1. Chapter 5: States of Consciousness

2. Some Early Definitions Consciousness: All the sensations, perceptions, memories, and feelings you are aware of in any instant –Waking Consciousness: Normal, clear, organized, alert awareness Altered State of Consciousness (ASC): Awareness that is distinctly different in quality or pattern from waking consciousness

3. Sleep Innate, biological rhythm Microsleep: Brief shift in brain-wave patterns similar to those of sleep Sleep Deprivation: Sleep loss; being deprived of needed amounts of sleep Sleep-Deprivation Psychosis: Major disruption of mental and emotional functioning that occurs because of sleep loss Hypersomnia: Excessive daytime sleepiness

5. Measuring Sleep Changes Electroencephalograph (EEG): Brain-wave machine; amplifies and records electrical activity in the brain Beta Waves: Small fast waves associated with alertness and awakeness Alpha Waves: Large, slow waves associated with relaxation and falling asleep

6. Stages of Sleep Stage 1: Small, irregular waves produced in light sleep (people may or may not say they were asleep) –Hypnic Jerk: Reflex muscle twitch throughout body that may occur in Stage 1

7. Stage 2 Deeper sleep; sleep spindles (bursts of distinctive brain-wave activity) appear

8. Stage 3 Deeper sleep; Delta waves appear; very large and slow

9. Stage 4 Deepest level of normal sleep; almost purely Delta waves

11. Kinds of Sleep Rapid Eye Movements (REM): Associated with dreaming; sleep is very light –Body is very still during REM sleep –Lack of muscle paralysis during REM sleep is called “REM Behavioral Disorder” Non-REM (NREM) Sleep: Occurs during stages 1, 2, 3, and 4; no rapid eye movement occurs –Seems to help us recover from daily fatigue

13. Sleep Disturbances Insomnia: Difficulty in getting to sleep or staying asleep, or waking early –Sleeping pills exacerbate insomnia; cause decrease in REM and Stage 4 sleep and may cause dependency Drug-Dependency Insomnia: Sleeplessness that follows withdrawal from sleeping pills

14. Types and Causes of Insomnia Temporary Insomnia: Brief period of sleeplessness caused by worry, stress, and excitement. –Avoid fighting it and read a book, for example, until you’re struggling to stay awake. Chronic Insomnia: Exists if sleeping troubles last for more than three weeks. –Adopt regular schedule; go to bed at the same time each night, for example.

15. Sleep Disturbances Sleepwalking (Somnambulism): Occurs in NREM sleep during Stages 3 and 4 Sleeptalking: Speaking while asleep; occurs in NREM sleep

16. Nightmares Bad dreams that occur during REM sleep Imagery Rehearsal: Mentally rehearse the changed dream before you go to sleep again; may help to eliminate nightmares

17. Night Terrors Total panic and hallucinations may occur –Occurs during Stage 4 sleep –Most common in childhood; may occur in adults

18. Sleep Apnea Interrupted breathing during sleep; cause of very loud snoring –Hypersomnia: Extreme daytime sleepiness –Apnea can be treated by Surgery Weight loss Breathing mask

19. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Also known as SIDS or Crib Death; Sudden, unexplained death of healthy infant (infants should sleep on back or on side to try to prevent) SIDS babies have a weak arousal reflex; prevents them from changing positions and resuming breathing after an apnea episode

20. REM Rebound Extra rapid eye movement sleep following REM sleep deprivation

21. Psychodynamic (Freudian) Theory of Dreaming Emphasizes internal conflicts, motives, and unconscious forces Wish Fulfillment: Freudian belief that many dreams are expressions of unconscious desires –Much evidence to refute this Dream Symbols: Images that have a deeper symbolic meaning

22. Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis Dream content may be affected by motor commands in the brain (that occur during sleep) that are not carried out

23. Hypnosis Altered state of consciousness characterized by intensely narrowed attention and increased openness to suggestion –Mesmer: Believed he could cure diseases by passing magnets over body; true “animal magnetism” (“mesmerize” means to hypnotize) –Must cooperate to become hypnotized

24. Hidden Observer Detached part of hypnotized person’s awareness that silently observes events

25. Hypnosis Can Help people relax Reduce pain Get people to make better progress in therapy

26. Hypnosis Cannot Produce acts of superhuman strength Produce age regression Force you to do things against your will

27. Stage Hypnosis Simulation of hypnotic effects

28. Tricks of the Trade Waking Suggestibility: People on stage do not want to spoil the act, so they will follow any instruction. Selection of Responsive Subjects: Any “volunteer” who does not get hypnotized in the stage group and does not follow instructions is “voted off.” The Hypnosis Label Disinhibits: On stage, once you are “in a hypnotic trance,” your responsibility for actions is removed; you can do whatever you want!

