Consciusness Review Guide

Tripken Consciousness Review Guide / 7: Consciousness Consciousness is our level of awareness about ourselves and our environment. Conscious level – The information about yourself and your environment of which you are currently aware Nonconscious level – Body processes controlled by your mind that we are not usually aware of Preconscious level – Information about yourself or your environment that you are not currently thinking about, but you could be. Subconscious level – Information that we are not consciously aware of but we know must exist due to behavior. DO WE BUY THIS!? FREUDIAN – Unconscious level – Psychoanalytic psychologists believe some events and feelings are unacceptable to our conscious mind and are repressed into the unconscious mind. Many psychologists object to this concept as difficult or impossible to prove. Mere-exposure effect – prefer stimuli we have seen before over novel stimuli Priming – respond more quickly and/or accurately to questions they have seen before Blind sight – person being blind being able to grasp an object they cannot see Consciousness is our awareness of the various cognitive processes that operate in our daily lives: making decisions, remembering, daydreaming, concentrating, reflecting, sleeping, and dreaming, among others. Psychologists divide consciousness into two broad areas: waking consciousness, which includes the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions that arise when we are awake and reasonably alert; and altered states of consciousness (ASC), during which our mental state differs noticeably from normal waking consciousness. NATURAL VARIATIONS IN CONSCIOUSNESS To make sense of our complex environment, we choose what to absorb from the myriad happenings around us and filter out the rest. This applies to both external stimuli such as sounds, sights, and smells, and internal sensations such as heat, cold, pressure, and pain. Even our thoughts, memories, emotions, and needs are subjected to this selective process. We also perform familiar tasks, such as signing our names, without deliberate attention. Many psychologists believe that important mental processes go on outside of normal waking consciousness, perhaps as a form of automatic processing. Daydreaming and Fantasy Daydreaming occurs without effort, often when we seek to escape the demands of the real world briefly. Some psychologists see no positive or practical value in daydreaming. Others contend that daydreams and fantasies allow us to express and deal with hidden desires without guilt or anxiety. Still others believe that daydreams build cognitive and creative skills that help us survive difficult situations—that they serve as a useful substitute for reality or a beneficial way of relieving tension. Finally there are those who view daydreaming as a mechanism for processing the vast array of information we take in during the day, 1 Tripken Consciousness enabling us to retrieve thoughts put aside for later review and to transform them into new and more useful forms. Biological Rhythms: Periodic physiological fluctuations. Circadian Rhythm: The biological clock. It involves regular body rhythms (ex: temperature & sleep) that occur on a 24-hour cycle. STAGES OF SLEEP Stage 1: Alpha waves; hypnogogic hallucinations; sleep talking; hypnic jerk; slow down of biological functions (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, respiration) & a decrease in temperature. Stage 2: Waves are slower (see some theta waves); sleep spindles; K-complexes; sleep talking; biological functions continue to slow. Stage 3: Transition stage. See first signs of delta waves; biological functions continue to slow. Stage 4: Deep sleep. All delta waves; bedwetting & sleep walking most likely. Biological functions are at there lowest. After stage 4, the sleeper moves back to stages 3, stage 2, & then into REM sleep. REM Sleep: Rapid eye movement; dreaming; erections in males; paralysis. Also called “paradoxical sleep” because while the person is totally asleep, there biological function and brain waves appear more like a person who is awake. A full sleep-cycle takes about 90 minutes. As the cycles continue throughout the night, stage 4 sleep gets shorter and REM sleep gets longer. Brainwaves & Sleep 2 Tripken Consciousness SLEEP THEORIES 1. Possibly certain chemicals depleted during the day are restored during sleep. 2. A build-up of “s-factor” during the day causes sleep at night. 3. Pituitary gland more active during deep sleep. So, sleep may be involved in growth process. (Babies and young people spend more time in deep sleep than older people). 