Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY

(7th Ed)

Chapter 7

States of Consciousness

Waking Consciousness

Consciousness our

awareness of ourselves and our environments

Construct – a concept that requires a belief in something that can’t be seen or touched but does exist.

What examples of constructs can you think of?

Original definition of Psychology:

–”the description and explanation of states of consciousness”

Behaviorism felt psychology should be an objective science, without reference to mental processes…so new definition:

“the science of behavior.” so psychology now becomes the study of observable behavior.

In 1960, mental processes renter the picture.

Neuroscience related brain activity to various mental states: waking, sleeping & dreaming.

Researchers studied to study altered states of consciousness: hypnosis, drugs & alcohol.

Levels of Consciousness

Conscious-awareness of what is going on in ourselves & our environment.

Non-conscious-bodily processes controlled by your mind that you are not aware of: heartbeat, respiration & digestion.

Subconscious-consciousness that is just below our present level of awareness: Example: reaching for thinking without thinking, driving home and not remembering stopping at a red light.

Unconscious mind contains information, thoughts & desires about which we have no direct knowledge. It contains the:

Intuition-though that does not rely on logic or a rational evaluation of events. It is just a feeling.

What is sleep?

A state of consciousness because we are less aware of our environment & ourselves thane we are in our normal awake state. It is a natural, reversible loss of consciousness.

Sleeps helps us to recuperate & restore body tissues.

It plays a role in our growth process.

All creatures are under the control of: Biological Rhythms

periodic physiological fluctuations Internal, chemical units that control

regular cycles in parts of the body. The human body goes through a

natural 25 hour sleep-wake cycle but earth runs on a 24 hour light-dark cycle. Humans have adapted.

Circadian Rhythm

the biological clock regular bodily rhythms that occur

on a 24-hour cycle, such as of wakefulness and body temperature

Sleep cycle: about every 90-100 minutes we pass through a cycle of 5 distinct sleep stages

BRAIN WAVES

While we sleep our brain has electrical activity in which researchers record.

Beta waves are awake brain waves.

Stages of Sleep

Twilight Stage or Sleep Onset-when we first lie down, electrical activity in our brains begins to slow down, brief transition stage when first falling asleep.

-alpha waves are produced. It is the stage between wakefulness and sleep. We let our minds wander and totally relax.

Stage 1 Sleep

Last about 5-10 minutes. We lose perception of time. Can experience hallucinations or a sensation of falling or floating.

Alpha waves are produced. Waves get slower and higher in amplitude.

STAGE 2 SLEEP

LAST ABOUT 20 MINUTES. CAN BE AWAKENED WITHOUT DIFFFICULTY.

BRAIN WAVES ARE CHARACTERIZED BY SLEEP SPINDLES.

TALK IN SLEEP IN THIS STAGE.

Stage 3 Sleep

Often referred to as Delta sleepDelta brain waves are emitted.Last for just a few minutes and then

moves on to Stage 4 sleep.

STAGE 4 SLEEP

Lasts for 30 minutes. Stages 3 & 4 together referred to as slow-wave

sleep or Delta sleep, due to delta brain waves being emitted.

The slower the brain wave, the deeper the sleep. Hard to awaken,become disoriented & groggy. Sleepwalking occurs in this stage Will be physically tired or ill if deprived of. Increasing amount of exercise, increase time in 3

& 4 sleep.

Upon reaching stage 4 and after about 90 to 100 minutes of total sleep time, sleep lightens, returns through stages 3 and 2

REM sleep emerges, characterized by EEG patterns that resemble beta waves of alert wakefulness muscles most relaxed rapid eye movements occur dreams occur

Four or five sleep cycles occur in a typical night’s sleep - less time is spent in slow-wave, more is spent in REM

Sleep and Dreams

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep recurring sleep stage vivid dreams “paradoxical sleep”

muscles are generally relaxed, but other body systems are active

Sleep periodic, natural, reversible loss of

consciousness

Sleep and Dreams Measuring sleep activity

Brain Waves and Sleep Stages

Alpha Waves slow waves of a

relaxed, awake brain

Delta Waves large, slow waves

of deep sleep Hallucinations

false sensory experiences

Stages in a Typical Night’s Sleep

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4

3

2

1

Sleepstages

Awake

Hours of sleep

REM

Stages in a Typical Night’s Sleep

Hours of sleep

Minutesof Stage 4 and REM

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

10

15

20

25

5

Decreasing Stage 4

Increasing REM

Sleep Deprivation

Effects of Sleep Loss fatigue impaired

concentration & memory

depressed immune system

greater vulnerability to accidents

Sleep Deprivation

2,400

2,700

2,600

2,500

2,800

Spring time change(hour sleep loss)

3,600

4,200

4000

3,800

Fall time change(hour sleep gained)

Less sleep,more accidents

More sleep,fewer accidents

Monday before time change Monday after time change

Accident frequency

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia persistent problems in falling or

staying asleep during the night Most common/affects 10% of

population Treat with a change in habits

Narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks, suffer from intense periods of intense sleepiness

will fall asleep at unpredictable & inappropriate times

rare, occurs in 1 in 2000 people will fall immediately into REM sleep treat with medication & a change of

sleep patterns.

