States of Conciseness FRQ

2. According to the biopsychosocial approach, identify a biological, a psychological, and a social-cultural influence on hypnosis.

1 point: Biological influence: either distinctive brain activity or unconscious information processing. 1 point: Psychological influence: focused attention, expectations, heightened suggestibility, or dissociation between normal sensations and conscious awareness. 1 point: Social-cultural influence: either presence of an authoritative person or role-playing a "good subject."

1. Identify two states of consciousness that are psychologically induced and two that occur spontaneously.

1 point: For any two psychologically induced states: sensory deprivation, hypnosis, or meditation. 1 point: For any two spontaneously occurring states: daydreaming, drowsiness, or dreaming.

1. Name and compare the effects of the two hallucinogens discussed in the text.

1 point: LSD creates vivid hallucinations and strong emotions. 1 point: Marijuana creates mild hallucinations, enhanced sensory experiences, and impaired judgment.

2. Name and briefly describe three stages of sleep when rapid eye movements are not occurring.

1 point: NREM-1, a brief stage of light sleep that may include hallucinations and sensations of falling. 1 point: NREM-2, moderately deep sleep that includes rapid bursts of brain activity called sleep spindles. 1 point: NREM-3, deep sleep, characterized by large, slow delta waves, from which it is diffi cult to awaken.

2. Ernest, a psychology major, is discussing hypnosis with his roommate, Phil. Phil says: "I can't believe so many people fall for that hypnosis stuff. Hypnosis is just like dreaming. It's just a different state of consciousness, and a dream can affect someone just like a supposed hypnotic state can." Explain how Ernest might use the following terms as he discusses the validity of Phil's claims. • Posthypnotic suggestion • Divided-consciousness theory • Social infl uence theory • Dissociation

1 point: Posthypnotic suggestions have been used by therapists to help people overcome health issues. Patients typically don't remember these suggestions that are made during a hypnotic state, but such suggestions may infl uence a patient's behavior after the hypnosis session. These deliberate posthypnotic suggestions are unique to hypnosis and contradict Phil's claim that dreams and hypnosis are equivalent states of consciousness. pp. 220-221 1 point: Some physiological studies indicate that hypnotic states are associated with unique patterns of activation in the brain. If brain scans indicate specifi c patterns unique to hypnotic states that are diff erent from those associated with dreaming or others states of consciousness, Phil's claim may not be accurate. pp. 221-222 1 point: Social infl uence theory explains the impact of hypnosis through the powerful social pressures experienced by people being hypnotized. Some studies show that people pretending to be hypnotized and people who are "really" hypnotized behave in similar ways, indicating that hypnosis may not lead to a "diff erent state of consciousness," as claimed by Phil. pp. 221-222 1 point: Hilgard's studies in support of the divided-consciousness theory indicate that dissociation may occur during hypnosis. If there is a "split" between different levels of consciousness, and one level may be aware of information that another level is ignorant of, Phil's claim that hypnosis is similar to dreaming needs to be modifi ed. p. 222

1. Different biological changes are associated with different states of consciousness. Explain the biological changes (if any) typically associated with the following consciousness-related concepts: • Sleep deprivation • REM • Tolerance • Opiates

1 point: Sleep deprivation causes a wide range of biological changes in the body, all associated with decreased performance while awake. These biological changes include *lack of energy, falling asleep during the day, changes in appetite, suppression of the immune system, decreased focus and attention, and depressed mood.* Pages 234-237 1 point: The REM stage of the sleep cycle is associated with dramatic biological changes. Brain waves and breathing become irregular, heart rate increases, and eyes dart back and forth beneath the eyelids. Pages 228-229 1 point: After repeated use of some drugs, humans develop tolerance for those substances, meaning that increasing dosages of those drugs are needed to produce the same effect. Tolerance occurs because of biological changes in the brain. The brain's chemistry changes when some psychoactive drugs are repeatedly ingested, interfering with the brain's ability to produce or use some neurotransmitters. Pages 246-247 1 point: Drugs categorized as opiates cause a range of biological changes in the body. Some of the changes mentioned in the text are: pupil constriction, slower breathing, lethargy, and eventually, painful withdrawal symptoms as the brain loses its ability to produce "natural" endorphins. Page 250

1. Sleep serves many functions for us. Briefly explain how sleep can • provide protection. • promote physical growth.

1 point: Sleep kept our ancestors safe from nighttime dangers. 1 point: Sleep promotes the release of pituitary growth hormone.

3. Consciousness has been defi ned and studied differently throughout the history of psychology. In your own words, explain how modern psychologists defi ne consciousness, and explain how the following "altered" states of consciousness relate to your defi nition. • Hypnosis • Sleep stages • Dreams • Psychoactive drugs

1 point: Students should establish a definition that includes the idea that consciousness is related to awareness of our internal and external environments. pp. 218-219 1 point: Hypnosis relates to this definition because hypnotic states can influence awareness of both environments. Hypnotized individuals can be given suggestions that lead them to forget events that occurred while hypnotized, indicating a loss of awareness of the environment during hypnosis. pp. 219-222 1 point: As we pass through the stages of sleep, we become less and less aware of our outside environment. During deeper stages of sleep, we are less likely to be awakened by noise in our environment, indicating a change in consciousness according to this defi nition. pp. 226-229 1 point: Environmental stimuli are often incorporated into dreams, indicating that we are partially aware of our outside environment even during this sleep stage. pp. 240-241 1 point: Psychoactive drugs by definition alter our perceptions of the world. These altered perceptions infl uence our awareness of the external and internal worlds. Changes in perception may influence us, causing us to ignore some environmental stimuli, react powerfully to others, or even react to stimuli that we hallucinate because of the influence of the drugs.

Three of the most widely used psychoactive drugs— alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine—are legal for large segments of the population. Name the category that each of these drugs belongs to, and describe one effect of each.

2 points: Alcohol is classified as a depressant. Effects include reduced self-awareness. 2 points: Caffeine is classified as a stimulant. Effects include impaired sleep. 2 points: Nicotine is classified as a stimulant. Effects include diminished appetite.

2. Explain the following two theories regarding why we dream. Include a criticism each faces: • Freud's theory • Neural activation theory

2 points: Freud's wish-fulfillment theory states that dreams are a psychic safety valve to express otherwise unacceptable feelings. Criticism: It has no scientific support. 2 points: The neural activation theory states that REM evokes random visual images and the brain turns them into stories. Criticism: The individual's brain is weaving stories, which still tells us something about the dreamer.

1. Identify and briefly describe the three major sleep disorders experienced by adults.

2 points: Sleep apnea: stops breathing during sleep. 2 points: Narcolepsy: falls asleep suddenly. 2 points: Insomnia: can't fall asleep