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| Question | Answer |
| What is consciousness? | Your awareness of objects and events in your internal world and the external environment. |
| Characteristics of consciousness | 1. Personal: individual to you, consists of your understanding of the world 2. Selective: You choose to pay attention to some things and ignore others, can voluntarily shift attention. 3. Continuous: There is simply never a time when consciousness is empty. 4. Changing: It is never stationary |
| States of consciousness | It is our states of consciousness, or level of awareness of internal and external stimuli, that determines how much information that we take in. |
| Characteristics of States of consciousness | -Level of awareness -Content limitations -Perceptual experiences -Cognitive abilities -Emotional awareness -Self-control -Experience of time |
| Physiological changes in States of Consciousness | -Brain wave patterns -Eye movements -Heart rate -Core body temperature -Electrical conductivity of the skin |
| Normal waking consciousness (NWC) | When we are awake and aware of our thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations and experiences from the outside world. |
| Characteristics of NWC Attention | Attention is focussed on internal OR external stimuli. Attention involves focusing on specific stimuli and ignoring others. |
| NWC Types of attention SELECTIVE ATTENTION | selectively attending to certain stimuli excluding others |
| NWC Types of attention DIVIDED ATTENTION | The ability to distribute one’s attention and undertake two or more activities simultaneously. |
| NWC Types of attention CONTENT LIMITATIONS | -content of information held in NWC is more limited than when in ASC. -We can exercise control over what we think. -We can use selective attention to block unpleasant or embarrassing thoughts. |
| NWC Types of attention CONTROLLED PROCESS | -Controlled processes involve conscious, alert awareness with high mental effort. -An individual actively focuses their attention on achieving a particular goal. |
| NWC Types of attention AUTOMATIC PROCESS | When an activity requires low levels of concentration, awareness or mental effort automatic processes are employed. |
| Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) | Any state of consciousness that is distinctly different from NWC in terms of; -Levels of awareness or attention -Quality or intensity of sensations, perception, thoughts or emotion -Quality and content of cognitions |
| Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) THE DISTORTION OF PERCEPTIONS | -In ASC perceptions may be dulled or blunted, or they can be sharpened compared with NWC. -Sometimes people in ASC lose their sense of personal identity. |
| Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) THE DISTORTION OF COGNITION | -Thought processes are disorganised, illogical, fragmented and lacking sequence -Problem solving and memory also impaired |
| Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) CHANGES IN EMOTIONAL FEELING | -Emotions can be intensified, blunted or totally inappropriate for the situation. -During some ASCs some people have inappropriate emotions or emotional reactions. |
| Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) CHANGES IN SELF CONTROL | -Self-control can change in two ways: (1) risk taking and control of inhibitions; (2) control of physical coordination and control. -During an ASC self-control is often compromised. |
| Altered States of Consciousness (ASC) TIME LIMITATIONS | Perception of time is usually accurate in NWC, compared with ASC Time may seem to go more quickly or more slowly in ASC |
| TYPES OF ASC: MEDITATIVE STATE | -Deliberately inducing an ASC that is characterised by deep physical and mental relaxation. -been used as a pain control mechanism as it reduces a person's physiological arousal. |
| TYPES OF ASC: DAYDREAMING | An ASC in which we shift our attention from external stimuli to internal thoughts, feelings and imagined scenarios. |
| TYPES OF ASC: HYPNOTIC STATE | Hypnosis may be used to alleviate pain. Hypnosis is a technique that brings about an altered state of consciousness of deep relaxation and a sleep-like state. |
| TYPES OF ASC: ALCOHOL INDUCED STATE | -passes through the gastrointestinal tract, without any digestion, entering the bloodstream very quickly. -changes conscious awareness, perceptions or moods. -a depressant, as it slows down the nervous system |
| Measuring Consciousness- common physiological devices (EEG) | The electroencephalograph (EEG) detects amplifies and records electrical activity of the brain. |
| Measuring Consciousness- common physiological devices (ECG) | The electrocardiogram (ECG) is a machine that measures the electrical activity of heart muscle (i.e. heart rate). |
| Measuring Consciousness- common physiological devices (EOG) | -Electro-oculargram -Detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of the eye muscles that control eye movements. -This tells us if a person is in REM or NREM sleep |
