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Topic08 Consciousness
Topic08 Consciousness
Introduction
Consciousness is the awareness of internal and
external stimuli
Function of consciousness:
Monitoring and controlling ourselves and our
environment
Levels of Consciousness
Conscious level: The level at which mental activities
that people are normally aware of occur.
Ex: listen to radio
Nonconscious level:
Preconscious level: A level of mental activity that is not
currently conscious but of which we can easily become
conscious.
Ex: swimming skill, language
Unconscious level: A level of mental activity that
influences consciousness but is not conscious.
Ex: memories, impulses and desires that are unacceptable
Levels of Consciousness
Ice berg’s theory
Mental Processing Without
Awareness
Patients who was played audiotape of 15 pairs of
word in unconscious (under anesthesia)can recall
the member of the word pair.
Consciously process information without
awareness- can’t tell the rule
Blindsight- still can locate visual targets
Priming-people tend to respond faster or more
accurately to previously see stimuli.
Priming can alter behaviors when unconsciously
influenced.
Participants who had been exposed to rude words
were most likely to interrupt conversation, if
compared to polite or neutral words.
Unconscious help us to effectively carry daily
mental abilities
The Neuropsychology of
Consciousness
Thalamus and the cerebral cortex are among the
brain structures involved in the experience of
consciousness.
Ex: thalamus of patient in vegetative state
Brain injuries can impair consciousness
Ex: anterograde amnesia- can’t form new memories
(damage to hippocampus)
But, mental processing can occur without
conscious awareness
Ex: task performance improved- can learn and
remember without conscious memory
Stages of Sleep
Study sleeping by using EEG to monitor the brain’s
electrical activity (brave wave) during sleep.
Slow-Wave Sleep.
Stages 1 through 4 are progressively deeper stages of
non-REM sleep.
The last two stages—3 and 4—are called slow-wave
sleep.
accompanied by deep breathing; calm, regular heartbeat;
and reduced blood pressure.
It is quite difficult to be awakened in Stage 4 (deepest
stage of slow-wave sleep).
Stage 4 -> stage 2 -> REM
Stages of Sleep (con’t)
Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, or active sleep, is a
paradoxical state in which brain waves and other
physiological functions resemble those of a person who
is awake, but muscle tone resembles that of paralysis.
A Night’s Sleep.
Most people travel through the five stages of slow-wave
and REM sleep four to six times each night.
REM sleep is most frequent during the second half of the
night.
The amount of time spent in stages 1 to 4 and REM sleep
varies with age.
Ex: 50% of total sleep time at birth is REM sleep
Sleep Disorders
Insomnia, fatigue resulting from little sleep or difficulty
falling asleep, is the most common sleep disorder and is
correlated with mental distress (anxiety).
Treatment: sleeping pills or other techniques (relaxation)
People with narcolepsy fall, without warning, into REM
sleep from an active waking state.
Sleep apnea is a disorder in which people stop breathing
momentarily while they sleep. Apnea episodes can occur
hundreds of times per night, thus leaving the victim
feeling tired during the day.
Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is a disorder in
which a baby stops breathing and dies.
Doctors recommend that babies sleep on their back.
Sleep Disorders (con’t)
Nightmares are frightening dreams that can occur
during REM sleep.
Imagery therapy- imagine new and less frightening
outcomes
Night terrors occur during stage 3 or 4 and are
characterized by horrific images, screaming upon
wakening, and difficulty in calming down afterward.
Sleepwalking, which is most common among children,
is walking during non-REM sleep.
REM behavior disorder, a condition similar to
sleepwalking, occurs during REM sleep.
The normal paralysis that occurs during REM sleep is
absent, and the person acts out his or her dreams.
Why Do People Sleep?
Sleep as a Circadian Rhythm.
Humans have a built-in biological clock that is linked to light and
dark environmental cues.
Ex: Jet lag- symptoms of fatigue and irritability.
Human circadian rhythms are “clocked” in a part of the
hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).
SCN regulate the release of the hormone Melatonin.
The Functions of Sleep.
Sleep is necessary for resting and restoring the body.
REM sleep may help
maintain the activity of neurons that use norepinephrine.
for developing, checking, and expanding the brain’s nerve connections.
solidify and absorb what has been learned during the day.
Dreams and Dreaming
Dreams are storylike sequences of images, sensations, and
perceptions.
Most (bizarre & vivid)dreams occur during REM sleep
Daytime activities and experiences may influence content of dreams.
Ex: wear red-tinted goggles before sleep-> report red images
Applications of Hypnosis
Relieve pain
Aid memory (doubtful, but positive expectation
causes confident)
PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS
Psychoactive drugs cause psychological changes by altering
the functioning of the brain.
Psychopharmacology is the study of psychoactive drugs.
Psychoactive drugs or substances influence the interaction
between neurotransmitters and receptors.
Drugs that act as agonists mimic the effects of
neurotransmitters, whereas those acting as antagonists
prevent neurotransmitters from binding with receptors and
inhibit neurotransmitter activity.
The Varying Effects of
Drugs
Substance abuse is the self-administration of drugs in
ways that deviate from either medical or social norms.
Psychological dependence occurs when a person
continues to use the drug to gain a sense of well-being
even when the drug produces adverse consequences.
Physical dependence or addiction exists when there is
an altered physiological state in which continued use
of the drug is required to prevent the onset of
withdrawal syndrome.
Tolerance may develop with prolonged use of a drug.
Categories of Drugs
Depressants
reduce central nervous system activity.
increase GABA neurotransmitter activity.
Ex: alcohol, barbiturates
Stimulants
increase behavioral and mental activity
Ex: Cocaine, Caffeine
Opiates
cause sleep and pain relief.
Ex: morphine, heroin
Hallucinogens
cause a loss of contact with reality and induce
changes in emotion, perception, and thought.
Ex: LSD, Marijuana