4. Evolutionary view: Sleeping when it was dark kept us safe. DREAM THEORIES Freudian Theory: Dreams help disguise unconscious conflicts and motives. Manifest Content: According to Freud, the remembered storyline of a dream. Latent Content: According to Freud, the underlying “meaning” of a dream. Activation-synthesis Theory: Dreams spring from the mind’s relentless effort to make sense of random visual bursts of electrical activity which originate in the brainstem and are given their emotional tone as they pass through the limbic system. Memory Consolidation Theory: The parts of the brain active when we learn something are similarly active later when we sleep and dream. Brain-Stimulation Theory: Periodic stimulation during dreaming helps form neural connections. Especially important in infants. Regardless, if we don’t get enough REM sleep, we will go into REM Rebound: The tendency for REM sleep to increase following a period of REM deprivation. Some people suffer from REM Disorder and Cannot successfully stay in REM. SLEEP DISORDERS Insomnia: Recurring problems in falling or staying asleep. Narcolepsy: Disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep at inopportune time. Sleep Apnea: Disorder characterized by temporary cessation of breathing during sleep and momentary awakenings throughout the night. Night Terror: Disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified. Unlike nightmares, these occur during stage 4 sleep and are typically not remembered. HYPNOSIS Hypnosis: A social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggests to another person (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur. Posthypnotic Amnesia: Supposed inability to recall what one experienced during hypnosis; induced by the 3 Tripken Consciousness hypnotist’s suggestion. Posthypnotic Suggestion: A suggestion, made during hypnosis, to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized; used by some clinicians to control undesired symptoms and behaviors (e.g., eat less, quit smoking, feel less anxiety, etc.). Hypnosis does not improve memory. In fact, it is likely to contaminate our memories. It is, however, useful in relieving PAIN. Possibly due to dissociation or a “split in consciousness”. While part of the person is still aware of the pain, the conscious part of the person is not. Theories of Hypnosis 1. Divided Consciousness Theory: Suggests that dissociation occurs during hypnosis. A “split” in consciousness occurs. “Part” of the person is unaware of what is occurring, but another “part” is aware. This part is called: The Hidden Observer: Hilgard’s term describing a hypnotized person’s awareness of experiences, such as pain, that seem to go unreported during hypnosis. 2. Social Influence Theory: The subject simply becomes caught up in the “role” of being a hypnotized person. It involves role-playing, conformity, and obedience. DRUGS AND CONSCIOUSNESS Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood. Tolerance: The diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug; requiring the user to take larger and larger doses in order to obtain the same effect. Withdrawal: The discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug. Physical Dependence: A physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued. Psychological Dependence: A psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions. Psychoactive(drugs that effect the mind) Drugs Depressants: Drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions. Barbiturates: drugs that depress the activity of the CNS, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment. Opiates: Opium and its derivatives (such as morphine and heroin); they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety. Stimulants: Drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines and cocaine) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions. Amphetamines: Drugs that stimulate neural activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes. Ecstasy (MDMA): A synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen. It produces short-term euphoria. However, it harms serotonin-producing neurons causing long-term changes in mood and cognitions. Hallucinogens: Psychedelic (“mind-altering”) drugs, such as LSD and marijuana, that distort perceptions and may evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input (i.e., hallucinations). 