Chapter 5 States of Consciousness

Some Early Definitions Consciousness: All the sensations, perceptions, memories, and feelings you are aware of in any instant Waking Consciousness: Normal, clear, organized, alert awareness Altered State of Consciousness (ASC): Awareness that is distinctly different in quality or pattern from waking consciousness

Sleep Definition: Innate, biological rhythm essential for survival Sleep Deprivation: Sleep loss; being deprived of needed amounts of sleep Microsleep: Brief shift in brain-wave patterns similar to those of sleep Sleep-Deprivation Psychosis: Major disruption that occurs because of sleep loss

Measuring Sleep Changes Electroencephalograph (EEG): Brain-wave machine; amplifies and records electrical activity in the brain Beta Waves: Small fast waves associated with alertness and awakeness Alpha Waves: Large, slow waves associated with relaxation and falling asleep

States of Sleep Rapid Eye Movements (REM): Associated with dreaming; sleep is very light. Body is very still during REM sleep. Lack of muscle paralysis during REM sleep is called REM Behavioral Disorder. Non-REM (NREM) Sleep: Occurs during stages 1, 2, 3, and 4; no rapid eye movement occurs. Seems to help us recover from daily fatigue.

Stages of Sleep Stage 1: Small, irregular waves produced in light sleep (people may or may not say they were asleep) Hypnic Jerk: Reflex muscle twitch throughout body that may occur in Stage 1 Stage 2: Deeper sleep; sleep spindles (bursts of distinctive brain-wave activity) appear Stage 3: Deeper sleep; Delta waves appear; very large and slow Stage 4: Deepest level of normal sleep; almost purely Delta waves

Figure 5.6 FIGURE 5.6 (a) Average proportion of time adults spend daily in REM sleep and NREM sleep. REM periods add up to about 20 percent of total sleep time. (b) Typical changes in stages of sleep during the night. Notice that dreams mostly coincide with REM periods.

Sleep Disturbances Insomnia: Difficulty in getting to sleep or staying asleep, or waking early Sleeping pills exacerbate insomnia; cause decrease in REM and Stage 4 sleep and may cause dependency Drug-Dependency Insomnia: Sleeplessness that follows withdrawal from sleeping pills

More Sleep Disturbances Sleepwalking (Somnambulism): Occurs in NREM sleep during Stages 3 and 4 Sleeptalking: Speaking while asleep; occurs in NREM sleep

Even More Sleep Disturbances Nightmares: Bad dreams Occur during REM sleep May occur once or twice a month; brief and easily (unfortunately) remembered Imagery Rehearsal: Mentally rehearse the changed dream before you go to sleep again; may help to eliminate nightmares

Night Terrors Night Terrors: Total panic and hallucinations may occur Occurs during Stage 4 sleep Most common in childhood; may occur in adults

Physiological Sleep Problems Sleep Apnea: Interrupted breathing during sleep; cause of very loud snoring Hypersomnia: Extreme daytime sleepiness Apnea can be treated by Surgery Weight loss Breathing mask Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS; Crib Death): Sudden, unexplained death of healthy infant (infants should sleep on back or on side to try to prevent)

Hypnosis Altered state of consciousness characterized by intensely narrowed attention and increased openness to suggestion Mesmer: Believed he could cure diseases by passing magnets over body; true “animal magnetism” (“mesmerize” means to hypnotize) Must cooperate to become hypnotized Hypnotic Susceptibility: How easily a person can be hypnotized Basic Suggestion Effect: Tendency of hypnotized people to carry out suggested actions as though they were involuntary

Hypnosis Can’s and Cannot’s Help people relax Reduce pain Get people to make better progress in therapy Hypnosis CANNOT Produce acts of superhuman strength Produce age regression Force you to do things against your will

Stage Hypnosis Simulation of hypnotic effects. Tricks of the Trade: Waking Suggestibility: People on stage do not want to spoil the act, so they will follow any instruction. Selection of Responsive Subjects: Any “volunteer” who does not get hypnotized in the stage group and does not follow instructions is “voted off.” The Hypnosis Label Disinhibits: On stage, once you are “in a hypnotic trance,” your responsibility for actions is removed; you can do whatever you want!

More Stage Hypnosis “Tricks of the Trade” Hypnotist as Director: Once they are in a trance, the “volunteers” are suddenly the show’s stars, and they will act like it. The hypnotists only need to direct them. Stage Hypnotists Use Tricks: Stage hypnosis is 50% deception and 50% taking advantage of the situation

Meditation Mental exercise designed to produce relaxation or heightened awareness Concentrative Meditation: Attention is paid to a single focal point (i.e., object, thought, etc.) Produces relaxation response and thus works to reduce stress Receptive Meditation: Based on widening attention span to become aware of everything experienced at a given moment Mantra: Word(s) or sound(s) repeated silently during concentrative meditation Relaxation Response: Occurs at time of relaxation; internal response that prevents activation of adrenal glands

Drugs and Altered States of Consciousness Psychoactive Drug: Substance capable of altering attention, judgment, memory, time sense, self-control, emotion, or perception Stimulant: Substance that increases activity in body and nervous system Depressant: Substance that decreases activity in body and nervous system

Physical Dependence Physical Dependence: Addiction based on drug tolerance and withdrawal symptoms Drug Tolerance: Reduction in body’s response to a drug Withdrawal Symptoms: Physical illness following withdrawal of the drug

Psychological Dependence/ Need Psychological Dependence: Drug dependence based on psychological or emotional needs Usually crave drug Can be as powerful as physiological addiction

Alcohol Ethyl Alcohol: Intoxicating element in fermented and distilled liquors NOT a stimulant but DOES lower inhibitions Depressant Binge Drinking: Consuming five or more drinks in a short time; four or more for women Serious sign of alcohol abuse