Chapter 6: Consciousness

Why do we dream? 2). Biological Theory

AIM theory, argues hat dreams are devoid of meaning and are a result of random brain activity Activation= amount of neural activation and ranges from low to high activation. Input= whether stimulation is internal or external Mode= mental stage from logical (wakeful) to loose illogical (dreaming)

Stimulants Nicotine

Arousal, stimulation, increased HRT Cardiovascular disease, lung cancer risk with smoking.

latent level

Freud's deeper, unconscious level of dreams, their meaning is found at this level.

manifest level

Freud's surface level of dreams, recalled upon waking.

Brain regions most affected by excessive drinking

Hypothalamus: hunger, thirst, and sexual motivation Hyppocampus: learning and memory Cerebellum: movement and coordination Frontal lobe: planning, abstract thinking and reasoning with moderate alcohol use, blood levels rise for the beneficial form of cholesterol (HDL) which has protective effects on the cardiovascular system.

4). Stimulants: Ecstasy (MDMA)

Mild amphetamine and hallucinogenic effects, high body temp and dehydration; sense of well being and social connectedness depression, mental deficits, cardiovascular problems.

2). Depressants: Oploids

Short Term Effects: euphoria, pain relief, bodily relaxation. Risks: slowed heart rate and breathing, death active ingredient in cough medicine

2). Depressants: Sedatives

Short Term: relaxation, sleep Risks: accidents, slowed heart rate, possible death

Why do we dream? 1). Psychoanalytic Theory

The interpretation of dreams, Sigmud Freud "dreams are the royal to the unconscious wishes"; 2 levels of consciousness manifest, and latent.

Q: 6.2 Attention- focusing consciousness 1). what term best describes not perceiving a person in a gorilla suit when asked to count the number of people playing basketball? a. inattentional blindness b. not paying attention c. absent mindfulness d. minimally conscious state

a

Q: 6.3 2). A study of brain images of experienced meditators and a comparison group of nonmeditators found that the experienced meditators' brain showed evidence of a. thicker cortex in brain areas associated with attention and sensitivity to sensory information. b. more diverse synaptic connections throughout the cerebellum. c. cortical thinning throughout motor areas but thickening in frontal areas. d. less synaptic death than in nonmeditators.

a

Q: 6.5 1). Scientific research has demonstrated that hypnosis a. is a real phenomenon b. is not real but learned c. is only an imagined state of mind d. is something everyone experiences

a

Q: 6.6 1). Even though it can make people feel more aroused in social settings, this popular drug is a depressant a. alcohol b. heroin c. cocaine d. marijuana

a

Q:6.4 1). When a perceptual wall btw the conscious mind and the outside world emerges and we are in a state that is immediately reversible, we are a. asleep b. unconscious c. vegetative d. minimally conscious

a

addiction

a condition that results from habitual use of physical and psychological dependence on a substance.

mindfulness

a heightened awareness of the present moment, whether of events in one's environment or in one's own mind

meditation

a practice that people use to clam the mind stabilize concentration focus attention and enhance awareness of the present moment; increase in EEG in the left frontal cortex (positive mood area)

sleepwalking

a sleep disorder characterized by activities occurring during non-REM sleep that usually occur when one is awake such as walking and eating; 4 to 15% in children and 1.5 to 2.5 % adults.

insomnia

a sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep as well as not feeling rested; taking more than 20 min to fall asleep, not feeling rested for 2 consecutive weeks; sleep aids produce relaxation and cognitive behavioral therapy relieves symptoms of insomnia.

narcolepay

a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and weakness in facial and limb muscles. disrupted nighttime sleep patterns is the cause.

hypersomnia

a sleep disorder characterized by sleeping more than 10 hours a day for 2 weeks or more, it includes an urge to nap during inappropriate times; caused by other sleep disorders, apnea, brain injury or depression, those who commit suicide.

hypnosis

a state characterized by focused attention, suggestibility absorption lack of voluntary control over behavior and the suspension of critical faculties it occurs when instructed by someone trained in hypnosis and it may be therapeutic.; pain relief in childbirth, dental procedures, medical, etc.

coma

a state of consciousness in which the eyes are closed and the person is unresponsive and unarousable

vegetative state

a state of minimal consciousness in which the eyes might be open, but the person is otherwise unresponsive.

1). Stimulants: Caffeine

alertness, nervousness, increased heart rate anxiety, insomnia

consciousness

an awareness of one's surroundings and of what's in one's mind at a given moment: it includes aspects of being awake and aware. When the connecting among various processing areas of the brain become strong enough, a conscious experience occurs.

