Ch6

Myers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (6th Ed)

Chapter 6

States of Consciousness

James A. McCubbin, PhDClemson University

Worth Publishers

Waking Consciousness

Consciousness our awareness of

ourselves and our environments

Selective Attention focusing of

conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

Sleep and Dreams

Circadian Rhythm

the biological clock regular bodily rhythms, such as

of wakefulness and body temperature, that occur on a 24-hour cycle

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 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 Narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks Sleep Apnea

temporary cessation of breathing during sleep

momentary reawakenings

Night Terrors and Nightmares

Night Terrors occur within 2 or 3 hours of

falling asleep, usually during Stage 4

high arousal - appearance of being terrified

seldom remembered

Dreams: Freud

Dreams sequence of images, emotions, and

thoughts passing through a sleeping person’s mind

hallucinatory imagery discontinuities incongruities delusional acceptance of the content difficulties remembering

Dreams: Freud

Sigmund Freud--The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) wish fulfillment discharge otherwise unacceptable

feelings Manifest Content

remembered story line Latent Content

underlying meaning

Dreams

As Information Processing helps facilitate memories

As a Physiological Function periodic brain stimulation

REM Rebound REM sleep increases following

REM sleep deprivation

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

Hypnosis

Posthypnotic Amnesia supposed inability to recall

what one experienced during hypnosis

induced by the hypnotist’s suggestion

Hypnosis

Orne & Evans (1965) hypnotized group told to dip hand

in fake acid, then throw the “acid” in assistant’s face

control group instructed to “pretend”

unhypnotized subjects performed the same acts as the hypnotized ones

Hypnosis

Posthypnotic Suggestion

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

used by some clinicians to help control undesired symptoms and behaviors

Hypnosis

Dissociation a split in consciousness allows some thoughts and behaviors to

occur simultaneously with others Hidden Observer

Hilgard’s 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 Physical Dependence

physiological need for a drug 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

Depressantsdrugs that reduce neural activity alcohol, barbiturates, opiates

slow body functions

Psychoactive Drugs

Alcohol affects motor skills, judgment,

and memory reduces self awareness

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) opiates depress neural

activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

highly addictive

Psychoactive Drugs

Stimulantsdrugs that excite neural activity caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine

speed up body functions

The Physiological Effects of Nicotine

Psychoactive Drugs

Amphetamines drugs that stimulate

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

Psychoactive Drugs

Cocaine effects depend on dosage,

form, expectations, personality and situation coca leaves powder crack

Cocaine Euphoria and Crash

Psychoactive Drugs

Ecstasy MDMA

(methylenedioxymethamphetamine)

stimulant and mild hallucinogen dangerous short and long term

effects

Psychoactive Drugs

Hallucinogens psychedelic (mind-

manifesting) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input LSD MDMA (Ecstasy)

Psychoactive Drugs

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

Perceived Marijuana Risk

Near-Death Experiences

Near-Death Experience an altered state of

consciousness reported after a close brush with death

often similar to drug-induced hallucinations