzed-paradoxical sleep.
-Entire sleep cycle repeats itself evry 90 minutes.

Front 6

3-6
How do biology and environment interact in our sleep patterns?

Back 6

-Arousal from sleep occurs when light activates our circadian clock. This occurs when light sensitive proteins trigger signals in the brains SCN which stimulates the pineal gland, decreasing production of sleep hormone melatonin. The rise and fall of the sun during the day naturally stimulates these processes and determines our sleeping patterns. Artificial light has altered our sleep.

Front 7

3-7
What are sleep's functions?

Back 7

-Sleep protects-nature's instinct to stay inside when its dark.
-Recuperation-restores and repairs brain tissue
-Restore memory-consolidates memory-strengthens and stabilizes neural memory traces.
-Creativity-boosts our thinking and learning
-Supports growth-pituitary gland releases hormone during sleep.

Front 8

3-8
How does sleep loss affect us and what are the major sleep disorders?

Back 8

-Sleep loss causes: decreased energy, depression, difficulty studying, decreased productivity, make mistakes, irritability, fatigue, weight gain, decreased immunity, slower reaction times.

-Sleep disorders:
Insomnia-persistent problems falling asleep
narcolepsy-sudden attack of overwhelming sleepiness.
-sleep apnea-breathing stops momentarily during sleep
Night terrors-activity during sleep, increased VS, look of terror
Sleep walking
Sleep talking

Front 9

3-9
What do we dream?

Back 9

-8 out of 10 dreams-negative event or emotion
-Common dreams: falling, being attacked, pursued or rejected, misfortune
-Incorporate traces of previous days experiences or preoccupations
-After trauma-nightmares often occur to help extinguish daytime fears.
-Hunter-gatherers: often animals
-Musicians: music

Front 10

3-10
What are the functions of dreams?

Back 10

-Researchers debate dream functions. Different theories are:
To satisfy our wishes
To understand our inner conflicts
To file away memories-organize the day's experience
To develop and preserve neural pathways
To make sense of neural static
To reflect cognitive development

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Front 11

3-11
What is hypnosis, and what powers does a hypnotist have over a hypnotized subject?

Back 11

-Hypnotists use power of suggestion and the ability to focus on one thing.
-Can plant ideas that become the subjects pseudomemory.
-Can help relieve pain by inhibiting pain-related brain activity
-Patients less meds, recover sooner, earlier discharge from hospital
-10 percent can be hypnotized to perform major surgery without anesthetics.
-1/2 can see some pain relief.

Front 12

3-12
Is hypnosis and extension of normal consciousness or an altered state?

Back 12

-Combination of normal consciousness and social influence
-Disassociation-different levels of consciousness.
-Selective attention-block attention to painful stimulus

Front 13

3-13
What are tolerance, dependence, and addiction; and what are some common misconceptions about addiction?

Back 13

-Tolerance: diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug.
-Dependence: physical dependence a bi-product of withdrawl; physiological need Psychological dependence-mentally addicted with triggers like negative emotions.
-Addiction: compulsive drug craving and use despite adverse consequences.

-Addictive drugs do not corrupt instantly. Addiction does not require therapy, although an option.

Front 14

3-14
What are depressants and what are their effects?

Back 14

-Depressants are drugs that calm neural activity and slow bodily function.

-Effects: Slowed neural processing, memory disruption, reduced self awareness and control, expectancy effect.

Front 15

3-15
What are stimulants and what are their effects?

Back 15

-Drug that excited neural activity and speeds up bodily function.
-Addiction, death, sleep deprivation, altered mood, decreased serotonin, memory, and immunity.

Front 16

3-16
What are hallucinogens, and what are their effects?

Back 16

-Hallucinogens are drugs that distort perception and evoke sensory images without input

-psychological disorders, same as stimulants

Front 17

3-17
Why do some people become regular users of consciousness altering drugs?

Back 17

-Biological influence- vulnerable based on heredity
-Psychological and social culture influences-stress, feeling of acceptance, social pressure.