1. Consciousness A Map of the Self in Relation to the World

2. What exactly is consciousness? Definition – Definition – Our awareness of ourselves and our environment. Our awareness of ourselves and our environment. In general, if we are actively aware of or thinking about something, we are having a conscious experience. Retrieving memories, having conversations, making decisions, etc. are all examples of conscious processes. In general, if we are actively aware of or thinking about something, we are having a conscious experience. Retrieving memories, having conversations, making decisions, etc. are all examples of conscious processes. However, there are different levels and states of consciousness. We are not consciously aware of everything going on around us 100% of the time, but our brain is. However, there are different levels and states of consciousness. We are not consciously aware of everything going on around us 100% of the time, but our brain is. Consciousness is but the tip of the information- processing iceberg. We process a great deal of information outside our awareness. Consciousness is but the tip of the information- processing iceberg. We process a great deal of information outside our awareness.

3. Consciousness, modern psychologists believe, is an awareness of ourselves and our environment. Forms of Consciousness Bill Ling/ Digital Vision/ Getty Images Christine Brune Stuart Franklin/ Magnum Photos AP Photo/ Ricardo Mazalan

4. The possible levels of consciousness Not all researchers agree about what the specific levels are, but some of the possible types offered by researchers are the following: Not all researchers agree about what the specific levels are, but some of the possible types offered by researchers are the following: Conscious level – Conscious level – The organism’s awareness of, or possibility of knowing, what is happening inside or outside itself. The organism’s awareness of, or possibility of knowing, what is happening inside or outside itself. Nonconscious level – Nonconscious level – Devoted to processes completely inaccessible to conscious awareness. Devoted to processes completely inaccessible to conscious awareness. Preconscious level – Preconscious level – Outside of awareness but contains feelings and memories that you can easily bring into conscious awareness. Outside of awareness but contains feelings and memories that you can easily bring into conscious awareness. Subconscious level – Subconscious level – Consciousness just below our present awareness. Consciousness just below our present awareness. Unconscious level – Unconscious level – A deeper level of awareness that contains thoughts or desires about which we have no direct knowledge. A deeper level of awareness that contains thoughts or desires about which we have no direct knowledge.

5. Conscious Level The information about yourself and your environment you are currently aware of. The information about yourself and your environment you are currently aware of. Your conscious level right now is probably focusing on these words and their meanings. Your conscious level right now is probably focusing on these words and their meanings.

6. Nonconscious Level Body processes controlled by your mind that we are not usually (or ever) aware of. Body processes controlled by your mind that we are not usually (or ever) aware of. Right now, your nonconscious is controlling your heartbeat, respiration, digestion, and so on. Right now, your nonconscious is controlling your heartbeat, respiration, digestion, and so on.

7. Preconscious Level Information about yourself or your environment that you are not currently thinking about (not in your conscious level) but you could be. Information about yourself or your environment that you are not currently thinking about (not in your conscious level) but you could be. If I asked you to remember your favorite toy as a child, you could bring that preconscious memory into your conscious level. If I asked you to remember your favorite toy as a child, you could bring that preconscious memory into your conscious level. If I asked you to remember how you felt when your pet died, you could bring that into your conscious awareness very easily. If I asked you to remember how you felt when your pet died, you could bring that into your conscious awareness very easily.

8. Subconscious Level Information that we are not consciously aware of but we know must exist due to behavior. Information that we are not consciously aware of but we know must exist due to behavior. The behaviors demonstrated in examples of priming and the mere-exposure effect (we prefer stimuli we have seen before over novel stimuli, even if we do not consciously remember seeing the old stimuli) suggest some information is accessible to this level of consciousness but not to our conscious level. The behaviors demonstrated in examples of priming and the mere-exposure effect (we prefer stimuli we have seen before over novel stimuli, even if we do not consciously remember seeing the old stimuli) suggest some information is accessible to this level of consciousness but not to our conscious level.

