Psychology - Consciousness And The Two-Track Mind

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consciousness

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awareness of self and the environment

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cognitive neuroscience

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the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language)

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dual processing

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the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

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blindsight

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a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it

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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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failing to notice changes in the environment

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circadian rhythm

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the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

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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 distinct from unconsciousness resulting from a coma, general anesthesia, or hibernation

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hallucination

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a false sensory experience, such as seeing something in the absence 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 characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks; the sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times

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sleep apnea

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

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night terrors

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a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during NREM-3 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 hallucinatory imagery, discontinuity, and incongruities, 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 its 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 its 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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hypnosis

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a social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggest 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 moods

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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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addiction

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compulsive drug craving and use, despite adverse consequences

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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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psychological dependence

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a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relive negative emotions

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depressant

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a drug (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduces natural activity and slows body functions

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alcohol dependence

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popularly known as alcoholism; alcohol use marked by tolerance, withdrawal if suspended, and a drive to continue use

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barbiturate

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a drug that depresses central nervous system activity, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

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opiate

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

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stimulant

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a drug (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, Ecstasy, and methamphetamine) that excites neural activity and speeds up body functions

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amphetamine

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a drug that stimulates neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes

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nicotine

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a stimulating and highly addictive psychoactive drug in tobacco

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methamphetamine

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a powerfully addictive 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 short-term health risks and longer-term harm to serotonin-producing neurons and to mood and cognition

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hallucinogen

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a psychedelic ("mind-manifesting") drug, such as LSD, that distorts perceptions and evokes sensory images in the absence of sensory input

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LSD

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a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide)

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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 hallucinogens

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THC

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