Chapter Four Consciousness. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-2 Did You Know That… Dividing your attention between driving.

Chapter Four

Consciousness

Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-2

Did You Know That…

• Dividing your attention between driving and using a car phone is about as dangerous as driving with a blood alcohol level at the legal limit?

• Body temperature does not remain at a steady 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the day?

• The eye is sensitive to changes in light even in people without sight?


Did You Know That… (Cont’d)

• People with narcolepsy may be holding a conversation one moment and collapse on the floor the next, fast asleep?

• The average college student spends more money on alcohol than on textbooks?

• It can be dangerous – indeed deadly – to let a person who blacks out from drinking too much to “sleep it off”?


Did You Know That… (Cont’d)

• Coca-Cola once contained cocaine?

• You may be hooked on a drug you have with breakfast every morning?

Module 4.1

States of Consciousness


Module 4.1 Preview Question

• What are states of consciousness?



• William James: Described consciousness as a stream of thoughts

• Today’s View: Consciousness is a state of awareness of ourselves and of the world around us.



• Focused Awareness: A heightened state of alert wakefulness

• Drifting Consciousness: Characterized by drifting thoughts or mental imagery• May lead to daydreaming

• Divided Consciousness: Characterized by dividing attention to 2 or more tasks or activities performed at the same time


States of Unconsciousness

• States in which we are relatively unaware of our external surroundings• Includes sleeping and dreaming

• Altered States of Consciousness: States of awareness that differ from one’s usual waking state

Module 4.2

Sleeping and Dreaming


Module 4.2 Preview Questions

• How are our sleep-wake cycles regulated?

• What are the stages of sleep, and what functions does sleep serve?

• Why do we dream?

• What are sleep disorders?


Circadian Rhythm

• The pattern of fluctuation in bodily processes that occur regularly each day

• Sleep-wake cycle operates on a circadian rhythm close to 24 hours in length.• Cycle is regulated by the suprachiasmatic

nucleus in the hypothalamus.

• Jet lag is a disruption of sleep-wake cycles.


Figure 4.1: Brain Wave Patterns During Wakefulness and Sleep

Source: From "Behavior effects of blood alcohol levels" by O. Ray & C. Ksir, Drugs, society, & human behavior, 5/e Copyright © 1990 Times Mirror/Mosby College Publishing


REM Sleep

• After Stage 4 sleep, briefly cycle through Stages 3 and 2, entering REM sleep• Stage most associated with dreaming

• During REM sleep, brain becomes more active while muscle activity is blocked.• Person becomes practically paralyzed. • Also called “paradoxical sleep”


Figure 4.2: REM Sleep Through the Night


Why Do We Sleep?

• Protective function

• Energy conservation

• Restore bodily processes

• May bolster immune system


Why Do We Dream?

• May help to consolidate memories and new learning

• May help in problem solving

• May represent attempt by the cerebral cortex to make sense of random discharges of electrical activity occurring during REM sleep• Activation-synthesis hypothesis


Figure 4.3: Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis


Freud and Dreams

• Dreams represent form of wish fulfillment.• “Royal road” to the unconscious

• Two types of dream content:• Manifest content: Events that occur in the

dream• Latent content: True, underlying meaning of

the dream


Impact of Sleep Deprivation

• Slowed reaction times

• Impaired concentration, memory, problem solving

• Difficulty learning new information

• Impaired academic performance

• Accidents


Figure 4.4: Motor Vehicle Accidents in Relation to Time of Day

Source: Adapted from AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 1996


Sleep Disorders

• Insomnia

• Narcolepsy

• Sleep apnea

• Nightmare disorder

• Sleep terror disorder

• Sleepwalking disorder

Module 4.3

Altering Consciousness Through Meditation and Hypnosis



• What is meditation?

• What is hypnosis?

• What are the major theories of hypnosis?


Meditation

• A process of focused attention that induces a relaxed, contemplative state

• Transcendental Meditation (TM): Person focuses attention by repeating a particular mantra

• Mindfulness Meditation: Person focuses on moment-to-moment experiences without making judgments


Why Meditate?

• Relaxes body and mind

• Expand consciousness, awareness, peacefulness

• Find relief from everyday stress

• Therapeutic benefits


Hypnosis

• Altered state of consciousness characterized by:• Focused attention• Deep relaxation• Heightened susceptibility to suggestion

• Varied techniques for inducing hypnosis


Hypnotic Experiences

• Hypnotic age regression

• Hypnotic analgesia

• Distortions of reality

• Posthypnotic amnesia

• Posthypnotic suggestion


Theories of Hypnosis

• A trance state

• Role-playing model

• Neodissociation theory• Dissociated of a part of consciousness• Hidden observer


Characteristics of Highly Hypnotizable People

• Well-developed fantasy life

• Vivid sense of imagination

• Tendency to be forgetful

• Positive attitude toward hypnosis

Module 4.4

Altering Consciousness Through Drugs



• When does drug use cross the line from use to abuse and dependence?

• What are the different types of psychoactive drugs, and what effects do they have?