9. Examples of Subconscious Awareness At this level, certain parts of our brain are responding to stimuli that we may not realize we’ve noticed. At this level, certain parts of our brain are responding to stimuli that we may not realize we’ve noticed. For example, have you ever been in public and had the vague feeling that the people around you are acting strangely toward you? You may not put the feeling into words, or even recognize it, but you feel somewhat uncomfortable or worried. Your subconscious has picked up the strange behavior of the people around you, but hasn’t relayed that message to the conscious part of your brain. It may take only a few minutes, or it may be hours later before you think to yourself “Hmm…people are acting weird. Is it me? Do I have bad breath? Is there toilet paper stuck to my shoe? Are my pants unzipped?” For example, have you ever been in public and had the vague feeling that the people around you are acting strangely toward you? You may not put the feeling into words, or even recognize it, but you feel somewhat uncomfortable or worried. Your subconscious has picked up the strange behavior of the people around you, but hasn’t relayed that message to the conscious part of your brain. It may take only a few minutes, or it may be hours later before you think to yourself “Hmm…people are acting weird. Is it me? Do I have bad breath? Is there toilet paper stuck to my shoe? Are my pants unzipped?”

10. Examples of Subconscious Awareness (cont.) Other examples: Other examples: Subliminal (subconscious) messages/advertising – if a “forbidden” word is flashed on a screen in front of people very rapidly and then removed, the people’s brains will respond electrically even if they claim they didn’t see the word. Subliminal (subconscious) messages/advertising – if a “forbidden” word is flashed on a screen in front of people very rapidly and then removed, the people’s brains will respond electrically even if they claim they didn’t see the word. Driving – our hands and feet do the driving while our mind is elsewhere. We drive home automatically without thinking of the directions to get there. Driving – our hands and feet do the driving while our mind is elsewhere. We drive home automatically without thinking of the directions to get there.

11. Derren Brown – Faces in your Subconscious ExplainedDerren Brown – Faces in your Subconscious Explained. Watch at home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn gbH8eJfQI http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn gbH8eJfQI Derren Brown – Subliminal AdvertisingDerren Brown – Subliminal Advertising. Watch at home: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f29kF 1vZ62o&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f29kF 1vZ62o&feature=related Read about interesting studies that prove the power of the subconscious in a NY Times article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/health/psych ology/31subl.html?pagewanted=1 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/31/health/psych ology/31subl.html?pagewanted=1 See ads that use subliminal messages here (click on the link at the bottom of the article): http://www.businessinsider.com/sub liminal-ads-2011-5 http://www.businessinsider.com/sub liminal-ads-2011-5

12. Other interesting facts about our subconscious… Experiments show that sometimes, our brain circuits for certain actions fire before we actually make the conscious move to perform those actions. Experiments show that sometimes, our brain circuits for certain actions fire before we actually make the conscious move to perform those actions. For example: when you move a wrist at will, you consciously experience the decision to move about 0.2 seconds before the actual movement. No surprise there. However, it is surprising to note that your brain waves jump about 0.35 seconds ahead of your conscious perception of the decision. Thus, before you are aware of it, your brain seems headed toward your decision to move your wrist. In other words, consciousness sometimes arrives late to the decision- making party.

13. Unconscious Level Psychoanalytic psychologists (like Freud) believe some events and feelings are unacceptable to our conscious mind and are repressed into the unconscious mind. Psychoanalytic psychologists (like Freud) believe some events and feelings are unacceptable to our conscious mind and are repressed into the unconscious mind. It is the level of consciousness that processes information of which you are unaware. It is the level of consciousness that processes information of which you are unaware. The unconscious operates whenever you feel or act without being aware of what’s influencing you, whether it’s a stimulus from the current situation or from your past. The unconscious operates whenever you feel or act without being aware of what’s influencing you, whether it’s a stimulus from the current situation or from your past. Many psychologists object to this concept as difficult or impossible to prove. Many psychologists object to this concept as difficult or impossible to prove.

14. The Unconscious This type of thought is easy to identify in children. This type of thought is easy to identify in children. For example: a jealous brother keeps undoing the bolts on his brother’s bicycle, but when caught can’t explain why he does it – even to himself. For example: a jealous brother keeps undoing the bolts on his brother’s bicycle, but when caught can’t explain why he does it – even to himself. Though it may seem mysterious, the unconscious is really what we refer to as “intuition.” (Thought that does not necessarily rely on logic and rational evaluation of events.) A lot of the information that we take in throughout the day is processed on an unconscious level. Though it may seem mysterious, the unconscious is really what we refer to as “intuition.” (Thought that does not necessarily rely on logic and rational evaluation of events.) A lot of the information that we take in throughout the day is processed on an unconscious level. For example, what does this spell: For example, what does this spell:DBRI If you could identify this word as “bird” without going through, letter by letter, and trying every possible combination, you processed it at an unconscious level. And you probably have no idea how you came up with the right answer! If you could identify this word as “bird” without going through, letter by letter, and trying every possible combination, you processed it at an unconscious level. And you probably have no idea how you came up with the right answer!

