PsychConsciousness.pptx

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States of Consciousness

• _{Biological rhythms} • _{Sleep Cycle}

• _{nREM and REM sleep}

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The Study of Consciousness

• _{Does consciousness exist?}

– _{Many psychologists believed it did not.} – _{Today, many believe it does}

• Linked with behaviors (talking) and brain waves

• _{As a construct}

– _{What is a construct?}

• A concept used to talk about something we cannot see, touch, or measure directly.

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The Study of Consciousness

• _{Meanings of Consciousness}

– _{Sensory Awareness}

• _{Your senses make it possible for you to be aware of}

your environment.

• _{Conscious of things outside yourself, but can be}

unaware of sensory stimulation.

– Selective listening

– _{Direct Inner Awareness}

• _{Think of abstract concepts – emotions, memories}

– _{Sense of Self}

• _{Realize existence, unique, separate from source –}

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The Study of Consciousness

• Levels of Consciousness

– _Preconscious_{– ideas are not in awareness right}

now, but could be recalled

– _Unconscious_{(subconscious) – Information is}

hidden. Sometimes used as defense mechanism

– _Nonconscious_{– Biological functions (fingernails}

growing, pupils adjusting to light)

• Altered State of Consciousness

– _{Person’s sense of self or sense of world changes}

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Biological Rhythms

• _{Periodic physiological}

fluctuations

• _{Can affect physiological}

functioning

• _{Fall into three main categories}

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Circadian Rhythms

• _{Biological rhythms that occur}

approximately every 24 hours

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Rhythm of Sleep

Light triggers suprachiasmatic nucleus to decrease (morning) melatonin from pineal gland

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Ultradian Rhythms

• _{Biological rhythms that occur}

more than once each day

• _{Example: Stages of sleep}

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Infradian Rhythms

• _{Biological rhythms that occur}

once a month or once a season

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Biological Rhythms

1. Annual cycles: On an annual cycle geese migrate, grizzly bears hibernate, and

humans experience seasonal variations in appetite, sleep and mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood

disorder caused by dark winter months. Biological rhythms are controlled by

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How does your body get

you ready for sleep?

• Each of us has an internal clock which runs our circadian rhythm

• _{Governed by activity in the hypothalamus} • _{When it is dark outside, the pineal gland}

secretes melatonin, which pushed the body toward sleep

• _{When the sun rises, our melatonin levels}

have dropped and we wake up

• _{Research shows that our bodies would work}

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Sleep Cycle and its Stages

Measuring sleep. About every 90- minutes we pass through a cycle of five distinct

sleep stages.

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Awake & Alert

During strong mental engagement brain exhibits low amplitude, fast, irregular beta

waves (15-30 cps). A person awake in conversation shows beta activity.

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Awake but Relaxed

When eyes are closed, but the individual is awake, brain activity slows down to large amplitude, slow, regular alpha waves (9-14

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During early light sleep (stages 1-2) the brain enters a high amplitude, slow, regular

wave form called theta waves (5-8 cps). A person daydreaming shows theta activity.

Sleep Stages 1-2

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During deepest sleep (stages 3-4) brain activity slows down. There are large

amplitude, slow delta waves. Sometimes called delta sleep

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Stage 5: REM Sleep

After reaching the deepest sleep stage (4) the sleep cycle starts moving backward towards stage 1. Although still asleep, the

brain engages in low amplitude, fast and regular beta waves (15-40 cps), much like

awake-aroused state.

A person in this sleep phase exhibits Rapid Eye Movements (REM)

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Paradoxical Sleep

• _{During REM sleep brain wave patterns}

are similar to when a person is awake

• _{Pulse and breathing quickens.} • _{REM sleep is sometimes called}

paradoxical sleep as one’s physiology is close to that of being awake but the

brainstem blocks all muscle movement

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Why is REM sleep important?

• _{In an REM deprivation study an individual is}

intentionally awakened at the onset of each REM phase over a period of days

• _{The subject is then allowed to sleep normally} • _{During this time they are likely to spend a}

great deal more time in the REM stage

– _{Called “REM rebound”}

– _{Suggest our body really needs REM sleep and will}

do what it takes to get it

– _{Supported by cognitive development of early years}

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Why do we sleep?

