Chapter 5: Consciousness Expanding the Boundaries of Psychological Inquiry

Chapter 5:Chapter 5:ConsciousnessConsciousness

Expanding the Boundaries ofExpanding the Boundaries ofPsychological InquiryPsychological Inquiry

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2009

Lecture PreviewLecture Preview Understand different types of sleep and

sleep disorders Discuss theories regarding dreaming and

dream analysis


Biology of SleepBiology of Sleep

Consciousness - our subjective experience of the world, our bodies, and our mental perspectives

Circadian rhythm - cyclical changes that occur on a roughly 24-hr basis in many biological processes (e.g., hormone release, body temperature)


Biology of SleepBiology of Sleep

Biological clock - the SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) of the hypothalamus, triggers our sense of fatigue (via increasing melatonin) Disruptions:

• Jet lag• Night shifts


True or False?True or False?

Extreme sleep deprivation can be fatal. (For example, if you deprive yourself of sleep for two weeks, you’re risking your life.)

FALSE. Although the lack of sleep could lead to brief hallucinations, depression, difficulty concentrating, and other symptoms, the deprivation itself would not be fatal.


Stages of Sleep and DreamingStages of Sleep and Dreaming Measuring sleep - EEG, EOG, EMG Stages (cycle through every 90 min.)

Non-REM (no eye movements, less dreaming)• Stage 1 - light sleep, may contain hypnagogic imagery,

hypnic myoclonia• Stage 2 - sleep spindles, K-complexes, theta waves• Stages 3 and 4 - deeper sleep, delta waves

REM (paradoxical sleep) - stage 5, eye movements, vivid dreaming• REM rebound• Muscle paralysis (lack of = REM behavior disorder)

EEG Waves During Different Sleep StagesEEG Waves During Different Sleep Stages



Stages of Sleep and DreamingStages of Sleep and Dreaming

REM dreams More dreams occur

during REM than non-REM

Emotional, illogical, prone to plot shifts

Non-REM dreams Shorter dreams More thought-like,

repetitive, and concerned with daily tasks

Lucid dreaming - experience of becoming aware that one is dreaming


Disorders of SleepDisorders of Sleep

Insomnia - difficulty falling and staying asleep Higher rates in those with depression, pain,

medical conditions Restless leg syndrome - urge to move one’s

legs or other body parts while attempting to sleep

Sleeping pills and rebound insomnia


Disorders of SleepDisorders of Sleep

Narcolepsy - rapid and unexpected onset of sleep Cataplexy Role of orexin

Sleep apnea - blockage of airway during sleep Fatigue next day


Disorders of SleepDisorders of Sleep Night Terrors - during Stages 3 and 4, sudden

waking episodes characterized by screaming, perspiring, and confusion followed by a return to a deep sleep Most common in children

Sleepwalking - usually occurs during non-REM sleep (not dreaming) May include complex behaviors (e.g., climbing out

windows, driving) Most common in children


Theory and Psychology of DreamsTheory and Psychology of Dreams

Freud’s wish fulfillment and dream protection theory - dreams transform our sexual and aggressive instincts into symbols that represent wish fulfillment and require interpretation

Evidence against this: • most dreams have negative content (not wish

fulfillment)• sexual dreams are rare• many are straightforward details of everyday

activities (not disguised)


Theory and Psychology of DreamsTheory and Psychology of Dreams Activation-synthesis

theory - dreams reflect brain activation originating in the pons, followed by efforts of the forebrain to weave these inputs into a story

However, damage to the forebrain can eliminate dreaming, even when the pons is intact

Dreams are fairly consistent over time (not random)


So, what can we really say So, what can we really say about dreaming?about dreaming?

1. Dreams are often concerned with everyday preoccupations, and they recur

2. Acetylcholine turns on REM sleep

3. The forebrain plays an important role in dreaming

• And why do we dream? Although we still don’t know, there are many theories concerning the establishment of memories


Apply Your Thinking Thinking generally, what are some issues

with the idea that dreaming may be important for the establishment of memories?

Dreams are often filled with fantasy, not just daily occurrences.

When we are sleep- and/or dream-deprived we don’t become amnesic.


Other Alterations of Consciousness Other Alterations of Consciousness and Unusual Experiencesand Unusual Experiences

Out-of-body experience (OBE) - sense of consciousness leaving one’s body No scientific evidence to support May be related to ability to fantasize and to become

extraordinarily absorbed in experiences Near-death experience (NDE) - OBE reported by

people who have nearly died or thought they were going to die NDE-like experiences can be triggered by stimulating

the temporal lobes, lack of oxygen to the brain, and psychedelic and anesthetic drugs



Déjà vu - feeling of reliving an experience that is new Theories:

• Small seizures in right temporal lobe• Dual processing theory – slightly out-of-sync arrival of sensory

info from separate pathways• Prior unconscious processing of the information• The present experience resembles an earlier experience

Meditation - variety of practices that train attention and awareness Wide range of positive effects (increased empathy, alertness, blood

flow, immune function, etc) Correlation vs. causation? Does meditation change brain activity or

do people with certain brain signaling patterns seek out meditation?



Hypnosis - set of techniques that provides people with suggestions for alterations in their perceptions, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

Misconceptions:1) Produces a trance state in which “amazing” things happen2) Hypnotic phenomena are unique3) Hypnosis is a sleeplike state4) Hypnotized people are unaware of their surroundings5) Hypnotized people forget what happened during hypnosis6) Hypnosis improves memory7) Hypnosis can induce past life and age regression


Theories of HypnosisTheories of Hypnosis

Dissociation model - approach to explaining hypnosis based on separation of the parts of the personality responsible for planning from the part that controls memories (dissociation from consciousness) Hidden observer vs. flexible observer

Hypnosis in Clinical Practice: Hypnosis in Clinical Practice: Smoking CessationSmoking Cessation

Some advertisements for the effectiveness of hypnosis in treating smoking are misleading and exaggerated. Still, hypnosis can sometimes be combined with well-established treatments as a cost-effective means of helping some people quit smoking.



Apply Your Thinking Suppose I was hypnotized, and the hypnotist

suggested I kill my landlord. I immediately leave and kill my landlord. Am I responsible for my actions? Is the hypnotist? Why or why not?

The murderer is responsible (though the hypnotist is certainly sketchy). Hypnosis doesn’t have a large impact on suggestibility, and does not induce robot-like states. People can resist and oppose hypnotic suggestions at will.

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Chapter 5: Consciousness Expanding the Boundaries of Psychological Inquiry