Chapter 5 - Psychology

Stage W

"w" stands for wake EEG patters have two types of waves: 1. beta - concentration and alertness 2. alpha - relaxation and drowsiness

Unconscious thought

(Freud) - is a reservoir of unacceptable wishes, feelings and thoughts that are beyond conscious awareness

aspect of executive function

cognitive control

Why does sleep improve memory?

during sleep the cerebral cortex is free to conduct activities that strengthen memory associations so the daily memories can be moved into long-term memories lost sleep results in lost memories sleep can enhance your memory

key aspect of controlled processing?

executive function

Body temp

fluctuates 3 degrees F in a 24 hour day peaks in afternoon and dropping to lowest point between 2am and 5am

SNC

located in hypothalamus receives information from retina about light which synchronizes the SCN

Brain areas associated with awareness

prefrontal cortex areas of the brain are active when we taste complex flavors and track the subjective pleasure that accompanies rewarding experiences

executive funtion

refers to higher-order, complex cognitive processes including thinking, planning and problem solving linked to functioning of the brains prefrontal cortex person's capacity to harness consciousness, to focus in on specific thoughts while ignoring others.

Theory of mind

refers to individuals' understanding that they and others think, feel, perceive and have private experiences thought to emerge around age 4 but recent research suggests could be at a younger age and can demonstrate a capacity to understand that other people have their own perspective on things essential for empathy and sympathy

controlled processes require

selective attention or the ability to concentrate on a specific aspect of experience while ignoring others

Broad brain process

some neuroscientists have suggested that instead of awareness being located in a certain part of the brain, the experience of awareness is the outcome of a broad brain process. They say the feeling of awareness occurs in a global brain workspace that involves a variety of brain areas working in parallel

global brain workspace

some scientists feel that awareness occurs here and involves a variety of brain areas working in parallel assembly of neurons that are thought to work in cooperation to produce the subjective sense of consciousness

Daydreaming

state of consciousness that involves low level of conscious effort. lies between active consciousness and dreaming while asleep - dreaming while awake spontaneous when we are doing something that requires less than our full attention ex-mind wandering

Automatic processes

states of consciousness that require little attention and do not interfere with other ongoing activities require less conscious effort than controlled processes ex - checking your text messages and answering while having conversation during a lunch date

incubation

subconscious processing that leads to a solution after a break from conscious thought about a problem suggests that even after you have stopped thinking about a problem, your brain is still working to find a solution

Stage N3 (Non-REM3) Sleep

wave patterns: delta waves deepest sleep slow-wave sleep stage when bedwetting, sleepwalking and sleep talking occur if awakened - people are confused and disoriented

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SNC)

way body monitors change from day to night small brain structure that uses input from the retina to synchronize its own rhythm with the daily cycle of light and dark SNC sends information to hypothalamus and pineal gland to regulate daily rhythms such as temp, hunger and hormone release SNC also talks with reticular formation to regulate daily rhythms of sleep and wakefulness SNC is critical in circadian rhythms

difference in wake and sleep

with sleep massive electrophysiological changes occur in brain as the fast irregular and low-amplitude electrical activity of wakefulness is replaced by slow regular high-amplitude waves of deep sleep

Theories on the need for sleep

1. sleep may have developed because animals needed to protect themselves at night (inactive when dark which helps to avoid preying animals) 2. sleep is a way to conserve energy (conserve calories when feed is scarce) 3. sleep is restorative - sleep restores, replenishes and rebuilds the brain and body 4. role in brain plasticity - capacity to change in response to experience - sleep may affect connections in the brain

How much sleep is needed?

8 hours on average but the real number depends on the person - their age and activity ex - infant sleeps 14-17 hours and an adult may sleep 7 hours

No Awareness

Being unconscious Freud's belief that some unconscious thoughts are too laden with anxiety and other negative emotions for consciousness to admit them examples - having unconscious thoughts or being knocked out by a blow or anesthesia

Subconscious Awareness

Can occur when people are aware, as well as when they are sleeping and dreaming It is the brain processing information without you even noticing - you are unaware of the many things your brain is doing to keep your body functioning examples - sleeping and dreaming

Lower- Level Consciousness

Includes automatic processes and daydreaming requires little attention examples: 1. punching in a number on a cell phone 2. typing on a keyboard 3. gazing at a sunset

Why do we need sleep?

It is essential for survival - several theories

Stage R (REM) Sleep

REM - rapid eye movement sleep (eyeballs move up and down and left to right) active stage of sleep where vivid dreams occur if awakened - people report dreams

5 Stages of sleep cycle

Stage W Stage N1 Stage N2 Stage N3 Stage R

Can daydreaming be useful?