We spend one third of our life sleeping.

If an individual remains awake for

several days they deteriorate, in terms

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Sleep Deprivation

1. Fatigue and subsequent death.

2. Impaired concentration.

3. Emotional irritability.

4. Depressed immune system.

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Sleep Theories

1. Sleep Protects: Sleeping in the darkness when predators loom kept our ancestors out of harms way.

2. Sleep Recuperates: Sleep helps restore and repair brain tissue.

3. Sleep Helps Remembering: Sleep restores and rebuilds our fading memories.

4. Sleep and Growth: During sleep pituitary gland releases growth hormone. Older

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• _{Dream theories}

• _{Sleep disorders}

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Why do we dream?

• _{Information Processing Theory}

• _{Physiological function}

• _{Activation synthesis}

• _{Cognitive development}

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Information-Processing

Theory

• _{Dreams serve an important}

memory- related function by

sorting and sifting through the

day’s experiences

• _{Research suggests REM sleep}

helps memory storage.

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Physiological Function

Theory

• _{Neural activity during REM sleep}

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Activation-Synthesis Theory

• _{Dreams are the mind’s attempt}

to make sense of random neural

firings in the brain as one

sleeps.

• _{Our minds make sense of the}

firing by creating a story line

• _{Should sound like Gestalt from}

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Cognitive Development

Theory

• _{Dreams part of the maturation}

process

• _{Dreams reflect our knowledge}

• _{Reflection of normal cognitive}

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Freud

• _{Believed dreams offer a safe outlet}

for wish fulfillment

• _{Manifest vs Latent content}

• _{The “Royal Road to the Unconscious}

Mind”

• _{Too subjective, too many}

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Dream Theories

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Insomnia

• _{Recurring problems falling asleep or}

staying asleep

• _{Sleeping pills tend to inhibit or suppress}

REM sleep; worsen the problem

• _{Alcohol suppresses REM sleep; also}

worsens the problem

• _{Studies show most people overestimate}

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Sleep Apnea

• _{Sleep disorder characterized by}

temporary cessations of breathing

during sleep and consequent

momentary reawakenings.

• _{Tend to be loud snorers}

• _{Continuous Positive Airway Pressure}

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Narcolepsy

• _{Sleep disorder characterized by}

uncontrollable sleep attacks

• _{Person may lapse directly into}

REM sleep

• _{Nervous system getting aroused}

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Somnambulism

• _{Formal name for sleepwalking}

• _{Starts in the deep stages of N-REM}

sleep

• _{Person can walk or talk and is able}

to see

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Night Terrors

• _{Sleep disorder characterized by}

high arousal and appearance of

being terrified

• _{Unlike nightmares}

• _{Happens during stage 4 sleep;}

mostly children

• _{The children seldom remember}

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Other Sleep Disorders

• _{Bruxism – teeth grinding}

• _{Enuresis – bed wetting}

• _{Myoclonus – sudden jerk of a}

body part occurring during

stage 1 sleep

–

_{Everyone has occasional}

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Is Hypnosis an Altered State of

Consciousness?

1.Social Influence

Theory: Hypnotic

subjects may simply be imaginative actors playing a social role.

2.Divided

Consciousness:

Theory: Hypnosis is a special state of

dissociated (divided) consciousness

(Hilgard, 1986, 1992). (Hilgard, 1992)

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Aspects of Hypnosis

1. Posthypnotic Suggestion: Suggestion

carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized.

2. Posthypnotic Amnesia: Supposed inability to recall what one experienced during

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Both Theories

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Drugs

• _{Drugs and Consciousness}

• _{Groups of psychoactive drugs}

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Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood (effects

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Dependence & Addiction

Continued use of psychoactive drug produces tolerance.