29. More Stage Hypnosis “Tricks of the Trade” Hypnotist as Director: Once they are in a trance, the “volunteers” are suddenly the show’s stars, and they will act like it. The hypnotists only need to direct them. Stage Hypnotists Use Tricks: Stage hypnosis is 50% deception and 50% taking advantage of the situation

30. More Hypnosis Concepts Hypnotic Susceptibility: How easily a person can be hypnotized Basic Suggestion Effect: Tendency of hypnotized people to carry out suggested actions as though they were involuntary

31. Meditation Mental exercise designed to produce relaxation or heightened awareness Concentrative Meditation: Attention is paid to a single focal point (i.e., object, thought, etc.) –Produces relaxation response and thus works to reduce stress Mindfulness Meditation: Based on widening attention span to become aware of everything experienced at a given moment Mantra: Word(s) or sound(s) repeated during concentrative meditation

32. Relaxation Response Occurs at time of relaxation; internal response that prevents activation of adrenal glands

33. Drugs and Altered States of Consciousness Psychoactive Drug: Substance capable of altering attention, judgment, memory, time sense, self-control, emotion, or perception Stimulant: Substance that increases activity in body and nervous system Depressant: Substance that decreases activity in body and nervous system

35. Physical Dependence Physical Addiction based on drug tolerance and withdrawal symptoms –Drug Tolerance: Reduction in body’s response to a drug –Withdrawal Symptoms: Physical illness following withdrawal of the drug

36. Psychological Dependence Drug dependence based on psychological or emotional needs –Usually crave drug –Can be as powerful as physiological addiction

37. Stimulants (Uppers) Amphetamines: Synthetic stimulants that excite the nervous system –Dexedrine and Methamphetamine are two types of stimulants Amphetamine Psychosis: Loss of contact with reality because of amphetamine use; user tends to have paranoid delusions

38. Cocaine Central Nervous System stimulant derived from leaves of coca plant; also used as local anesthetic –From 1886-1906, Coca-Cola did indeed have cocaine in it! –Highly addictive drug –Anhedonia (Inability to Feel Pleasure): Common after cocaine withdrawal

39. MDMA (Ecstasy) Chemically similar to amphetamine; created by small variations in a drug’s structure –Risks of using MDMA are unclear –May cause severe liver damage –Repeated use damages serotonergic brain cells

40. Caffeine Most frequently used psychoactive drug in North America; present in colas, chocolate, coffee, and tea Causes hand tremors, sweating, talkativeness, tinnitus, suppresses fatigue or sleepiness, increases alertness –May be hazardous to pregnant women if used excessively

41. Caffeinism Physiological dependence on caffeine –Symptoms: Insomnia, irritability, loss of appetite, chills, racing heart, elevated body temperature

43. Nicotine Natural stimulant found mainly in tobacco; known carcinogen May cause stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, tremors Addictive Sum: Don’t smoke; smoking kills (so does chewing tobacco)

44. Sedatives: Barbiturates Sedative drugs that depress brain activity –Seconal and Amytal are two types –Easy to overdose

45. GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate) Central Nervous System (CNS) depressant that relaxes and sedates; combination of degreasing solvent and drain cleaner –Sedative effects may result in nausea, loss of muscle control, and either sleep or a loss of consciousness –Inhibits gag reflex, so some choke to death on their own vomit –Addictive and deadly

46. Sedatives: Tranquilizers Lower anxiety and reduce tension –Valium, Xanax, and Librium are three types –Rohypnol: Related to Valium; lowers inhibitions and produces relaxation or intoxication. Larger doses can induce short-term amnesia and sleep Date rape drug because it’s odorless and tasteless Drug Interaction: One drug increases the effect of another

47. Alcohol Ethyl Alcohol: Intoxicating element in fermented and distilled liquors –Not a stimulant but does lower inhibitions –Depressant Binge Drinking: Consuming five or more drinks in a short time; four or more for women –Serious sign of alcohol abuse

51. Detoxification Withdrawal of the person from alcohol Occurs in a medical setting and is tightly controlled Often necessary before long-term treatment begins

52. Some Hallucinogens Hallucinogen: Substance that alters or distorts sensory impressions Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD): Hallucinogen that can produce hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms Mescaline (Peyote) and Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) PCP (Angel Dust): Initially can have hallucinogenic effects; also an anesthetic and has stimulant and depressant effects

53. Marijuana Leaves and flowers of the hemp plant –Active chemical: THC –Effects: Relaxation, time distortion, perceptual distortions

54. Some Health Risks of Using Marijuana Increases risk of a variety of cancers, including prostate and cervical cancer Can suppress immune system, perhaps increasing risk of disease Activity levels in the cerebellum are lower than normal in pot users Pot may damage some of the brain’s memory centers