4 Tripken Consciousness THC: The major active ingredient in marijuana. How Do Drugs Work? For a drug to affect our behavior, it has to get into our bloodstream through ingestion (eating or drinking the substance); inhalation (heating or burning the substance and breathing the fumes); absorption through the mucous membranes of the mouth or nose; or injection with a hypodermic needle. Once in our bloodstream, psychoactive drugs influence our behavior by altering the functioning of the central nervous system (CNS). Then, over a period of hours, the influence of the drug gradually wears off as the liver produces enzymes that metabolize the drug. Drugs and Neurotransmitters Psychoactive drugs may be categorized according to their effects on the central nervous system. In this module we’ll consider two major groups: stimulants, which enhance the activity of the CNS, and depressants, which slow down or impair the activity of the CNS. We’ll also briefly discuss marijuana, which represents a third class of drugs: hallucinogens. Although psychoactive drugs influence the central nervous system in a variety of ways, in this module we’ll focus on the most important mechanism, namely the way that drugs alter the action of certain neurotransmitters at the synapses (spaces or junctions) between neurons. We’ll present a simplified version of the story, focusing especially on the neurotransmitter called dopamine. Understanding how drugs affect the action of dopamine is one of the keys to understanding drug addiction. It should also facilitate your understanding of how drugs affect other neurotransmitters. You’ll learn more about how these drugs work later in this module. Drugs that mimic or facilitate the action of a particular neurotransmitter are called agonists. Drugs that oppose or block the action of a particular neurotransmitter are called antagonists. NEAR-DEATH EXPERIENCES Near-death Experience: An altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as after a cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations. Monism: The belief that mind and body are different aspects of the same thing (when the body dies, so does the mind. Dualism: The belief that mind and body are two distinct entities (when the body dies, the mind may continue to exist). Consciousness Study Guide Questions 5 Tripken Consciousness ___ 1. At its beginning, psychology focused on the study of: A) observable behavior. B) consciousness. C) abnormal behavior. D) all of the above. ___ 2. As defined by the text, consciousness includes which of the following? A) focused attention B) sleeping C) hypnosis D) all of the above A) ___ 3. Consciousness is defined in the text as: mental life. B) selective attention to ongoing perceptions, thoughts, and feelings. C) D) information processing. our awareness of ourselves and our environment. ___ 4. Concluding his presentation on levels of information processing, Miguel states that: A) humans process both conscious and unconscious information in parallel. C) conscious processing is serial, while unconscious processing is parallel. B) conscious processing occurs in parallel, while unconscious processing is serial. D) A) all information processing is serial in nature. ___ 5. Which of the following is not an example of a biological rhythm? B) feeling depressed during the winter months C the five sleep stages the female menstrual cycle D sudden sleep attacks during the day ) ) ___ 6. Circadian rhythms are the: A) brain waves that occur during Stage 4 sleep. C) regular body cycles that occur on a 24-hour schedule. B) muscular tremors that occur during opiate withdrawal. D) brain waves that are indicative of Stage 2 sleep. ___ 7. When our ________ is disrupted, we experience jet lag. A) Stage 1 sleep B) REM sleep C) circadian rhythm D) Stage 4 sleep ___ 8. The cluster of brain cells that control the circadian rhythm is the: A) amygdala. B) suprachiasmatic nucleus. C) adenosine. D) pineal. ___ 9. The sleep-waking cycles of young people who stay up too late typically are ________ hours in duration. A) 23 B) 24 C) 25 D) 26 ___ 10. A person whose EEG shows a high proportion of alpha waves is most likely: A) dreaming. B) in Stage 2 sleep. C) in Stage 3 or 4 sleep. D) awake and relaxed. 