Introduction to Psychology Mind, Consciousness, and Alternate States

Consciousness  Consciousness: a state of awareness of internal events and the external environment Includes: perceptions, thoughts, feelings, images, desires  Sense of self: the experience of watching yourself from a privileged “insider” position  Do all organisms have consciousness?  Do all humans have consciousness? Autobiographical memory (age 3) Mental time travel (age 4) Theory of mind (age 5)

Consciousness  Nonconscious: not typically available to consciousness or memory Autonomic processes such as breathing, digesting, heart rate  Preconscious memory: memory that is not currently conscious but can easily be called into consciousness when necessary A library of both factual and personal memories that operates in the background; can be activated at any time  The unconscious: completely inaccessible memories, thoughts, motives, or ideas that influence behavior

Consciousness  Function of consciousness Survival (biological perspective): consciousness aids in planning, selecting and attending to environmental stimuli, and selective storage. If consciousness was evolutionarily derived, would it be uniquely human? Construction of Reality (sociocultural): consciousness allows for the personal and cultural construction of reality; people from different cultures have ways of thinking about the environment and experiences differently. Collectivitistic v. Individualistic cultures

Sleep  Circadian rhythm: an internal clock that regulates arousal levels, metabolism, heart rate, body temperature, and hormonal activity Uses external time cues (clocks, sunlight) Problems occur when the circadian rhythm is not aligned with these external cues  Night shift workers  Jet Lag

Sleep

 Rapid Eye Movements (REM): stage of sleep where dreams occur Usually accompanied by skeletal muscle paralysis Brain waves in REM sleep are similar to those when you are awake REM sleep occurs for about 10 minutes every 90 minutes of sleep For some reason, REM sleep is incredible important for memory consolidation and cognitive functioning  Extended deprivation of REM sleep may result in Hypnagognic Hallucinations

Sleep Disorders  Insomnia: chronic failure to get adequate sleep Includes the inability to fall asleep, frequent awakenings, and early morning waking  Narcolepsy: disorder characterized by sudden and irresistible instances of sleepiness during the daytime Usually accompanied by cataplexy Can be brought on by excitation, anger, fear, etc Narcoleptics typically go into REM sleep almost immediately

Sleep Disorders  Sleep apnea: an upper-respiratory condition in which the person stops breathing while asleep. When the person stops breathing, the body suddenly awakens in order to resume breathing

Sleep Disorders  Somnambulism: sleepwalking Associated with NREM sleep More prevalent in children Adults taking certain medication (typically sleeping meds like Ambien) can engage in all kinds of routine behavior while sleeping; sleepwalking, sleep-eating, sleep-driving, & sleep-sex It is safe to wake a sleepwalking person

Sleep Disorders  Nightmares: when a dream is frightening and makes you feel out of control Most people repost 6-10 nightmares a year People who have experiences traumatic events tend to have repetitive nightmares that make them relive the experience  PTSD  Sleep /Night Terrors: Occurs when a person suddenly wakes in a state of extreme arousal, often marked by screaming. Occur in NREM sleep Person typically does not remember the dream Most frequent in children

Sleep and Dreams  Dream Analysis Most cultures believe that the content of dreams has significance. Freudian Dream Analysis:  Latent content: hidden meaning  Manifest content: dream representation  Dream work: the distortion process of converting latent content to manifest content Contemporary Dream Analysis:  Dream content is influenced by waking experiences  The involvement of the hippocampus and amygdala suggest that memories and emotions are activated  Dreams-for-Survival theory  Activation-synthesis theory

Hypnosis  Hypnosis is real, but only to those who are hypnotizable Begins with relaxation and concentration exercises The hypnotic state is one of deep relaxation and focus on a particular stimulus or event People under hypnosis can experience perceptual and motor abnormalities under suggestion Hypnosis relies more on the client than it does on the hypnotist  20% of people CANNOT be hypnotized at all

Hypnosis  Hypnosis can be used to: Manage pain Recover memories  Under suggestion, false memories may be created Cope with stress  Hypnosis is largely a placebo

Meditation  Meditation: a family of practices that train attention to heighten awareness and bring mental processes under greater voluntary control Rooted in various world religions including Buddhism, Hinduism, & Taoism People who meditate are more susceptible to hypnosis and lucid dreaming Physiologically, meditation leads to an altered state of bodily arousal  Lower respiration and heart rate

Psychoactive Drugs  Psychoactive Drugs: chemicals that affect mental processes and behavior by temporarily changing conscious awareness Four (4) major classes of psychoactive drugs:  Hallucinogens  Opiates  Depressants  Stimulants

Psychoactive Drugs  Stimulants: Drugs that have an arousal effect on the CNS Raises heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular tension; Increases alertness, confidence, decreases reaction time Can cause insomnia, nervousness, irritability, and paranoia Examples:  Caffiene  Nicotine  Cocaine  Methamphetamine

Psychoactive Drugs  Depressants: Drugs that slow down the nervous system; neurons fire more slowly Feelings of intoxication, euphoria; decreased anxiety, loss of inhibition Slurred speech, disjointed muscle control, and loss of consciousness Examples:  Alcohol  Barbiturates  Benzodiazepines  Rohypnol

Psychoactive Drugs  Opioids (Narcotics): drugs that reduce the perception of pain; derived from the opium poppy Relive pain and anxiety Can cause life-threatening respiratory depression  CMO patients  Naloxone (Narcan) Incredibly addictive Examples:  Morphine  Heroine  Oxycodone  Dilaudid

Psychoactive Drugs  Hallucinogens: drugs that are capable of producing hallucinations or changes in the perceptual process Perception of reality, space, and time is distorted; sense of peacefulness and calm Long-term damage to memory and intellect; people may experience “flashbacks” Examples:  Marijuana  Psilocybin mushrooms  Mescaline  LSD  Ketamine

Psychoactive Drugs  MDMA (Ecstasy) Considered a hallucinogen Works by increasing levels of the hormone Oxytocin  “bonding” hormone associated with love and connectedness  MDMA was originally used in couples therapy to increase intimacy  Now widely abused, MDMA is no longer prescribed