• What factors contribute to alcohol and drug-abuse problems?

• What treatment alternatives are available to help people with drug problems?


Psychoactive Drugs

• Chemical substances that act on the brain to affect emotional or mental states

• Used for a variety of reasons:• Change level of alertness• Alter mental states• Blunt awareness of the stresses and strains of

daily life• To seek some type of inner truth


Figure 4.5: Rates of Drug Use in the United States

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health. (2001). Mental health: Culture, race, and ethnicity: A supplement to Mental health: A Report of the Surgeon—Executive summary. General Rockville, MD: Author.


Drug Abuse

• Maladaptive or dangerous use of a chemical substance

• Drug abuse if drug:• Impairs one’s health or ability to function• Becomes associated with dangerous

behavior

• Polyabusers abuse more than one drug at a time.


Drug Dependence

• Characterized by impaired control over the use of the drug

• Usually, but not always, associated with physiological dependence• Signs include withdrawal syndrome and

tolerance

• Drug Addiction: Drug dependence accompanied by signs of physiological dependence


Psychological Dependence

• Pattern of compulsive or habitual use of a drug to satisfy a psychological need.


Depressants

• Drugs that reduce central nervous system activity• Depresses bodily processes

• Psychologically, induces feelings of relaxation and provides relief from stress

• High doses can kill

• Highly addictive

• Dangerous if mixed with other drugs


Alcohol

• Is an intoxicant• Behavioral effects of blood alcohol levels

• Directly affects the brain

• Has a disinhibiting effect• Associated with many forms of aggression

• Accounts for more than 100,000 deaths per year in the US


From O. Ray and C. Kasir, Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior. Fifth Edition, 1990. Copyright © 1990 by the McGraw-Hill Companies Inc. Reprinted with permission.

Table 4.1 Behavioral Effects of Blood Alcohol Levels

Return


Figure 4.6: Alcohol Use and Causes of Death


Alcoholism

• A chemical addiction characterized by:• Impaired control over the use of alcohol• Physiological dependence on it

• About 1 in 10 adult Americans suffers from alcoholism.• Only about 5% fit “skid-row” stereotype• Typically develops between ages of 20 and

40

• Can lead to physiological damage


Table 4.2: Alcohol Use Among College Students


Binge Drinking

• Defined as having 5+ (for men) or 4+ (for women) drinks on one occasion

• Patterns of early drinking and binge drinking predictors of later alcoholism

• Binge drinkers 3x more likely to engage in unsafe or unplanned sex

• Places person at risk of death from alcohol overdose• Blackouts and seizures can occur.


Table 4.3: Signs of Alcohol Overdose


Barbiturates

• Calming or sedating drugs that have legitimate medical uses• But they are highly addictive and are used

illicitly

• Examples: Amobarbital, pentobarbital, phenobarbital, and secobarbital

• Overdoses can lead to convulsions, coma, and death.• Especially if mixed with alcohol


Tranquilizers

• Widely used to treat anxiety and insomnia

• Less toxic than barbiturates, but still can be dangerous

• Examples: Valium, Xanax, Halcion


Opioids

• A narcotic • An addictive drug that has pain-relieving,

sleep-inducing properties

• Produces a euphoric “rush,” dampens awareness of personal problems

• Has legitimate medical uses as painkillers


Stimulants

• Drugs that heightens activity of the central nervous system

• Can produce both physiological and psychological dependence

• Examples:• Amphetamines• Cocaine• MDMA (Ecstasy)• Nicotine• Caffeine


Hallucinogens

• Drugs that alter sensory perceptions• Produces distortions or hallucinations in visual,

auditory, or other sensory forms

• Not known to lead to physiological dependence• But can lead to psychological dependence

• Types• LSD• Mescaline, psilocybin, and PCP• Marijuana


Understanding Drug Abuse

• Social and cultural factors• Ethnic and racial differences• Acculturation

• Genetic factors• Role of neurotransmitters

• Changes in biochemistry of brain• Suppressed production of endorphins

• Psychological factors• Cognitive factors Continue


Figure 4.7: Ethnicity and Drug Use

Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2001. Return


Drug Treatment

• Most effective treatment programs use a wide variety of approaches

• Detoxification

• Follow-up services, counseling

• Therapeutic drugs

• Self-help programs

Application: Module 4.5

Getting Your Z’s


Module 4.5 Preview Question

• What steps can you take to combat insomnia?


Healthy Sleep Habits

• Adopt a regular sleep schedule.

• Don’t try to force sleep.

• Establish a regular bedtime routine.

• Establish proper cues for sleeping.

• Avoid tossing and turning.

• Avoid daytime naps.• Don’t take problems

to bed.• Use mental imagery.• Adopt a regular

exercise program.• Limit intake of

caffeine.• Practice rational “self-

talk.”

Chapter Four Consciousness. Copyright © Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. 4-2 Did You Know That… Dividing your attention between driving.

Documents

stages of sleep

disruption of sleep

dreamingduring rem sleep

sleepwake cycles

states of awareness

states of consciousnessmodule

rem sleepstage

state of awareness