With repeated

exposure to a drug, the drug’s effect

lessens. Thus it takes bigger doses

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Withdrawal & Dependence

1. Withdrawal: Upon stop taking a drug (after addiction) users may experience undesirable effects of withdrawal.

2. Dependence: Absence of drug may lead to feelings of physical pain, intense

cravings (physical dependence) and negative emotions (psychological

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Psychoactive Drugs

Psychoactive drugs are divided into three groups.

1. Depressants 2. Stimulants 3. Hallucinogen

s

4.

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Depressants

Depressants are drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Most depressants act as an agonist at barbiturate site on the GABA-A receptor

1. Alcohol 2. Barbiturat

es

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Alcohol

1. Alcohol affects motor skills, judgment, and memory… increases

aggressiveness reduces self awareness.

Drinking and Driving

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Barbiturates

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Depressants

3. Opiates: Opium and its derivatives

(morphine and heroin) depress neural activity, temporarily

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Stimulants

Stimulants are drugs that excite neural activity and speed-up body functions.

1. Caffeine 2. Nicotine 3. Cocaine 4. Ecstasy

5. Amphetamines

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Caffeine & Nicotine

Caffeine and nicotine increase heart and breathing rates, and other autonomic

functions to provide energy.

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Amphetamines

Amphetamines stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes, with

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Ecstasy

Ecstasy or

Methylenedioxymethamp hetamine (MDMA) is a

stimulant and mild

hallucinogen. It produces euphoric high and can

damage serotonin-producing neurons resulting in permanent

deflation of mood and impairment of memory.G

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Cocaine

Cocaine induces immediate euphoria followed by a crash. Crack, a form of cocaine, can be smoked. Other forms

of cocaine can be sniffed or injected.

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Hallucinogens

Hallucinogens are psychedelic (mind-manifesting) drugs

that distort

perceptions and evoke sensory

images in the

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Hallucinogens

1. LSD: (lysergic acid diethylamide)

powerful hallucinogenic drug (ergot fungus) also known as acid.

2. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol): is the major active ingredient in

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Dopamine :

• _{Pleasure and reward Movement, Attention, Memory} • _{Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Amphetamine}

• _{Virtually all drugs of abuse directly or indirectly}

augment dopamine in the reward pathway Serotonin:

• _{Mood, Sleep, Sexual desire,}

Appetite

• _{MDMA (ecstasy), LSD, Cocaine}

Glutamate:

• _{Neuron activity (increased rate), Learning,}

Cognition, Memory

• _Alcohol

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

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Drugs

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AP info…

• _{Know the rhythms} • _{Sleep stages}

– _{Stage 1-awake (alpha)}

– _{Stage 2- lasts 5-20 minutes, sleep spindles} – _{Stage 3 and 4- up to 40 minutes, delta waves} – _{REM sleep-paradoxical, alpha waves, dreaming}

• _{Why do we dream? Information-processing,} activation-synthesis, physiological function, cognitive development • _{What neurotransmitters are mimicked by different}

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More AP info…

• _{Hypothalamus triggers the pineal gland to}

release melatonin (sleep hormone)

• _{REM rebound}

• _{Hypnosis (divided consciousness or social}

influence???)

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Stage 1 Light sleep; Fantastic images resembling hallucinations Body relaxes; Hypnogogic sensations: falling, floating Irregular and small brain waves

5 minutes

Stage 2 Relax more deeply

Sleep spindles – bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain wave activity

Can be awakened without too much difficulty Clearly asleep; Garbled sleep talking is possible

20

minutes

Stage 3 Transitional stage

Brain begins to emit delta waves (large slow waves associated with sleep)

Few minutes

Stage 4 Continual delta waves; Stages 3 and 4 termed slow-wave sleep

Sleep-walking, bed-wetting, night terrors

REM After Stage 4 goes back to stage 3, then 2, then REM (Rapid Eye Movement)

Dream here

Heart rate rises, rapid and irregular breathing, eyes dart around, genital arousal, brain waves rapid and

saw-toothed

Motor cortex is active, but brainstem blocks it messages Muscles EXTREMELY relaxed and little movement

Cannot be easily awakened

Termed paradoxical sleep as internally body is aroused while externally appears calms

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