Psychology Midterm

You are struggling to stay awake while driving and realize that you may have "dozed off" for a few seconds. This shift in your brain activity is called

A microsleep

Regarding mindfulness and meditation, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Being mindfulness involves being laid-back, carefree, and sleepwalking through life

Any repeating cycle of biological activity, such as sleep and waking cycles or changes in body temperature, is known as a(n)

Biological Rhythm

Prisoners in solitary confinement, arctic explores, and long-distance truck drivers, who are faced with limited or monotonous stimulation for long periods of time tend to experience

Bizarre or distorted perceptions perceptions

Which statement is true regarding the sleep needs of humans and other animals?

Sunlight and darkness are external time markers that tie humans to a 24-hour sleep-waking cycle

Many theorists believe that all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis because

a person must cooperate with a hypnotist to become hypnotized, and so the hypnotist acts as a guide to the hypnotized person.

During an altered state of consciousness (ASC), a person may experience distinct shifts in which of the following?

a. perceptions and emotions b. memories and time sense c. feelings of self-control and suggestibility d. all of these

You tie a short length of string to a small ring and hold this ring at eye level, about a foot from your face. By focusing on the ring, you are able to make the ring swing back and forth. You are surprised by this movement. You most likely have experienced

autosuggestion.

The detached part of the hypnotized person's awareness that silently views the events occurring during hypnosis is called the ________

Hidden observer

We spend most of our lives in a state of consciousness that is organized, meaningful, and clear and is referred to as

waking conscious

The difficulty of knowing other minds is why the technique of introspection was replaced with more objective measures by the early

behaviorists

The two major forms of meditation are

concentrative and mindfulness

When Eric first looked over the rim of the Grand Canyon, he experienced deep feelings of insignificance and awe. In that instant, he was fully aware that he was experiencing a deeply moving moment. This is an example of:

consciousness

Which of the following actions will a hypnotized person probably NOT act out?

harm someone

In describing his hypnotic session, Jarrod said that he felt like he was floating, like his feet were about to leave the floor, and that his arms were so light it was like balloons were pulling them toward the ceiling without Jarrod having to do anything to raise his own arms. Jarrod is describing

he basic suggestion effect.

Hilgard refers to the part of hypnotized subjects' consciousness that reports pain but remains in the background as the

hidden observer.

Which of the following has been shown to help people relax, feel less pain, and make better progress in therapy?

hypnosis

You are asked to close your eyes and told that your left arm is becoming more and more rigid and that it will not bend. If you cannot bend your arm during the next ten seconds, you have shown

hypnotic susceptibility.

Of those listed, hypnosis has been shown to be LEAST effective

in modifying behaviors, such as smoking or overeating.

tests of susceptibility to hypnosis

include the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale

Mesmer's strange "treatments" are related to hypnosis because they relied on

the power of suggestion.

Whether a person can be hypnotized or not depends mainly on

the willingness of the person to be hypnotized.

Kira spent an hour in a flotation tank that will restrict sensory stimuli and will likely produce

A decrease in blood pressure and muscle tension

Each of us will spend approximately how many years of life asleep?

25

One thing that cocaine, "highway hypnosis," high fever, and meditation all have in common is that they produce

ASCs.

Which of the following has NOT be shown to be an outcome of the regular use of meditation?

An effective treatment for sleep apnea and narcolepsy

You tie a short length of string to a small ring and hold this ring at eye level, about a foot from your face. By focusing on the ring, you are able to make the ring swing back and forth. You are surprised by this automatic micromovement of your fingers. You most likely have experienced a(n) __________

Autosuggestion

Meditation techniques that involves focusing your attention on an image, a phrase, or your own breathing are referred to as __________ meditation

Concentrative

A mantra would most commonly be used in

Concentrative meditation

Diane is sitting cross-legged and concentrating only on her breathing. She is practicing

Concentrative meditation

Taylor is using a technique in which she focuses her attention on a specific object or word to block out distractions and enhance her well-being. This technique is called

Concentrative meditation

Regarding meditation, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Concentrative meditation is more difficult to attain than mindfulness meditation

Mental awareness of sensations and perceptions of external events as well as self-awareness of internal events including thoughts, memories, and feelings about experiences and the self make up one's ________

Consciousness

Which of the following proposed the best-known state theory of hypnosis and argued that hypnosis caused a dissociative state or "split" in awareness?