Blinge drinking

at least 5 drinks in a row for men and 4 for women Heavy and binge drinkers 7 or more drinks in a row for men and 6 r more for women

Q:6.2 2). you are at a loud gathering, talking to a friend. The noise of the chatter is nearby deafening, but all of a sudden you hear your name spoken above the noise, this is known as the a. self-recognition effect b. cocktail party effect c. attentional effect d. divided attention effect

b

Q:6.4 3). Dreaming is more active during what kind of sleep? a. non- REM b. REM c. stage 3 d. stage 4

b

delta waves

brain waves that dominate stage 3 sleep; they are higher -energy waves than theta waves.

theta waves

brain waves that occur during stage 1 sleep: they are slower, lower energy waves that alpha waves.

alpha waves

brain waves that occur when one is relaxed and drowsy, they are slower, higher- energy waves than beta waves

Q: 6.6 2). This stimulant can be as addictive as heroin a. caffeine b. ecstasy c. nicotine d. morphine

c

Q:6.1 2). _____ is a heightened awareness of the present moment, which can be applied to events in one's environment and events in one's own mind. a. wakefulness b. attention c. mindfulness d. optimism

c

Q:6.4 4). In lucid dreaming, people become aware that they are dreaming and can sometimes even control their dreams. Lucid dreaming is most consistent with which theory of dreams? a. psychoanalytic b. biological c. cognitive d. none of the above

c

hallucinations

convincing sensory experiences that occur in the absence of an external stimulus delirium tremens= DTs from alcohol withdrawal.

Sedatives

create a feeling of stupor similar to alcohol intoxication. sedatives: babiturates and benzodiazepines= slow HRT, relax skeletal muscles and tranquilize the mind.

Q: 6.3- Training consciousness- Meditation 1). which of the following does meditation appear to improve? a. mindfulness b. attention c. well-being d. all of the above

d

Q: 6.5 2). A groundbreaking area of research has recently demonstrated that under hypnosis a. hypnotically induced pain creates a subjective experience similar to real pain b. people turn off the areas of the brain that normally process the meaning of words c. hypnotically induced pain activates the same brain circuit as real pain does d. all of the above

d

Q:6.4 2). Research shows that sleep functions to a. give our cells some energy b. facilitate learning and memory c. facilitate neural growth d. both b and c

d

Q;6.1 1), which brain region plays a key role in maintaining wakefulness a. prefrontal cortex b.cerebellum c. amygdala d. reticular formation

d

wakefulness

dimensions of consciousness; the degree of alertness reflecting whether a person is awake or asleep.

awareness

dimensions of consciousness; the monitoring of information from the environment and from one's own thoughts.

nightmares

do not occur during REM sleep, not associated with dreams; they are frightening or distressing dreams. high levels of occurrence can cause insomnia, make sleep irregular PSTD= post traumatic stress disorder

Why do we sleep? 3). cognitive theory

dreams are not that diff. from everyday thinking; imagery, memory, speech, problem solving= same in sleep as awake times Some people have develop ability to know when they are dreaming (lucid dreaming) and can control events and outcomes of dreams.

2). Hallucinogens: Marijuana (mild)

euphoric feelings, relaxation, mild hallucinations, time distortion, attention and memory impairment, fatigue memory problems, respiratory illness, immune system impairment reduce nausea medical use for chemotherapy, aids

3). Stimulants: Cocaine

exhilaration, euphoria, irritability insomnia, heart attack, paranoia mood elevation and increased confidence

flow

flow exists when we thrive in our ability to rise to the occasion of challenging tasks; time becomes so short when enjoying what we love.

tips for better sleep

go to bed & get up at the same time each day; avoid caffeine, nicotine, beer, wine & liquors in the 4 to 6 hrs before bedtime; don't exercise withing 2 hrs of bedtime; don't eat large meals withing 2 hrs of bedtime; don't nap later than 3 pm; sleep in a dark, quiet room that isn't cold or hot; if you cant fall asleep within 20 min, get up and do something quiet; wind down in the 30 min before bedtime by doing something relaxing.

dreams

images, thoughts and feelings experienced during sleep

2). Stimulants: Amphetamines

increased alertness, excitability, difficulty concentrating, HRT, motiation increase and elevate mood 3 main forms: meth ( or crystal meth= very addictive), dexedrine, and Benzedrine or speed Insomnia, paranoia, accelerated HRT

Psilocybin

is the active ingredient of hallucinogenic mushrooms. experience profound spiritual experiences even for the blind.

endocannabinoids

natural marijuana like substances produced by the body

psychoactive drugs

naturally occurring or synthesized substances that, when ingested or otherwise taken into the body, reliably produce qualitative changes in conscious experience; problems occur when people develop a physical dependence on a drug to maintain normal function.

psychological dependence

occurs when people compulsively use a substance to alleviate boredom, regulate mood, or cope with the challenges of everyday life.

