Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Chapter 4 States of Consciousness

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Chapter Preview The Nature of Consciousness Sleep and Dreams Psychoactive Drugs Hypnosis Meditation

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Consciousness William James & Stream of Consciousness Awareness of external events and internal sensations Metacognition:thinking about thinking Involves cerebral cortex: association areas & frontal lobes Arousal Physiological state of being engaged with the environment Determined by reticular activating system

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Levels of Awareness Higher-Level Consciousness Lower-Level Consciousness Altered States of Consciousness Subconscious Awareness No Awareness

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Higher-Level Consciousness Controlled Processes Most alert states of human consciousness Active focus of efforts toward a goal Require attention and effort Slower than automatic processes

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Lower-Level Consciousness Automatic Processes States of consciousness requiring little attention Do not interfere with other ongoing activities Require less conscious effort than controlled processes Daydreaming Lies between active consciousness and dreaming Mind wandering is one type of daydreaming.

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Altered States of Consciousness Mental states noticeably different from normal awareness Can be produced by: Drugs Fatigue Sensory deprivation Hypnosis

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Subconscious Awareness Waking Subconscious Awareness Processes just below surface of awareness Can occur simultaneously along parallel tracks Sleep and Dreams Lower level of awareness than daydreaming Some degree of awareness of external stimuli

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc No Awareness May apply to someone... knocked out by a blow anesthetized in a deep, prolonged unconscious state Unconscious Thought (Freud) Reservoir of unacceptable wishes, feelings, and thoughts beyond conscious awareness Nonconscious mental processes

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep: Biological Rhythms Biological rhythms Periodic physiological fluctuations in body “Biological Clocks” Circadian Rhythms Daily behavioral or physiological cycle Sleep/wake, body temperature, blood pressure, blood sugar Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) Small brain structure using retinal input to synchronize its rhythm with daily light/dark cycle

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Suprachiasmatic Nucleus

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep: Biological Clocks Desynchronizing the Biological Clock Can get thrown off regular schedules Jet travel, changing work shifts, insomnia Resetting the Biological Clock Bright light Melatonin

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Why Do We Sleep? Restoration Cellular production, growth, repair Adaptation Evolutionary value of sleep during darkness Growth Physical growth and brain development Memory Consolidation, storage, maintenance

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep Deprivation Lack of sleep is stressful. Trouble paying attention to tasks and solving problems Decreased brain activity Can influence moral judgment Yet many of us do not get sufficient sleep. Americans, in general Adolescents, in particular Also, sleep patterns change into middle/late adulthood.

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Stages of Wakefulness & Sleep Massive electrophysiological changes occur throughout the brain. Wakefulness Fast, irregular, low-amplitude electrical activity Sleep Slow, regular, high-amplitude waves EEG is used to monitor brain’s electrical activity.

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Wakefulness Stages Beta waves Reflect concentration and awareness Highest in frequency, lowest in amplitude More desynchronous, or inconsistent Alpha waves Relaxed, but still awake Brain waves slowed down, increased in amplitude More synchronous, or regular

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep Stages 1 and 2 Stage 1 Drowsy sleep Myoclonic jerks, or sudden muscle movements EEG characterized by slow, high-amplitude theta waves Stage 2 Decreased muscle activity No conscious awareness of environment Theta waves interspersed with sleep spindles

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep Stages 3 and 4 Characterized by delta waves: slowest and highest-amplitude brain waves Referred to as delta sleep, the deepest sleep Bedwetting, sleep walking, sleep talking Stage 3  less than 50% delta waves Stage 4  more than 50% delta waves

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc REM Sleep Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep Active stage during which dreaming occurs Fast wave activity, similar to relaxed wakefulness Likely plays a role in memory Non-REM sleep  Stages 1 through 4

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Stages of Sleep

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep Cycles One sleep cycle Five stages of sleep 90 to 100 minutes Recurs several times a night REM stages become progressively longer.

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep Cycles

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep and the Brain Reticular Formation Core of brain stem Distinct pattern of neurotransmitter activity during each sleep stage Plays crucial role in sleep and arousal Neurotransmitters involved in sleep: Serotonin Epinephrine Acetylcholine

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep and Disease Stroke and Asthma Obesity and Heart Disease Immune System and Infection Cytokines Mental Disorders Depression Alzheimer Disease, Stroke, and Cancer

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Sleep Disorders Insomnia Sleepwalking, Sleep Talking, Sleep Eating Nightmares Night Terrors Sudden arousal from sleep, intense fear Narcolepsy Sudden, overpowering urge to sleep Sleep Apnea Individuals stop breathing and awaken to breathe better

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Dreams Freud:Dreams symbolize unconscious wishes. Manifest content  surface content  symbolic Latent content  hidden content  true meaning Cognitive Theory Dreams as subconscious cognitive processing Lack of attention to roles of brain structures and activity in dreaming Activation-Synthesis Theory Dreams as result of synthesis of neural signals

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Uses of Psychoactive Drugs Act on the nervous system to: alter consciousness modify perceptions change moods Tolerance  Increasing amounts for same effect Physical dependence  Need / Withdrawal Psychological dependence  Strong desire

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Addiction Physical or psychological dependence, or both Psychoactive drugs increase dopamine levels in brain’s reward pathways. Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA) Nucleus Accumbens Activation of limbic and prefrontal areas of brain

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Reward Pathways in the Brain

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Psychoactive Drugs: Depressants Alcohol Barbiturates Nembutal, Seconal Tranquilizers Valium, Xanax Opiates Morphine, Heroin

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Psychoactive Drugs: Depressants

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Psychoactive Drugs: Stimulants Caffeine Nicotine Amphetamines (“Uppers”) Crystal meth Cocaine Crack

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Psychoactive Drugs: Stimulants

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Psychoactive Drugs: Hallucinogens Also called psychedelic drugs Marijuana MDMA ( Ecstasy ) LSD ( lysergic acid diethylamide)

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Psychoactive Drugs: Hallucinogens

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Hypnosis Altered state of consciousness, or Psychological state of altered attention/expectation Nature of hypnosis: The Four Steps Minimizing distractions, maximizing comfort Concentration on something specific Information about what to expect in hypnotic state Suggestion of events or feelings already occurring

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Explaining Hypnosis Hypnosis as a Divided State of Consciousness “Hidden Observer” Social Cognitive Behavior View of Hypnosis Cognitive Factors Attitudes Expectations Beliefs Social Context

Copyright McGraw-Hill, Inc Meditation Attaining peaceful state of mind Mindfulness Meditation For depression, panic attacks, anxiety For chronic pain, stress, psoriasis Meditative State of Mind Hypnogogic reverie  Feeling of wellness Increased activation in basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex Decreases in anterior cingulate