Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Chapter 5 Consciousness: The process of the brain creating a model of internal and external experience Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What Consciousness Does For Us Restricts our attention Combines sensation with learning and memory Allows us to create a mental model of the world that we can manipulate Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Mental model Imagine the exterior of your dream house, vividly and in as much detail as you can. What color is it? How many stories is it? Does it have a front porch? Does it have a fenced front yard? Does it have a back deck? Does it have a fenced back yard? Do you have a tree in your front yard? What kind of doorknob does the front door have? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Hypnosis Hypnosis – Induced state of heightened suggestibility, focused attention, and deep relaxation Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What can hypnosis do? Can anyone experience hypnosis? To some extent, yes, but some are more susceptible than others: Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale Can it help us recall forgotten events? Not really…memories under hypnosis combine fact/fiction. Can it make us act against our will? Maybe, but a control group also performed the same acts as a hypnotized group Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Practical Uses for Hypnosis Hypnosis can have practical uses for Psychological treatment for some addictions -Posthypnotic suggestion-- specifies an action to be performed after awakening, often in response to a cue. Medical and dental treatment Hypnotic analgesia – Diminished sensitivity to pain while under hypnosis Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Hypnosis As an Altered State Experts disagree about whether hypnosis involves Social influence theory Divided consciousness theory dissociation: ice water feels cold but not painful (or is it role playing?) selective attention Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Levels of Consciousness Preconscious Nonconscious Nonconscious Unconscious Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Levels of Consciousness Conscious – Brain processes of which we are aware Nonconscious – Brain process that does not involve conscious processing (e.g. heart rate, emotions, etc.) unlike conscious, can work on multiple tasks at the same time Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Levels of Consciousness Preconscious – (e.g. memory) Info not currently in consciousness, but can be brought into consciousness if attention is called to it Unconscious – (autopilot) Many levels of cognitive processing that occur without awareness (Blink) -priming (old age experiment—2 groups unscrambling words, one group’s words had to do with old age, timed as they walked out door) Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 How well do you sleep? Let’s take the Epworth Sleepiness Scale Scores of 10+=sleepy; 18+=very sleepy Now let’s take the quiz “Am I Sleep Deprived?” 6+ trues=sleep debt Sleep loss is cumulative—losing 1 hour/ night=pulling an all nighter/week When all time cues are removed, people sleep about 9 hours. And, according to UCLA Sleep Center, YOU need 9 hours. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

The north side of the room only Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

