C4: States of Consciousness

Mere exposure effect

We prefer stimuli we have seen before over novel stimuli, even if we do not consciously remember seeing the old stimuli.

Priming

People respond more quickly and/or accurately to questions they have seen before, even if they do not remember seeing them.

Blind Sight

Some people who report being blind can nonetheless accurately describe the path of a moving object or accurately grasp objects they say they cannot see. One level of their consciousness is not getting any visual info, while another level is able to “see” as demonstrated by their behaviour.

Conscious level

The information about yourself and your environment you are currently aware of.

Nonconscious level

Body processes controlled by your mind that we are not usually (or ever) aware of. For example, heartbeat, respiration, digestion, etc.

Preconscious level

Information about yourself and your environment that you are not currently thinking about in your conscious level but you could be. For example, if you were asked to recount a memory.

Subconscious level

Information that we are not consciously aware of but we know must exist due to behaviour. For example, behaviours demonstrated during priming and mere exposure effect.

Unconscious level

Some events and feelings are unacceptable to our conscious mind and are repressed into the unconscious mind.

Circadian Rhythm

A natural, internal process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle and repeats every 24 hrs.

Describe the sleep cycle

Sleep onset - The period when we are falling asleep

Alpha waves are produced when we are drowsy but awake

Between stages 1 and 2, theta waves are produced (high frequency, low amplitude) and they get progressively slower and higher in amplitude

In stage 2, the EEG starts to show sleep spindles which are short bursts of rapid brain waves

In stages 3 and 4, delta waves are produced and get progressively slower

• Delta sleep is important in replenishing the body’s chemical supplies, releasing growth hormones, and fortifying immune systems.

REM Sleep

Brain activity increases, your eyes dart around quickly, and your pulse, blood pressure, and breathing speed up.

• When you do most of your dreaming

• REM sleep is important for learning and memory.

• Babies spend more time in REM sleep than adults

Insomnia

• Most common sleep disorder

• Persistent problems getting to sleep or staying asleep at night

Narcolepsy

• Much rarer than insomnia

• Periods of intense sleepiness and may fall asleep at unpredictable and inappropriate times

Sleep Apnea

• Causes a person to stop breathing for short periods of time during the night

• Can be fatal if severe

Night Terrors

A sleep disorder in which a person quickly awakens from sleep in a terrified state (stage 4)

Sleep Walking (Somnambulism)

Getting up and walking around while in a state of sleep (stage 4)

Manifest content

Literal content of our dreams

Latent content

Unconscious meaning of the manifest content

Protected sleep

Even during sleep, our ego protects us from the material in the unconscious mind by presenting these repressed desires in the form of symbols.

Activation-synthesis theory

• Looks at dreams first as biological phenomena

• Dreams are nothing more than the brain’s interpretations of what is happening physiologically during REM sleep

Information-processing theory

• Stress during the day will increase the number and intensity of dreams during the night

• Brain is dealing with daily stress and information during REM dreams

• Function of REM is to integrate the info processed during the day into our memories

Blood-Brain Barrier

• The brain is protected from harmful chemicals in the bloodstream by thicker walls surrounding the brain’s blood vessels

• Psychoactive drug molecules are small enough to pass through this barrier

Agonists

Drugs that occupy receptors and activate them like a neurotransmitter

Antagonists

• Drugs that occupy receptors but do not activate them

• Block receptor activation by agonists

Tolerance

A physiological change that produces a need for more of the same drug in order to achieve the same effect.

Withdrawal

The combination of physical and mental effects a person experiences after they stop using or reduce their intake of a drug

Stimulants

Arouse the autonomic nervous system

• Caffeine, cocaine, amphetamines, nicotine

Depressants

Slow the autonomic nervous system

• Alcohol, barbiturates, tranquilizers

Hallucinogens

Cause sensory distortions

• Marijuana, LSD, peyote, mushrooms, psilocybin

Opiates

Relieve pain, elevate mood (agonists for endorphins)

• Codeine, morphine, heroin, methadone

Reverse tolerance

• Hallucinogens may remain in the body for weeks and if an individual ingests the hallucinogen again during this time period, the new dose is added to the lingering amount.

• Creates more profound and potentially dangerous side effects.