Altered States of Consciousness CP PSYCHOLOGY CHAPTER 7 Altered States of Consciousness Section 7Q2 Hypnosis …Hallucinations …Meditation Richard Martel, NHS Glencoe Publishers

Altered States of Consciousness (7Q2) Hypnosis: Characterized by a narrow focus of attention and heightened suggestibility Hypnotic trance is not sleep, but rather a loss of interest in external distractions Subject must be willing to cooperate, and will only do things they normally would do Dissociation Theory Vs. Hidden Observer Theory

Altered States of Consciousness (7Q2) Posthypnotic Suggestion: Hypnotist gets subjects to do things after trance has ended … normally for treatment of a psychological condition Smoking cessation, anxiety relief, weight loss etc. Non-hypnotized persons can also do this

Altered States of Consciousness (7Q2) Hallucinations :Perceptions that have no direct external cause and are not input from the senses Causes include hypnosis, meditation, some drugs, addiction withdrawal, psychosis Detect increase Dopamine levels in the brain Hallucinations are very similar from one person to the next due to brain’s reaction

Altered States of Consciousness (7Q2) Sensory Deprivation: Severely limiting sensory inputs to a person’s brain People quickly become irritable, restless, upset and some begin to hallucinate Biofeedback: Learning to voluntarily control autonomic nervous system processes with the help of feedback Scientists used to believe heart rate, blood pressure, sweating etc. were involuntary

Altered States of Consciousness (7Q2) Meditation: Focusing attention with the goal of clearing the mind to gain “inner peace” Mantra: Special word that is repeated over and over causing deep relaxation response The Four Elements of Meditation; Quiet, Comfortable, a “Mental Device” (Mantra), & Passive Attitude