Ernest Hilgard

About 50 percent of people can be hypnotized with only about 20 percent being considered good hypnotic participants

False

Concentrative meditation is more difficult to attain than mindfulness meditation

False

In their studies of the brain and behavior, psychologists rely on introspective reports from people who are hypnotized to understand how the brain produces hypnosis

False

Mindfulness involves being "spaced out" or having occasional moments of reduced awareness in order to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation

False

Very few cultures or religions recognize and accept alterations of consciousness

False

The main purpose of meditative exercises is to

Focus attention and interrupt the typical flow of thoughts

Interest in hypnosis began in the 1700s when an Austrian doctor believed he could cure diseases with magnets. This Austrian doctor was ________

Franz Mesmer

Regarding hypnosis, which of the following statements is TRUE?

Hypnosis is an altered state characterized by narrowed attention and increased openness to suggestion.

A test in which a person is given a series of suggestions, such as being told that his or her "left arm is becoming more and more rigid and that it will not bend," is most likely taking the Stanford_______ Scale

Hypnotic Susceptibility

Compare and contrast the two major forms of meditation; explain the benefits of meditation; and discuss mild sensory deprivation and its therapeutic uses

In concentrative meditation, you attend to a single focal point, such as an object, a thought, or your own breathing. Often, a mantra, which is a smooth word like "om," is used as the focal point. A mantra could also be any pleasant word or a phrase from a familiar song, poem, or prayer. If other thoughts arise as you repeat a mantra, just return attention to it as often as necessary to maintain meditation. In contrast, mindfulness meditation is "open," or expansive. In this case, you widen your attention to embrace a total, non-judgmental awareness of the world. An example is losing all self-consciousness while walking in the wilderness with a quiet and receptive mind. As a stress-control technique, meditation may be a good choice for people who find it difficult to "turn off" upsetting thoughts when they need to relax. The physical benefits of meditation include lowered heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and other signs of stress as well as improved immune system activity. Meditation has benefits beyond relaxation. Practiced regularly, meditation may foster mental well-being and positive mental skills such as clarity, concentration, and calm. In this sense, meditation may share much in common with psychotherapy. Indeed, research has shown that mindfulness meditation relieves a variety of psychological disorders, from insomnia to excessive anxiety. It can also reduce aggression and the use of psychoactive drugs. Regular meditation may even help people develop better control over their attention, heightened self-awareness, and maturity. Mild sensory deprivation is often accomplished by floating in a tank of warm water in silent darkness for a couple of hours. Sensory deprivation involves a major reduction in the amount or variety of sensory stimulation with brief periods of sensory restriction producing a strong relaxation response. An hour or two spent in a flotation tank can cause a large drop in blood pressure, muscle tension, chronic pain, and other signs of stress. Like other forms of meditation, mild sensory deprivation may also help with more than relaxation. Deep relaxation makes people more open to suggestion, and sensory deprivation interrupts habitual behavior patterns. This can "loosen" belief systems, making it easier for people to quit smoking, lose weight, and reduce their use of alcohol and drugs. Mild sensory deprivation even shows promise as a way to stimulate creative thinking and enhance sports and music performance skills

According to Benson's research on relaxation, which of the following statements is FALSE?

In producing the relaxation response, people are taught to focus on upsetting thoughts, to solve them quickly, and then set them aside

If you suffered a couple of days of sleep deprivation, which of the following would most likely occur?

Loss of ability to pay attention and perform simple routine tasks

Which of the following is a mental exercise for producing relaxation or heightened nonjudgmental awareness?

Meditation

Which of the following is a mental exercise that focuses attention, interrupts the flow of thoughts and worries, and reduces physical tension and anxiety

Meditation

Which of the following can "loosen" belief systems and make it easier to change bad habits, like smoking or overeating

Mild sensory deprivation

While meditating, Bernard tries to achieve a total non-judgmental awareness of the world. Bernard is using _________ meditation

Mindfulness

While meditating, Bradley tries to achieve a total non-judgmental awareness of the world. Bradley is using _______ meditation

Mindfulness

According to research, which of the following statements is FALSE?

Mindfulness involves being "spaced out" or having occasional moments of reduced awareness in order to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation

Regarding hypnosis and its uses, which of the following statements is FALSE?

No state has barred persons from testifying in court if they were hypnotized to improve their memory of the crime they witnessed.

Which of the following has NOT been shown to be an effect of mild sensory deprivation?