| Measuring Consciousness- common physiological devices (EMG) | -Electromyograph -Detects, amplifies and records the electrical activity of muscles -Tells us if someone is in Stage 1 and are experiencing hypnic jerk. |
| Measuring Consciousness- common physiological devices (THERMOMETER) | A thermometer is one device that can be used to measure body temperature. |
| Measuring Consciousness- common physiological devices (GSR) | The Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) is a physiological response that indicates the change in the resistance of the skin to an electric current. (electrical conductivity of the skin) |
| Sleep | -Sleep is a regularly occurring altered state of consciousness. -Typically occurs spontaneously -Characterised by a loss of conscious awareness |
| Patterns of Sleep | Two distinct states of sleep: NREM sleep 80% REM sleep 20% |
| NREM sleep | -80% of sleep time – mostly first half of night -Brain is less active than when in REM -body recovers, repairs & replenishes 4 stages – light sleep to deep sleep & back again |
| REM sleep | -Heart rate is faster & more irregular, blood pressure & breathing rate increases -paradoxical sleep – brain and body are active internally but externally body is calm & inactive -Most dreaming occurs in REM sleep |
| Sleep wake cycle | -alternating pattern of being awake and falling asleep -operates once a day -controls body temperature and melatonin production |
| The purpose of sleep | -Sleep restores the body and its functions -Enhances survival by protecting a species from potential danger |
| RESTORATION | Sleep allows the body to: -Replenish stores of energy that have been depleted -Repair damage to cells and detoxify muscles -Enhances mood -Activates growth hormones and increases immunity -Rid itself of waste products E.g. Physical growth, tissue repair, recovery from fatigue occur during stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep. Criticism: There is no evidence that people who are more active need more sleep. |
| SURVIVAL | -protecting an animal/person because sleep made it inactive during the part of the day when it is most risky to move about. -serves the function of protecting the sleeper from harm or death and thus enhances survival of the species. -helps animals to best find food and conserve energy. Criticism: It explains sleep as useful but not why we must experience it. |
| Sleep Deprivation | Sleep Deprivation is going without sleep |
| Total sleep deprivation | Total Sleep Deprivation is having no sleep at all. |
| Partial Sleep Deprivation | Partial Sleep Deprivation is having less sleep than what is normally required. It often results in: -Tiredness -Lack of energy -Lapses in attention -inability to concentrate for a long period -Low level of motivation -Impaired motor skills -Irritability -Occasional headaches |
| Psychological effects of prolonged Sleep Deprivation | -Possible depression, hallucinations, delusions and paranoia. -Lack of concentration, irritability, moodiness, increased anxiety, lack of motivation, impaired memory Not able to perform cognitive tasks, slower reaction times, irrational thinking |
| Physiological effects of prolonged Sleep Deprivation | -Sleepiness and fatigue -Hand tremors -drooping eye lids -difficulty focusing eyes -lack of energy and strength -slurred speech -increased sensitivity to pain After 5 days and nights of continuous waking: heart & respiratory system slows, temperature drops, impaired immune system functioning |
| Sleep Debt | -The accumulated amount of sleep loss from insufficient sleep. -Lost sleep can generally be made up by getting a few extra hours of sleep over the next few nights to catch up |
| REM Rebound | -spending more time in REM sleep immediately following a period of lost REM sleep to make up for that loss. |
| Microsleeps | -A microsleep is a very short period of drowsiness or sleeping that occurs while the person is apparently awake |
| Changes in sleep patterns over the lifespan | -The duration of time spent in each stage of NREM or REM sleep is highly variable. -amount of time spent sleeping decreases as we get older -proportion of time spent in REM decreases from infancy-adolescence then remains stable. |
| Sleep-Wake Cycle shift during Adolescence | Daytime sleep problems are: -Difficulties concentrating -drifting off -mood swings They have sleep problems such as: -need longer time to fall asleep -insufficient night time sleep on weekends -difficulty waking up Sleep patterns and problems can be explained by: -physiological needs, -psychological -social factors. |
| Sleep labs | Sleep lab helps patients with sleep disorders and diagnose and treat them as well as be studied for research purposes. |
| Video monitoring | Video monitoring are video cameras that record externally observable physiological responses. |
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