6 Tripken Consciousness ___ 11. Sleep spindles predominate during which stage of sleep? A) Stage 2 B) Stage 3 C) Stage 4 D) REM sleep ___ 12. During which stage of sleep does the body experience increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and genital arousal? A) Stage 2 B) Stage 3 C) Stage 4 D) REM sleep ___ 13. Which of the following is characteristic of REM sleep? A) genital arousal B) increased muscular tension C) night terrors D) alpha waves ___ 14. Although her eyes are closed, Adele's brain is generating bursts of electrical activity. It is likely that Adele is: A) under the influence of a depressant. C in REM sleep. B) under the influence of an opiate. D having a near-death experience. ) ) ___ 15. REM sleep is referred to as paradoxical sleep because: A) studies of people deprived of REM sleep indicate that REM sleep is unnecessary. C) it is very easy to awaken a person from REM sleep. B) D) the body's muscles remain relaxed while the brain and eyes are active. the body's muscles are very tense while the brain is in a nearly meditative state. ___ 16. A PET scan of a sleeping person's brain reveals increased activity in the visual and auditory areas. This most likely indicates that the sleeper: A) has a neurological disorder. B) is not truly asleep. C) is in REM sleep. D) suffers from narcolepsy. ___ 17. The sleep cycle is approximately ________ minutes. A) 30 B) 50 C) 75 D) 90 ___ 18. The effects of chronic sleep deprivation include: A) suppression of the immune system. C impaired creativity. B) altered metabolic and hormonal functioning. D all of the above. ) ) ___ 19. Concluding her presentation on contemporary theories of why sleep is necessary, Marilynn makes all of A) the following points except: Sleep may have evolved because it kept our ancestors safe during potentially dangerous periods. 7 Tripken Consciousness B) Sleep gives the brain time to heal, as it restores and repairs damaged neurons. C) Sleep encourages growth through a hormone secreted during Stage 4. D) Slow-wave sleep provides a “psychic safety valve” for stressful waking experiences. ___ 20. One effect of sleeping pills is to: A) decrease REM sleep. B) increase REM sleep. C) decrease Stage 2 sleep. D) increase Stage 2 sleep. ___ 21. A person who falls asleep in the midst of a heated argument probably suffers from: A) sleep apnea. B) narcolepsy. C) night terrors. D) insomnia. ___ 22. According to Freud, dreams are: A) B) a symbolic fulfillment of erotic wishes. C the brain's mechanism for self-stimulation. ) the result of random neural activity in the D the disguised expressions of inner conflicts. brainstem. ) ___ 23. Jill dreams that she trips and falls as she walks up the steps to the stage to receive her college diploma. Her psychoanalyst suggests that the dream might symbolize her fear of moving on to the next stage of her life—a career. The analyst is evidently attempting to interpret the ________ content of Jill's dream. A) manifest B) latent C) dissociated D) overt ___ 24. People who heard unusual phrases prior to sleep were awakened each time they began REM sleep. The fact that they remembered less the next morning provides support for the ________ theory of dreaming. A) manifest content B) physiological C) information-processing D) activation-synthesis ___ 25. Which of the following is not a theory of dreaming mentioned in the text? A) Dreams facilitate information processing. C) Dreams result from random neural activity originating in the brainstem. B) D) Dreaming stimulates the developing brain. Dreaming is an attempt to escape from social stimulation. ___ 26. According to the activation-synthesis theory, dreaming represents: A) the brain's efforts to integrate unrelated bursts of activity in visual brain areas with the emotional B) a mechanism for coping with the stresses of daily life. C) D) tone provided by limbic system activity. a symbolic depiction of a person's unfulfilled wishes. an information-processing mechanism for converting the day's experiences into long-term memory. ___ 27. Barry has participated in a sleep study for the last four nights. He was awakened each time he entered REM sleep. Now that the experiment is over, which of the following can be expected to occur? 8 Tripken Consciousness A) Barry will be too tired to sleep, so he'll continue to stay awake. B) Barry will sleep so deeply for several nights that dreaming will be minimal. D) There will be an increase in Barry's REM sleep. C) There will be an increase in sleep Stages 1–4. ___ 28. Which of the following statements regarding REM sleep is true? A) B) Adults spend more time than infants in REM C People deprived of REM sleep adapt easily. sleep. ) rebound. ) REM sleep deprivation results in a REM D Sleeping medications tend to increase REM sleep. ___ 29. The modern discovery of hypnosis is generally attributed to: A) Freud. B) Mesmer. C) Spanos. D) Hilgard. ___ 30. Of the following individuals, who is likely to be the most hypnotically suggestible? A) Bill, a reality-oriented