Reducing psychotic symptoms

Medical researcher Herbert Benson believed that the core of meditation involved an innate physiological pattern that opposes your body's fight-or-flight mechanisms and is called the __________ response

Relaxation

By using small isolation tanks in which a participant floats in shallow body-temperature water containing hundreds of pounds of Espom salts, psychologists have explored the possible benefits of mild ______

Sensory deprivation or Sensory restriction

LaMonte had trouble concentrating in class today. His roommate noticed that LaMonte's are trembling; his speech is slurred; and he is having trouble even naming common objects. LaMonte is most likely suffering from

Sleep Loss

Discuss the two theories of hypnosis, including Hilgard's demonstration involving the painful use of ice water

The best known state theory of hypnosis was proposed by Ernest Hilgard. He argued that hypnosis causes a dissociative state, or "split" in awareness. To illustrate, he asked hypnotized subjects to plunge one hand into a painful bath of ice water. Subjects told to feel no pain said they felt none. The same subjects were then asked if there was any part of their mind that did feel pain. With their free hand, many wrote, "It hurts," or "Stop it, you're hurting me," while they continued to act pain free. Thus, one part of the hypnotized person says there is no pain and acts as if the other part, which Hilgard calls the hidden observer, is aware of the pain but remains in the background. The hidden observer is a detached part of the hypnotized person's awareness that silently observes events. In contrast, non state theorists argue that hypnosis is not a distinct state at all. Instead it is merely a blend of conformity, relaxation, imagination, obedience, and role-playing. For example, many theorists believe that all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis (autosuggestion). From this perspective, a hypnotist merely helps another person to follow a series of suggestions. These suggestions, in turn, alter sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

Brief periods of sensory deprivation often produce

The relaxation response

Describe what effect(s) hypnosis has on the following areas: physical strength, memory, amnesia, pain relief, age regression, and sensory changes

There is some evidence that hypnosis can enhance memory. However, it frequently increases the number of false memories as well. For this reason, many states now bar persons from testifying in court if they were hypnotized to improve their memory of a crime they witnessed. A person told not to remember something heard during hypnosis may claim not to remember but may be nothing more than a deliberate attempt to avoid thinking about specific ideas. However, brief memory loss of this type does seem to occur. Hypnosis can relieve pain and is especially useful when chemical painkillers are ineffective, such as with phantom limb pain. Given the proper suggestions, some hypnotized people appear to "regress" to childhood. However, most theories now believe that "age-regressed" subjects are only acting out a suggested role. Hypnotic suggestions concerning sensations are among the most effective. It is possible to alter color vision, hearing sensitivity, time sense, perception of illusions, and smell

What do Buddhists engaging in meditation practices, Navaho elders drinking peyote tea, and New Zealand Maori priests performing nightlong rituals to communicate with the mythical period the Aborigines call "Dreamtime" all have in common?

They are all meant to cleanse the mind and body and bring about altered awareness and personal revelation.

Everyone experiences some altered state of consciousness every day

True

Hypnosis can alter color vision, hearing sensitivity, time sense, and one's perception of illusions

True

Mild sensory deprivation has shown promise as a way to stimulate creative thinking and to enhance sports and music performance skills

True

Stage hypnotists use tricks and deception more often than the actual induction of hypnosis

True

Concerning altered states of consciousness, (a) describe characteristics of an altered state of consciousness, (b) describe four everyday situations in which people experience these altered states, and (c) describe the intentional uses and meanings of the altered states within two other cultures

Typically, there are distinct shifts in perceptions, emotions, memories, time sense, thoughts, feelings of self-control, and suggestibility. Most people know when they have experienced an ASC. In fact, heightened self-awareness is an important feature of many ASCs. Some everyday situations in which people experience ASCs are sleep, dreaming, daydreaming, highway hypnotism, high fever, sleep loss, drug intoxication, hyperventilation, and sensory overloads from raves, mosh pits, or a Mardi Gras crowd. All cultures and most religions recognize and accept some alterations of consciousness. Many cultures regard ASCs as a pathway to personal enlightenment. Examples are the sweat lodge ceremony of the Sioux, the meditation practices of Buddhists, Navaho elders drinking peyote tea, and New Zealand Maori priests performing nightlong rituals to communicate with the mythical period the Aborigines call "Dreamtime." The meaning given to these altered states varies greatly from signs of "madness" and "possession" by spirits to life-enhancing breakthroughs. Thus, cultural conditioning greatly affects what altered states we recognize, seek, consider normal, and attain

Which of the following is LEAST likely to be used by stage hypnotists?

actual induction of hypnosis

Which of the following is most likely to occur because of hypnosis?

altered sensory experiences

Long-distance running, listening to music, sleep, and daydreaming are just some of the everyday ways to produce

altered state of consciousness

You have agreed to be hypnotized. You can expect the hypnotist to encourage you to do all of the following EXCEPT

alternate tensing and releasing of your muscles.

to be conscious

that one is aware