The north side of the room only Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The south side only Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The north side only Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Sleep and Dreaming Circadian rhythms – Psychological patterns that repeat approximately every 24 hours -Etymology= circa/diem -Originate in hypothalamus (suprachiasmatic nucleus) -Hypothalamus produces the hormone melatonin when it’s dark -Jet lag? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What is sleep? EEGs have found five different stages of sleep. Let’s see if you can put them in order from lightest to deepest sleep. Frequency: how often a brain region fires Amplitude: the strength of the signal In general, as sleep gets deeper, what happens to frequency and amplitude? Let’s watch a Crash Course on sleep and dreams Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Definition of waves Alpha: high frequency, low amplitude wakefulness and REM Theta: low frequency, low amplitude Stage 1 Sleep spindle: high frequency, medium amplitude; Stage 2 Delta: low frequency, HIGH amplitude Stage 3 Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What patterns do you notice? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What is REM sleep? Rapid Eye Movements EEG that looks like waking (often called paradoxical sleep) Sleep paralysis (some neurotransmitters shut off) Dreaming Sleepwalking and night terrors do NOT occur during REM sleep—they occur in slow-wave sleep Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Difference between sleepwalking and REM sleep disorder During stages 3-4 During REM Early in the night Later in the sleep cycle Don’t remember Remember (b/c they’re dreaming) More “robotic” More violent Activities one would normal perform while conscious Responses to dreams Often starts in childhood and often decreases over time Often starts in a person’s 60s Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Somnambulism/Night Terror FYI Sleepwalking/night terrors can be caused by sedatives, stress, excessive tiredness, delayed maturation of the nervous system, or anything that increases the length or strength of low wave sleep. Waking a sleepwalker is not dangerous. Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Why do we need REM sleep? REM sleep is crucial for learning and brain development People taught a skill and then deprived of non-REM sleep could recall what they had learned after sleeping, while people deprived of REM sleep could not. The sleep cycle is divided into REM sleep and non-REM sleep REM-sleep deprivation leads to REM rebound Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Need for Sleep Over the years, the need for REM sleep decreases considerably, while the need for NREM sleep diminishes less sharply. Why do you think that is? (Brain development for one) Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Function of Sleep Possible functions of sleep include: To protect us from danger at night To restore the body (neurotransmitters, neuron sensitivity)—disruptions can lead to obesity, depression, diabetes… To consolidate memories To spur creative thinking To support growth Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Sleep Debt vs. The Circadian Clock Sleep debt – Deficiency caused by not getting enough sleep required for optimal functioning Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Sleep Disorders Insomnia – Insufficient sleep, the inability to fall asleep quickly, frequent arousals, or early awakenings Tips to fight insomnia Don’t do anything but sleep in your bed Avoid naps Rise at the same time every day If you can’t fall asleep within 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing Practice soothing visual imagery, rhythmic breathing and muscle relaxation Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Sleep Disorders Narcolepsy – Involves sudden REM sleep attacks accompanied by cataplexy Cataplexy – Sudden loss of muscle control due to a strong emotion; 70% of narcoleptics have cataplexy Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Sleep Disorders Night terrors – The screaming of a child in deep sleep, who has no memory of the fear’s cause -Like sleepwalking, this occurs in stage 4 sleep, not REM sleep Sleep apnea – Respiratory disorder in which person occasionally stops breathing while asleep Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Theories of why we dream 1. Freudian: dreams as wish fulfillment Manifest content: the dream Latent content: what the dream is REALLY about Dreams have hidden meanings 2. Information processing/cognitive: Dreams help us sort out the day’s events and consolidate memories. 3. Physiological: developing and preserving neural pathways Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Theories of why we dream 4. Activation-synthesis: dreams as random neural firing When the pons, during sleep, builds and preserves synaptic pathways, we interpret the random firing as meaningful 5. Cognitive development: Emphasizes our mind’s top-down control of our dream content Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Psychoactive Drug States Psychoactive drugs – Chemicals that affect the nervous system Hallucinogens Opiates Depressants Stimulants Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Hallucinogens Alter perceptions of the external environment and inner awareness (also called psychedelics) -alters serotonin and dopamine Mescaline LSD PCP Marijuana Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Opiates Highly addictive; produce a sense of well-being and have strong pain-relieving properties -increase dopamine and endorphins Morphine Codeine Heroin Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Depressants Slow mental and physical activity by inhibiting nerve impulses in the CNS -increase endorphins and dopamine, decrease acetylcholine Causes slowed neural processing, memory disruption, and reduced self-awareness and self-control. Benzodiazepines (e.g. Valium, Xanax, Ativan) Alcohol Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Expectancy effect If we think we’re drinking alcohol (even if it is a placebo), many behave as if they are impaired Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Stimulants Arouse the CNS, speeding up mental and physical responses -acetylcholine and norepinephrine agonist Cocaine Methamphetamine MDMA (ecstasy) Caffeine Nicotine Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What Other Forms Can Consciousness Take? An altered state of consciousness occurs when some aspect of normal consciousness is modified by mental, behavioral, or chemical means Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

What Other Forms Can Consciousness Take? Sensory deprivation/hallucination Meditation: Let’s try a meditation exercise creates lower frequency alpha & theta waves. Psychoactive drug states Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 End of Chapter 5 Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Hypnosis Let’s try an experiment: page 15 in Myers’ notes Compared to what you would have experienced if three dictionaries were actually on your hand, what you experienced was: 0=not at all the same 1=a little the same 2= between a little and much the same 3= much the same 4=almost exactly the same Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007