stockbroker C) Megan, a sixth-grader who has trouble focusing her attention on a task B) Janice, an actress with a rich imagination D) Darren, who has never been able to really “get involved” in movies or novels A) the same in all people. C generally greater in men than women. B) generally greater in women than men. D greater when people are led to expect it. ___ 31. Hypnotic responsiveness is: ) ) ___ 32. An attorney wants to know if the details and accuracy of an eyewitness's memory for a crime would be improved under hypnosis. Given the results of relevant research, what should you tell the attorney? A) Most hypnotically retrieved memories are either false or contaminated. C) Hypnotically retrieved memories are purely the product of the subject's imagination. B) D) Hypnotically retrieved memories are usually more accurate than conscious memories. Hypnosis only improves memory of anxiety-provoking childhood events. ___ 33. Research studies of the effectiveness of hypnosis as a form of therapy have demonstrated that: A) for problems of self-control, such as smoking, hypnosis is equally effective with subjects who can B) posthypnotic suggestions have helped alleviate headaches, asthma, and stress-related skin C) D) be deeply hypnotized and those who cannot. disorders. as a form of therapy, hypnosis is no more effective than positive suggestions given without hypnosis. all of the above are true. ___ 34. As a form of therapy for relieving problems such as warts, hypnosis is: A) ineffective. C) highly effective. B) no more effective than positive suggestions given without hypnosis. 9 Tripken D) Consciousness more effective with adults than children. ___ 35. Those who consider hypnosis a social phenomenon contend that: A) hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. B) hypnotic phenomena are unique to hypnosis. D) all of the above are true. C) hypnotized subjects become unresponsive when they are no longer motivated to act as instructed. ___ 36. Those who believe that hypnosis is a social phenomenon argue that “hypnotized” individuals are: A) B) consciously faking their behavior. C underachievers striving to please the hypnotist. ) merely acting out a role. D all of the above. ) ___ 37. According to Hilgard, hypnosis is: A) no different from a state of heightened motivation. C) a dissociation between different levels of consciousness. B) D) the same as dreaming. a type of “animal magnetism.” ___ 38. Which of the following statements concerning hypnosis is true? A) People will do anything under hypnosis. B) Hypnosis is the same as sleeping. C) D) Hypnosis is in part an extension of the division between conscious awareness and automatic behavior. Hypnosis improves memory recall. ___ 39. Psychoactive drugs affect behavior and perception through: A) the power of suggestion. C alteration of neural activity in the brain. B) the placebo effect. D psychological, not physiological, influences. ) ) ___ 40. A person who requires increasing amounts of a drug in order to feel its effect is said to have developed: A) tolerance. B) physical dependency. C) psychological dependency. D) resistance. ___ 41. Dan has recently begun using an addictive, euphoria-producing drug. Which of the following will probably occur if he repeatedly uses this drug? A) As tolerance to the drug develops, Dan will experience increasingly pleasurable “highs.” C) After each use, he will become more and more elated. B) D) The dosage needed to produce the desired effect will increase. Dependence will become less of a problem. 10 Tripken Consciousness ___ 42. All of the following are common misconceptions about addiction, except the statement that: A) to overcome an addiction a person almost always needs professional therapy. B) psychoactive and medicinal drugs very quickly lead to addiction. D) many other repetitive, pleasure-seeking behaviors fit the C) biological factors place some individuals at increased risk for addiction. drug-addiction-as-disease-needing-treatment model. ___ 43. Which of the following is classified as a depressant? A) methamphetamine B) LSD C) marijuana D) alcohol ___ 44. Which of the following is not a stimulant? A) amphetamines B) caffeine C) nicotine D) alcohol ___ 45. Roberto is moderately intoxicated by alcohol. Which of the following changes in his behavior is likely to A) occur? If angered, he is more likely to become aggressive than when he is sober. B) He will be less self-conscious about his behavior. D) All of the above are likely. C) If sexually aroused, he will be less inhibited about engaging in sexual