15. Can you read this? Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe. Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by itslef but the wrod as a wlohe.

16. More Examples of Unconscious Thought Other examples: Other examples: That “feeling” we get about certain people/situations That “feeling” we get about certain people/situations Gut feelings that turn out to be true Gut feelings that turn out to be true Reactions to the environment that can’t be attributed to conscious stimuli Reactions to the environment that can’t be attributed to conscious stimuli

17. Dual Processing The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks. (Ex: tapping your foot to the music that’s on in the background while studying for a test). The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks. (Ex: tapping your foot to the music that’s on in the background while studying for a test). The experience of déjà vu is not completely understood, but one of the common theories for explaining it is the “dual processing” theory. Read this article for an explanation, as well as a description of some of the other theories about what’s behind déjà vu: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200504/bee n-there-done The experience of déjà vu is not completely understood, but one of the common theories for explaining it is the “dual processing” theory. Read this article for an explanation, as well as a description of some of the other theories about what’s behind déjà vu: http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200504/bee n-there-done http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200504/bee n-there-done http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200504/bee n-there-done

18. States of Consciousness Theorists

19. Consciousness: Personal Awareness Consciousness, or our awareness of internal and external stimuli (including events, internal sensations, thoughts, etc.), is constantly changing. There have been several famous theorists that have attempted to explain consciousness: Consciousness, or our awareness of internal and external stimuli (including events, internal sensations, thoughts, etc.), is constantly changing. There have been several famous theorists that have attempted to explain consciousness: William James – stream of consciousness William James – stream of consciousness Sigmund Freud – unconscious Sigmund Freud – unconscious Ernest Hilgard - hypnosis Ernest Hilgard - hypnosis Sleep/Dreaming research Sleep/Dreaming research

20. William James In 1902, William James discussed the “stream of consciousness” …an endless flow of ideas. In 1902, William James discussed the “stream of consciousness” …an endless flow of ideas.

21. The Stream of Consciousness (1892) William James The first and foremost concrete fact which every one will affirm to belong to his inner experience is the fact that consciousness of some sort goes on. 'States of mind' succeed each other in him. If we could say in English 'it thinks,' as we say 'it rains' or 'it blows,' we should be stating the fact most simply and with the minimum of assumption. As we cannot, we must simply say that thought goes on.....How does it go on? We notice immediately four important characters in the process, of which it shall be the duty of the present chapter to treat in a general way : 1) Every 'state' tends to be part of a personal consciousness. 2) Within each personal consciousness states are always changing. 3) Each personal consciousness is sensibly continuous. 4) It is interested in some parts of its object to the exclusion of others, and welcomes or rejects -- chooses from among them, in a word -- all the while. In considering these four points successively, we shall have to plunge in medias res as regards our nomenclature and use psychological terms which can only be adequately defined in later chapters of the book. But every one knows what the terms mean in a rough way; and it is only in a rough way that we are now to take them. This chapter is like a painter's first charcoal sketch upon his canvas, in which no niceties appear. http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/jamesselection.html

22. Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud was also interested in consciousness, particularly in what was going on just below the surface of the stream. He was one of the first theorists to recognize that consciousness is not an all or none phenomenon…rather there are levels of awareness. Sigmund Freud was also interested in consciousness, particularly in what was going on just below the surface of the stream. He was one of the first theorists to recognize that consciousness is not an all or none phenomenon…rather there are levels of awareness.

23. The central theory of conscious behavior can be found in:

25. Conscious Preconscious Unconscious

26. Freud’s “Iceberg Theory”

27. Ernest Hilgard Ernest Hilgard (1904 - 2001) American psychologist Professor at Stanford University Became famous in the 1950s for his research on hypnosis, especially with regard to pain control. Developed the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales from the 1950s onwards.

28. Sleep and Dream Theorists Sleep and dreaming researchers also showed that awareness is different during sleep and dreaming, but mental processes occur that are quite similar to waking thought and surprisingly sophisticated. Sleep and dreaming researchers also showed that awareness is different during sleep and dreaming, but mental processes occur that are quite similar to waking thought and surprisingly sophisticated.

29. Figure 3.2 Evidence of awareness? Myers: Psychology, Ninth Edition Copyright © 2010 by Worth Publishers Man Conscious During 23-Year Coma http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQoyg4RdidY Man Conscious During 23-Year Coma http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQoyg4RdidY