Sleep Apnea

almost as common as insomnia (1 in 25) temporary cessation of breathing for

short periods of time during the night This causes person to wake up slightly,

gasp for air & return to sleep, robbing a person of deep sleep, causing fatigue, attention & memory problems

Night Terrors and Nightmares

Night Terrors occur within 2

or 3 hours of falling asleep, usually during Stage 4

high arousal—sit up in bed appearance of being terrified

happens to children only

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4

3

2

1

Sleepstages

Awake

Hours of sleep

REM

Nightmares

Occur during REM sleep5% of population have themOn average pf 1X per weekUsually happens when we miss REM

sleep, don’t get enough sleep, drink too much alcohol, eat spicy foods, or see something that is scary.

Somnambulism

Also known as sleepwalkingOccurs during Stage 4 sleep

Dreams: Freud

Dreams sequence of story like images,

emotions, & thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind

hallucinatory imagery discontinuities incongruities delusional acceptance of the content difficulties remembering

Lucid Dreams

We are aware that we are dreaming and can control the dream.

A very difficult area to research

Dreams: Freud

Sigmund Freud--The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) Symbolic expressions of our unconscious

conflicts or wish fulfillment clues to inner thoughts & forbidden

impulses discharge otherwise unacceptable feelings

Manifest Content remembered story line

Latent Content underlying meaning

Theories about why we dream

1. Information Processing Perspective-dreams help us sort out the day’s experiences and fix them in memory.

2. Activation-synthesis explanation states that REM sleep triggers impulses in the visual cortex, evoking random visual images that our brain tries to weave into a storyline.

3. The brain-maturation/cognitive development perspective believes dreams represent the dreamer’s level of development, knowledge & understanding

4. Dreaming serves as a physiological function and REM induced regular stimulation helps develop & preserves neural pathways in the brain

Most sleep theorists agree that REM sleep and dreams serve an important function, as evidenced by REM rebound that occurs following sleep deprivation.

Common dream themes

Most dreams about ordinary eventsInvolve our worries, fears, feelings,&

arguments.Falling, being chased, flying, losing or

finding something, finding yourself naked, teeth falling out are all common dream themes

50% of us dream in color and 50% in black & white. Researchers don’t know why.

Sleep Across the Lifespan

Hypnosis

Hypnosis a social interaction in which one person (the

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

Used to cure ailments, bring back memories Greek god of sleep-Hypnos

Posthypnotic Amnesia supposed inability to recall what one

experienced during hypnosis induced by the hypnotist’s suggestion

Hypnosis

Orne & Evans (1965) control group instructed to “pretend” unhypnotized subjects performed the

same acts as the hypnotized ones Posthypnotic Suggestion

suggestion to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized

used by some clinicians to control undesired symptoms and behaviors

Hypnosis

Dissociation a split in consciousness allows some thoughts and behaviors to

occur simultaneously with others Hidden Observer

Ernest Hilgard’s (1904-2001)term describing a hypnotized subject’s awareness of experiences, such as pain, that go unreported during hypnosis

Explaining Hypnosis

Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drug a chemical substance that alters perceptions

and mood,changes the chemistry of the brain Changes our perceptions, mood or behavior Molecules pass through the blood-brain barrier

Lead to Physical Dependence physiological need for a drug,to take more marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms

Psychological Dependence a psychological need to use a drug for example, to relieve negative emotions

Dependence and Addiction

Tolerance diminishing effect

with regular use Withdrawal

discomfort and distress that follow discontinued use

Small Large

Drug dose

Littleeffect

Bigeffect

Drugeffect

Response tofirst exposure

After repeatedexposure, moredrug is neededto produce same effect

Psychoactive Drugs

Depressants drugs that reduce neural activity slow body functions

alcohol, barbiturates, opiates

Stimulants drugs that excite neural activity speed up body functions

caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine

Psychoactive Drugs

Hallucinogens psychedelic (mind-

manifesting) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

Does not slow or speed up the body LSD, peyote, mushrooms,

ecstasy

Psychoactive Drugs

Barbiturates drugs that depress the

activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment

Psychoactive Drugs

Opiates opium and its derivatives

(morphine and heroin, methadone)

opiates depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Elevate endorphins, mood elevators

Psychoactive Drugs

Amphetamines drugs that stimulate

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

Cocaine Euphoria and Crash

Psychoactive Drugs

Ecstasy (MDMA) synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen both short-term and long-term health risks

LSD lysergic acid diethylamide a powerful hallucinogenic drug also known as acid

THC the major active ingredient in marijuana triggers a variety of effects, including mild

hallucinations

Psychoactive Drugs

Trends in Drug Use

1975 ‘77 ‘79 ‘81 ‘83 ‘85 ‘87 ‘89 ‘91 ‘93 ‘95 ‘97 ‘99Year

80%

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

High schoolseniors

reportingdrug use

Alcohol

Marijuana/hashish

Cocaine

Perceived Marijuana Risk

‘75 ‘77 ‘79 ‘81 ‘83 ‘85 ‘87 ‘89 ‘91 ‘93 ‘95 ‘97 ‘99Year

100%

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Percentof

twelfthgraders

Perceived “great risk ofharm” in marijuana use

Used marijuana

Near-Death Experiences

Near-Death Experience an altered state of

consciousness reported after a close brush with death

often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

Near-Death Experiences

Dualism the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact

Monism the presumption that mind and body are different aspects of the same thing