activity. ___ 46. Alcohol has the most profound effect on: A) the transfer of experiences to long-term C previously established long-term memories. B) immediate memory. D all of the above. memory. ) ) ___ 47. How a particular psychoactive drug affects a person depends on: A) B) the dosage and form in which the drug is taken. C the situation in which the drug is taken. ) the user's expectations and personality. D all of the above. ) ___ 48. Cocaine and crack produce a euphoric rush by: A) blocking the actions of serotonin. C blocking the reuptake of dopamine in brain B) depressing neural activity in the brain. D stimulating the brain's production of ) cells. ) endorphins. ___ 49. I am a synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen that produces euphoria and social intimacy by triggering the release of dopamine and serotonin. What am I? 11 Tripken Consciousness A) LSD B) MDMA C) THC D) cocaine ___ 50. THC is the major active ingredient in: A) nicotine. B) MDMA. C) marijuana. D) cocaine. ___ 51. Which of the following statements concerning marijuana is true? A) B) C) D) The by-products of marijuana are cleared from the body more slowly than are the by-products of alcohol. Regular users may need a higher dose of the drug to achieve a high than occasional users would need to get the same effect. Marijuana is not as addictive as nicotine or cocaine. Even small doses of marijuana hasten the loss of brain cells. ___ 52. Which of the following was not cited in the text as evidence that heredity influences alcohol use? A) Children whose parents abuse alcohol have a lower tolerance for multiple alcoholic drinks taken B) Boys who are impulsive and fearless at age 6 are more likely to drink as teenagers. C) D) over a short period of time. Laboratory mice have been selectively bred to prefer alcohol to water. Adopted children are more susceptible if one or both of their biological parents has a history of alcoholism. ___ 53. Which of the following statements concerning alcoholism is not true? A) Adopted individuals are more susceptible to alcoholism if they had an adoptive parent with B) Having an identical twin with alcoholism puts a person at increased risk for alcohol problems. C) D) alcoholism. Geneticists have identified genes that are more common among people predisposed to alcoholism. Researchers have bred rats that prefer alcohol to water. ___ 54. The lowest rates of drug use among high school seniors is reported by: A) white males. B) white females. C) black males. D) Latinos. ___ 55. Which of the following is usually the most powerful determinant of whether teenagers begin using drugs? A) family strength B) religiosity C) school adjustment D) peer influence ___ 56. Which of the following statements concerning the roots of drug use is true? A) Heavy users of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine often are always on a high. B) If an adolescent's friends use drugs, odds are that he or she will, too. D) It is nearly impossible to predict whether or not a particular adolescent will experiment with drugs. C) Teenagers who are academically average students seldom use drugs. ___ 57. Which of the following was not suggested by the text as an important aspect of drug prevention and A) B) C) treatment programs? education about the long-term costs of a drug's temporary pleasures efforts to boost people's self-esteem and purpose in life attempts to modify peer associations 12 Tripken Consciousness D) “scare tactics” that frighten prepubescent children into avoiding drug experimentation ___ 58. Which of the following statements concerning near-death experiences is true? A) Fewer than 1 percent of patients who come close to dying report having them. C) They are more commonly experienced by females than by males. B) They typically consist of fantastic, mystical imagery. D) They are more commonly experienced by males than by females. ___ 59. Which theorists believe that the mind and the body are separate entities? A) the behaviorists B) the monists C) the dualists D) the Freudians ___ 60. Levar believes that once the body has died, the mind also ceases to exist. Evidently, Levar is a(n): A) behaviorist. B) monist. C) dualist. D) atheist. 7 Answer Key 20. A 41. B 2. D 22. A 43. D 4. C 24. C 6. C 26. A 8. B 28. B 10. D 30. B 12. D 32. A 14. C 34. B 16. C 36. B 18. D 38. C 1. B 21. B 42. C 3. D 23. B 44. D 5. D 25. D 46. A 45. D 47. D 7. C 27. D 48. C 9. C 29. B 50. C 49. B 51. A 11. A 31. D 52. A 13. A 33. D 54. C 53. A 55. D 15. B 35. C 56. D 17. D 37. C 58. B 19. D 57. D 59. C 39. C 60. B 40. A 13