Chapter 3
Consciousness
What is Consciousness?
Awareness of ourselves and our environment - Subjective experience Associated with wakefulness
Dual Processing > We engage in dual processing in which we are both consciously and unconsciously aware of our cognition
Altered State of Consciousness
Sleep Meditation/Hypnosis Substance-induced
> Spontaneously Day Dreaming, Drowsiness, Dreaming Physiologically o Hallucinations, Orgasm, Food or Oxygen Starvation > Psychologically o Sensory Deprivation, Hypnosis, Meditation
Wakefulness and Attention
Your five senses take in l1 million bits of information per second of which you consciously process about 40
Awareness is key
Selective attention = process by which conscious awareness focuses o Like a flashlight beam
Selective Attention
Inattentional Blindness
Not noticing specific stimuli when attention is directed elsewhere
Change Blindness
Not noticing a change in specific stimuli
Sleep and Dreams
Circadian Rhythms occur on a 24-hour cycle o Includes sleep and wakefulness o Termed our "biological clock", these rhythms can be altered by artificial light Sleep brain remains active and has its own biological rhythm
Sleep Stages
o Awake(Alpha Waves) Sleep Stages 1-2 S (Sleep Spindles, Burst of activity) Sleep Stages 3-4 (Delta Waves, further apart) REM -- Rapid Eye Movement - Sleep (Deepest Sleep) REM Sleep (Paradoxical Sleep) Most common association with REM is dreaming Body is internally aroused but externally calm Important for memory consolidation, brain development, behavior, restoration, among others
Sleep Disorders
1) Insomnia
A persistent inability to fall asleep or stay asleep
2) Narcolepsy
Overpowering urge to fall asleep that may occur while talking or standing up
3) Sleep Apnea
Intermittent cessation of breathing when asleep and repeated momentary awakenings
Meditation and Hypnosis
Meditation
Self-inducing an alternate state of consciousness to produce a desired effect or benefi Invoking a specific feeling or internal state, usually bringing awareness to the present moment
Hypnosis
A social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggest to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur
Drugs and Consciousness
Psychoactive Drugs > Depressants o Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions - Alcohol : Barbiturates Opiates > Stimulants o Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions
Nicotine Cocaine Ecstasy Amphetamines Methamphetamines > Hallucinogens o Psychedelic (Mind-manifesting) drugs that distort perception and evoke
LSD Powerful hallucinogenic drug that is also known as acid THC The major active ingredient in marijuana that triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations > Licit vs. Illicit > Tolerance and Addition
Psychoactive Drugs in Medical Settings
General Anesthesia Medically