Transcript conscousness - HopewellPsychology

Warm-up
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What is consciousness?
What is the purpose of dreaming?
Consciousness-awareness
of ourselves and our
environment
“Our normal waking consciousness,
rational consciousness as we call it, is
but one special type of consciousness,
whilst all about it, parted from it by
the filmiest of screens, there lie
potential forms of consciousness
entirely different”. - William James
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A recent study pointed out that almost half of
our waking hours are spent daydreaming or
thinking of something other than what we are
doing.
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If consciousness is awareness of ourselves and
our environment then, by definition, are we
spending half of our lives unconscious?
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Subconscious-part of our mind that is
accessible, but we are not currently accessing
it.
“The conscious mind may be compared to a
fountain playing in the sun and falling back
into the great subterranean pool of
subconscious from which it rises”.
Sigmund Freud
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Unconscious-not accessible-suppressed
memories/forbidden thoughts and desires
The unconscious is the ocean of the unsayable,
of what has been expelled from the land of
language, removed as a result of ancient
prohibitions.
Italo Calvino
Sleep and Dreams
Bio-rhythms-cycles the body goes through
 Examples:
1. Circadian rhythm-our 24 hour cycle
2. Sleep cycle
 ChronobiologyCave experiment-found that people take daily
naps when given no light cues. They went
into a 25 hour circadian rhythm.
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In 2000, 61 year old French researcher Michel
Siffre stayed underground with no time cues
for 73 days
Brain Waves
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Beta waves-awake and alert
Alpha waves-stage one sleep or awake and
relaxed.
Theta waves-stage 2 sleep
Delta waves-begin in stage 3 and continue to 4
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Sleep deprivation effects-lack of
concentration, irritable, weak immune system
Problems with sleep
Insomnia-unable to sleep at least 3 nights/week
 Narcolepsy-fall asleep without meaning to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0h2nleWT
wI
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Sleep apnea-stop breathing at night/obesity is a
risk factor
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Incubus attacks/night terrors-happens in stage
4 sleep/more prevalent in small children/wake
up screaming in total panic
Sleepwalking-more common in small
children/stage 4 sleep
Dreams
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Manifest content-storyline of a dream
Latent content-hidden meaning behind the
dream, perhaps a hidden desire (wish
fulfillment)
Activation-synthesis theory-dreams are
random firing of the brain at night and our
mind’s attempt to make sense of it
Memory-REM is important in transferring
short term to long term memory
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REM Rebound-increased REM after period of
sleep deprivation.
Nightmares-bad dreams in REM sleep
Hypnosis
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What is it? Deep relaxation and heightened
suggestibility
How is it achieved? Deep relaxation and focus
How can we explain it? Either a social
phenomenon or divided consciousness
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Does it work? YES!
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Effective for pain prevention
Can help with quitting habits based on a posthypnotic suggestion if the person truly wants to
quit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vsBPki0Ys
Drugs and Consciousness
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Tolerance-need more of a drug to have the
original effect.
Withdrawal-negative symptoms following
quitting a drug a person’s addicted to
Psychological vs. physical dependence-mind
vs. body
Psychoactive Drugs
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Depressants
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Stimulants
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Effects-slow heart rate and breathing
Examples-barbituates, alcohol, opium, heroin
Effects-speed up heart and breathing
Examples-cocaine, nicotine, coffee,meth
Hallucinogens
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Effects-alter perceptions
Examples-LSD, “shrooms”, Angel Dust, MDMA
(ecstasy) although it has dua
hallucinogen/stimulant effects, marijuana