Consciousness & Dreams
Consciousness Our awareness of ourselves & our environment Consciousness is the headlines of a newspaper Summaries of brain activity – not all the many millions of details of what went on behind the scenes “The Conscious mind is not at the center of the action in the brain; instead, it is far out on a distant edge, hearing whispers of the activity” – David Eagleman
Subconscious - information we aren’t consciously aware of but know must exist due to behavior Unconscious - thoughts or desires about which we have no direct knowledge
States of Consciousness some states occur spontaneously day dreamingdrowsinessdreaming some are physiologically induced hallucinationsorgasm food or oxygen starvation some are psychologically induced sensory deprivation hypnosismeditation Awake, Asleep, Altered State
Sleep & Dreams Biological Rhythms & Sleep Circadian Rhythm 24 hour cycle temperature changes
Sleep Stages Awake - Alpha Waves Stage 1 - Sleep, hallucinations Stage 2 - Sleep Spindles Stage 3 - transitional sleep Stage 4 - Delta Waves REM Sleep
Rapid Eye Movement Recurring sleep state during which vivid dreams commonly occur. Also known as paradoxical sleep because the muscles are relaxed but other body systems are active Typical nights sleep is about a 90 minute cycle
Why do we sleep? Variations in sleeping patterns Cultural Influences Sleep Debt Age of Sleep Studies Chronic seep loss Spring and fall time changes
Sleep Theories Sleep protects Sleep helps recuperation Memory Storage Sleep and Creative thinking Sleep and Growth
Sleep Disorders Insomnia - problems of getting or staying asleep Narcolepsy - extreme sleepiness (sleep attacks) Sleep Apnea - stop breathing during sleep Night Terrors - usually occur in children, dreams outside of REM Sleepwalking / Sleep talking
Dreams according to Freud Manifest Content the remembered story line of a dream - literal content Latent Content the underlying meaning of a dream - deeper meaning
Dream Theories Freud’s Wish Fulfillment Dreams provide a ‘psychic safety valve’ - expressing otherwise unacceptable feelings; contain manifest (remembered) content and a deeper layer of latent content (hidden meaning) Critical considerations: Lacks any scientific support; dreams may be interpreted many different ways
Dream Theories Information-Processing Dreams help us sort out the day’s events and consolidate our memories Critical Considerations: But why do we sometimes dream about things we have not experienced?
Dream Theories Physiological Function Regular brain stimulation from REM sleep may help develop and preserve neural pathways Critical Considerations: This may be true, but it doesn’t explain why we experience meaningful dreams
Dream Theories Activation-Synthesis REM sleep triggers neural activity that evokes random visual memories, which our sleeping brain weaves into stories Critical Considerations: The individuals brain is weaving the stories, which still tells us something about the dreamer
Dream Theories Cognitive Development Dream content reflects dreamer’s cognitive development – their knowledge and understanding Critical Considerations: Does not address the neuroscience of dreams