Subtitle

STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS

Levels of Consciousness

Conscious level: information about yourself and your environment you are currently aware of

Nonconscious level: bodily processes controlled by your mind that we are not usually (or ever) aware of

Preconscious level: information about yourself or your environment that you are not currently thinking about (not in your conscious level) but you could be

Levels of Consciousness

Subconscious level: information that we are not consciously aware of but we know must exist due to behavior (priming – respond more quickly and/or more accurately to questions we have seen before…even if we don’t recall seeing them)

Unconscious level: psychoanalytic…events and feelings are unacceptable to our conscious mind and are repressed into the unconscious mind

Sleep –– the irresistible tempter to whom we inevitably succumb.

the irresistible tempter to whom we inevitably succumb. – the irresistible tempter to whom we inevitably succumb.

Sleep & Dreams

Mysteries about sleep and dreams have just started

unraveling in sleep laboratories around the world.

Biological Rhythms Biological rhythms are controlled by

internal “biological clocks.”

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 people experience during dark winter months.

Biological Rhythms

2. 28-day cycles: The female menstrual cycle averages 28 days. Research shows menstruation may not affect moods.

3. 24-hour cycles: Humans experience 24-hour cycles of varying alertness (sleep), body temperature, and growth hormone secretion.

4. 90-minute cycles: We go through various stages of sleep in 90-minute cycles.

Rhythm of Sleep Circadian Rhythms occur on a 24-hour cycle

and include sleep and wakefulness, which are disrupted during transcontinental flights.

Light triggers the suprachiasmatic nucleus to decrease

(morning) melatonin from the pineal glandand increase (evening) it at night fall.

Sleep Stages

Measuring sleep: About every 90 minutes, we pass through a cycle of five distinct sleep stages.

Awake & Alert

During strong mental engagement, the brain exhibits low amplitude and fast, irregular beta waves (15-30 cps). An awake person involved in a conversation shows beta activity.

Beta Waves

Awake but Relaxed When an individual closes his eyes but

remains awake, his brain activity slows down to a large amplitude and slow, regular alpha waves (9-14 cps). A meditating person exhibits an alpha brain activity.

Sleep Stages 1-2

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 who is daydreaming shows theta activity.

Sleep Stages 3-4

During deepest sleep (stages 3-4), brain activity slows down. There are large-amplitude, slow delta waves (1.5-4 cps).

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.

90-Minute Cycles During Sleep

Why do we sleep?

We spend one-third of our lives sleeping.

If an individual remains awake for several days,

they deteriorate in terms of immune function, concentration, and

accidents.

Sleep Disorders Insomnia: most common sleep disorder - persistent problems of getting to sleep or staying asleep Somnambulism: Sleepwalking – most common in

children – early …during stage 4 Nightmares: Frightening dreams that wake a sleeper

from REM. Night terrors: Sudden arousal from sleep with intense

fear accompanied by physiological reactions (e.g., rapid heart rate, perspiration) that occur during SWS.

Sleep Disorders

Narcolepsy: Overpowering urge to fall asleep that may occur while talking or standing up.

Sleep apnea: Failure to breathe when asleep.

Dreams

The link between REM sleep and dreaming has

opened up a new era of dream

research.

What do we Dream?1. Negative Emotional Content: 8 out of 10

dreams have negative emotional content.2. Failure Dreams: People commonly dream

about failure, being attacked, pursued, rejected, or struck with misfortune.

3. Sexual Dreams: Contrary to our thinking, sexual dreams are sparse. Sexual dreams in men are 1 in 10; and in women 1 in 30.

4. Dreams of Gender: Women dream of men and women equally; men dream more about men than women.

Why do we dream?1. Wish Fulfillment: Sigmund Freud

suggested that dreams provide a psychic safety valve to discharge unacceptable feelings. The dream’s manifest (apparent) content may also have symbolic meanings (latent content) that signify our unacceptable feelings.

2. Information Processing: Dreams may help sift, sort, and fix a day’s experiences in our memories.

Dreams activation-synthesis theory: - brain very active during REM stage - dreams nothing more than the brain’s interpretations of what is happening physiologically during REM - story made up by the literary part of our mind caused by intense brain activity during REM - no more meaning than any other physiological reflex in our body

Dreams

activation-synthesis theory: - brain very active during REM stage - dreams nothing more than the brain’s interpretations of what is happening physiologically during REM - story made up by the literary part of our mind caused by intense brain activity during REM - no more meaning than any other physiological reflex in our body

Dreams

information-processing theory:

- stress during the day will increase the number

and intensity of dreams during the night

- most people report their dream content relates

somehow to daily concerns

- function of REM may be to integrate the

information processed during the day into our

memories

Hypnosis Role theory:

- hypnosis is not an alternate state of consciousness

- some people more easily hypnotized = hypnotic

suggestibility

- richer fantasy lives…follow directions well…focus

intensely on a single task for along period of time

- hypnotism possibly a social phenomenon

- acting out the role…that is what is expected of them

Hypnosis State theory:

- meets some parts of the definition for an altered

state of consciousness

- we can become more or less aware of our

environment

- some people report dramatic health benefits…such

as pain control…reduction in specific physical

ailments

Hypnosis Ernest Hilgard – dissociation theory

- divide our consciousness voluntarily

- one part responds to the suggestions of the hypnotist

- another part retains awareness of reality

- experiment demonstrated the presence of a hidden

observer…part/level of our consciousness that

monitors what is happening while another level obeys

the hypnotist’s suggestions

Drugs Psychoactive drugs – change the chemistry of the brain

- induce an altered state of consciousness

- behavioral and cognitive changes to physiological

processes, some due to expectations about the drug

brain normally protected by the blood-brain barrier…

molecules that make up psychoactive drugs are small

enough to pass through

Drugs drugs that mimic neurotransmitters = agonists

- fit into receptor site and function as that

neurotransmitter naturally would drugs that block neurotransmitters = antagonists

- fit in the receptor site and prevent the natural

neurotransmitter from using the site other drugs will prevent natural neurotransmitters from

being reabsorbed back into a neuron = abundance

of that neurotransmitter in the synapse alter natural levels of neurotransmitters = brain will produce

less of a specific neurotransmitter

Drugs Tolerance = physiological change that produces a need for

more of the same drug in order to achieve the same effect. Withdrawal = vary from drug to drug Dependence may be psychological…physical…or both Psychological = intense desire for drug…convinced they

need it to perform or feel a certain way Physically = tolerance for drug…experience withdrawal

symptoms without it…need drug to avoid symptoms

Drugs

Stimulants – caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines, nicotine

- speed up body processes – autonomic nervous system

- sense of euphoria

- user may feel extremely self-confident and invincible

- produce tolerance, withdrawal effects, other side effects

(disturbed sleep, reduced appetite, increased anxiety)

Drugs

Depressants – slow down the same body systems that stimulants speed up – alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers, antianxiety drugs

alcohol = most common

- slows down reactions and judgment by slowing down

brain processes euphoria, tolerance, & withdrawal inhibition of different brain regions causes behavioral

changes – i.e. cerebellum & motor coordination

Drugs Opiates – morphine, heroin, methadone, codeine…

similar in structure to opium…derived from the poppy plant

- agonists for endorphins = powerful painkillers and

mood elevators

- cause drowsiness and euphoria associated with

elevated endorphin levels

- some of the most physically addictive…because they

rapidly change brain chemistry and create tolerance

and withdrawal symptoms