Yes. the semiautomatic flow of daydreaming can be useful. You may make plans, solve a problem, or come up with a creative idea. Daydreams can remind us of important things ahead.

You rely on _____ processes when memorizing material for class, but later the answers on a test just pop into your head as a result of automatic or ______ processing.

You rely on "controlled" processes when memorizing material for class, but later the answers on a test just pop into your head as a result of automatic or "subconscious" processing.

consciousness

a continuous, flow of changing sensations, images, thoughts and feelings 1890 - psychologist William James

Arousal

a physiological state determined by the reticular activating system refers to the ways awareness is regulated - if we are in danger we might be on "high alert" if we are in a safe environment we can relax and arousal is low

cognitive control

ability to maintain attention by reducing interfering thoughts and being cognitively flexible

Two parts of consciousness

awareness and arousal

Lack of sleep can

be stressful, have an impact on the brain as well as on the rest of the body

sleep debt

cheating on your sleep or accumulated level of exhaustion

Higher-level consciousness

controlled processes - most alert state of human consciousness - individuals actively focus their efforts on attaining a goal examples: 1. while learning, doesn't hear things around him - 2. doing a math or science problem 3. taking an at-bat in a baseball game this is focused awareness that is a controlled process and require selective attention or the ability to concentrate on a specific aspect of experience while ignoring others

Circadian rhythm

daily behavioral or physiological cycles and involves sleep/walk cycle, body temperature, blood pressure and blood sugar levels

Sleep deprivation

decreases brain activity in the thalamus and the prefrontal cortex thalamus - receives and responds to sensory information prefrontal cortex - associated with thinking and planning a tired brain will try different pathways when thinking

Stages of Wakefulness and Sleep (Sleep cycle)

defined by brain's activity and muscle tone named by letters and numbers that represent what is going on at that stage

fatal familial insomnia

disorder caused by a genetic mutation involves a progressive inability to sleep over time the person will sleep less and less and become agitated, engages in strange motor movements and is confused. he may hullucinate. no known cure and usually leads to death thalamus shows damage - which proves the thalamus plays a large role in sleep

autism spectrum disorder

disorder that affects communication, social interaction and behavior Baron-Cohen hypothesizes that autistic individuals lack a well-developed theory of mind, a condition that would explain their unique social deficits such as sympathy, talking, social interaction

How to reset your biological clock?

good idea to spend as much time outside in the daylight. Bright light increases wakefulness. Melatonin helps you sleep as this hormone increases at night

Five levels of awareness

high-level consciousness lower-level consciousness altered states of consciousness subconscious awareness no awareness

Awareness

includes awareness of the self and thoughts about one's experiences state of being conscious of what is going on

Consciouness

individual's awareness of external events and internal sensations under a condition of arousal

Altered states of consciousness

mental states that are noticeably different from normal awareness ranges from losing one's sense of self-consciousness to hallucinating produced by trauma, fever, fatigue, sensory deprivation, meditation, hypnosis, and psychological disorders drugs can induce altered states examples: 1. feeling the effects of taken alcohol or psychedelic drug 2. undergoing hypnosis to quit smoking

EMG (electromyography)

monitors action of motor neurons

EEG (electroencephalograph)

monitors brains electrical activity

Controlled processes

most alert states of human consciousness slower than automatic processes and are more likely to involve the prefrontal cortex

Stage N2 (Non-REM2) Sleep

muscle activity decreases and person is no longer consciously aware of environment wave patterns: theta waves continue with sleep spindles If awakened - people say they were not asleep

Sleep

natural state of rest for the body and mind that involves reversible loss of consciousness

Reticular activating system

network of structures including the brain stem, medulla and thalamus involved in the experience of arousal and engagement with environment

During twentieth century, psychologists focused less of the study of mental process and more

on the study of observable behavior. Today, the study of consciousness has regained momentum

Stage N1 (Non-REM1) Sleep

people are just falling asleep or non-REM sleep non-REM is rapid eye movements do not occur during this stage drowsy sleep myoclonic jerks - sudden muscle movements (feeling of falling) wave pattern: theta waves

Biological rhythms

periodic physiological fluctuations in the body controlled by biological clocks which include annual or seasonal cycles most happen without our knowledge (brain activity, hormones fluctuations)

arousal

the physiological state of being engaged with the environment

Sleep cycle through the nigth

the sleep cycles (W,N1,N2,N3,R) makes up a normal cycle on sleep. cycles last 90-100 minutes and recurs several times during the night amount of deep sleep greater in the first part of the night and decreasing amount of REM starts short and then increases with sleep

desynchronized biological clock

thrown off their regular schedules Ex - flying to different time zones

Signs of sleep deprivation

trouble paying attention to tasks, solving problems, reduce ability to make sound decisions

metacognition

used by psychologists to describe the processes by which we think about thinking