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States ofConsciousness

Chapter 7

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History of Consciousness

1. Psychology began as a science of consciousness.

2. Behaviorists argued about alienating consciousness from psychology.

3. However, after 1960, mental concepts (consciousness) started reentering psychology.

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Consciousness: awareness of ourselves and our environment.

Forms of Consciousness

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Neuroscience & Consciousness

The Consciousness Lag: -awareness of events/behaviors lags behind the response (unconscious)

Information Processing Unconscious mind: processes information simultaneously Conscious mind: processes information sequentially.

Unconscious mind

Conscious mind

Does the Menstrual Cycle Affect Moods?

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Biological Rhythms

1. Annual cycles: seasonal variations in appetite, sleep, and mood. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a mood disorder people experience during dark winter months.

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

Biological rhythms are controlled by internal “biological clocks.”

3. 24-hour cycles (Circadian Rhythms)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.

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Rhythm of Sleep

Light triggers the suprachiasmatic nucleus to activate pineal gland:Melatonin:-decrease (morning = wake) -increase (evening = sleep)

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Every 90 minutes, we cycle through 5 sleep stages.

How do we know this? – Sleep studies

Sleep Stages

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Awake & Alert

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

waves . Fun Fact: A person involved in a conversation

shows beta activity!

Beta Waves

Brain Activity: Waves

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Awake but Relaxed

Brain activity slows down to a large amplitude and slow, regular alpha waves.

Fun Fact: Alpha waves are present during meditation!

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Early, light sleep (stages 1-2): high-amplitude, slow, regular wave form called

theta waves .Fun Fact: Theta waves are present while

daydreaming!

Sleep Stages 1-2

Theta Waves

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Deepest sleep (stages 3-4), brain activity slows down. Large-amplitude, slow delta waves.

Fun Fact: If you talk or walk in your sleep, this is when you are likely to do so.

Sleep Stages 3-4

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Stage 5: REM SleepAfter reaching the deepest sleep stage (4), the sleep

cycle starts moving backward towards stage 1. Still asleep, the brain engages in low- amplitude,

fast and regular beta waves much like awake-aroused state.

-Muscles relaxed vs. increased brain activity, H.R., B.P. => Paradoxical

-Rapid Eye Movement (REM)

-REM Paralysis

-Most vivid dreaming

-Most learning takes place

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90-Minute Cycles During SleepWith each 90-minute cycle, stage 4 sleep

decreases and the duration of REM sleep increases.

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Why do we sleep?

We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping…

why?

Ideas?

Jose Luis Pelaez, Inc./ C

orbis

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Sleep Theories

1. Sleep Protects: Sleeping in the darkness when predators loomed about kept our ancestors out of harm’s 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, the pituitary gland releases growth hormone. Older people release less of this hormone and sleep less.

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AccidentsFrequency of accidents increase with loss

of sleepCanadian traffic accidents (1991-92)

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Sleep Deprivation1. Fatigue and subsequent

death.

2. Impaired concentration.

3. Emotional irritability.

4. Depressed immune system.

5. Greater vulnerability.

All dream researchers believe we need REM sleep. Whendeprived of REM sleep and then allowed to sleep,

we show increased REM sleep called REM Rebound.

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1. Insomnia: Persistent problem falling or staying asleep.

2. Somnambulism: Sleepwalking.

3. Nightmares: Frightening dreams that wake a sleeper from REM.

4. Night terrors: Sudden arousal from sleep with intense fear accompanied by physiological reactions (e.g., rapid heart rate, perspiration)

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

6. Sleep apnea: Failure to breathe when asleep.

Sleep Disorders

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DreamsThe link between REM sleep and dreaming has

opened up a new era of dream research.What do you we dream about? Why?

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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: Men:1 in 10 dreams are sexual; women 1 in 30.

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

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Why do we dream?

1. Freudian Theory / Wish Fulfillment: In The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) Sigmund Freud suggested that dreams provide a psychic safety valve to discharge unacceptable feelings.

Dream Content

“Why do I dream?”

“Well, there is NO DEFINITE ANSWER…

BUT…there are a few theories…”

“What actually happens”Symbolic Transformation

“What it means” (interpretation)hidden, unconscious desires & thoughts being expressed

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

-cramming w/o sleep = No REM sleep = No memorization!!!

3.Physiological Function: provide the sleeping brain with periodic stimulation to develop and preserve neural pathways.

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Why do we dream?

4. Activation-Synthesis Theory: random neural activity => Dreams make sense of this activity.

5. Cognitive Development: brain maturation and cognitive development.- Babies need sleep!

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Dream Theories

Summary

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Hypnosis: OriginsFranz Anton Mesmer- credit for hypnosis “discovery”-mistakenly thought he discovered “animal magnetism.” -Some patients experienced a trancelike state and felt better upon waking up.

Franz Mesmer (1734 - 1815)

HypnosisA social interaction in which one person (the

hypnotist) suggests to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors

will spontaneously occur.

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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 hypnosis.

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Hypnosis: Fact or Fiction?Those who practice hypnosis agree that its power resides in the subject’s openness to suggestion.

Can anyone experience hypnosis? Yes, to some extent.

Can hypnosis enhance recall of forgotten events?

No.

Can hypnosis be therapeutic? Yes. Self-suggestion can heal too.

Can hypnosis alleviate pain?Yes. Breathing &

concentration can do that too.

Can hypnosis force people to act against their will?

No.

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Is Hypnosis an Altered State of Consciousness?

Two Theories:

Divided Consciousness

Theory: - Hypnosis = state of dissociated (divided) consciousness(Hilgard, 1986, 1992).

Social Influence Theory:

- Hypnotic subjects may simply be imaginative actors playing a social role.

Yet another reason to say ‘NO’ to drugs:

After 4 years of ‘meth’

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Drugs and ConsciousnessPsychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood (effects consciousness).

3 Types: Depressants, Stimulants, HallucinogensTerms you should know: - Tolerance - Withdrawal - Dependence (physical & psychological)

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Drugs & Neurotransmission

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Misconceptions about Addiction

1. Addictive drugs quickly corrupt.Odds of getting hooked:

Marijuana: 9%Alcohol: 15%Cocaine: 17%Heroin: 23%Tobacco: 32%

Source: National Academy of Science (2003)

2. Addiction cannot be overcome voluntarily.Is addiction a disease?

3. Addiction is no different than repetitive pleasure-seeking behaviors. But what’s the limit?

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Influences on Drug Use

The graph below shows the percentage of US high- school seniors reporting their use of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine from the

70s to the late 90s.

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Influences on Drug UseDrug use = Biopsychosocial influences

Biological Influences

Psychological Influences

Social-cultural Influences

Drug Use

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Marijuana UseThe use of marijuana in teenagers is directly

related to the “perceived risk” involved with the drug.

Steve Jobs Last Words (really):

"Oh wow. Oh wow. Oh wow."

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Near-Death Experiences(From

“Hallucinations” by R

.K. Siegel. C

opyright ©

1977 Scientific Am

erican, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Can the mind survive the dying body?

1. Dualism: that mind (non-physical) and body (physical) are two distinct entities that interact. -N.D.E. = human immortality (soul)

2. Monism: mind and body are different aspects of the same thing.-N.D.E. = brain stress => hallucinations