Stroop effect

on a test, a delay in reaction time when the colors of words and their meanings differ. ex. words of colors printed in different color cards.

Dopamine and Serotonin

our moods are tightly linked to transmitter systems in the brain. Dopamine is released when we feel good and Serotonin affects how sociable and affectionate we feel.

rapid eye movements (REM)

quick movements of the eye that occur during sleep thought to mark the phases of dreaming. Stage 2= spindles; stage 3= emergence of delta waves

beta waves

rapid, low energy brain waves that occur when one is awake

sleep debt

represents the amount of sleep our brains owe our bodies.

Glasgow Coma Scale; (measuring states of consciousness)

scale is used to classify brain injuries as severe, moderate, or mild; scores are summed; Eye opening: 4- spontaneous 3- to speech 2- to pain 1- no response Verbal response: 5- alert and oriented 4- disoriented conversation 3- speaking but nonsensical 2- moans/unintelligible sounds 1- no response Motor response 6- follows commands 5- localizes pain 4- withdraws from pain 3- decorticate flexion 2- decerebrate extension 1- no response

1). Depressants: Alcohol

short term effects: relaxation, depressed brain activity, slowed behavior, reduced inhibitions Risks: accidents, brain damage, liver damage, blackouts, birth defects. how quickly alcohol is absorbed depends on body mass and food intake = inebriation = blood alcohol concentration (BAC); 0.8 BAC alcohol limit for driving

1). Hallucinogens: LSD (major)

strong hallucinations, distorted time perception, synesthesia accidents, insomina increased body temp. increaese blood pressure, insomnia and psychosis

stimulants

substance that activate the nervous system.

hallucinogens

substance that create distorted perception of reality, ranging from mild to extreme

depressants

substances that decrease or slow down central nervous system activity. alcohol, sedatives, narcotics (opiolds) high doses can slow heart rate and brain activity. alcohol and sedatives increase activity of GABA (main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain) and decrease activity of glutamate (main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain)

Function of sleep

supports several restorative processes in the CNS, neural growth, metabolic cheanup, memory consolidation, to produce enzymes that protect against cellular damage; help learn and remember better;

multitasking: the implications of shifting attention

sustained attention is compromised during multitasking; switching attention from task to task.

Selective attention

the ability to focus awareness on specific features in the environment while ignoring others; left ear= little recall, right ear- more recall; cocktail effect= the ability to filter out auditory auditory stimuli and then to refocus attention when you hear your name is called; inattentional blindness= gorilla in the basketball passes video; conscious attention= when neurons from distinct brain regions work together- a process referred as synchronization.

sustained attention

the ability to maintain focused awareness on a target or an idea; CPT test

non- REM

the form of sleep with few eye movements, which are slow rather than fast REM sleep decreases with age; factor of growth in the brain and then decreases with age

attention

the limited capacity to process information that is under conscious control; selective attention, sustained attention, and the shifting of attention through multitasking.

night terrors

the state that occurs when a person walks around, speaks incoherently, and ultimately awakens, terrified from sleep.(may scream or bolt upright from bed, etc.) last 10 to 20 mins episodes and hen goes back to normal sleep. no recognition next day; not nightmares

AIM

three biological based dimensions of consciousness activation, input, and mode.

preconscious

to describe material that is potentially accessible but not currently available to awareness; tip of the tongue phenomenon (knowing a person's name, but come up with it)= moderate consciousness= sleep and dreams

circadian rhythms

variations is physiological processes that cycle within approximately as 24 hour period including the sleep wake cycle. the body has internal timekeepers located in the hypothalamus = suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) melatonin is a hormone that plays a roles in relaxation and drowsiness

two dimension of consciousness

wakefulness and awareness go hand in hand, but they do not always work together such as vegetative state or extreme drunkenness; A person can be awake, but not very aware.

AIM Process

waking--highly active, external, and logical mode of consciousness residing in the upper back right portion of the cube. Non REM sleep-- moderately active, external, and logical= middle of cube REM sleep- highly active, internal, loose= lower front right.