Transcript Psych8_Lecture_Ch06 altered please use

Gleitman • Gross • Reisberg
Psychology
EIGHTH EDITION
Chapter 6
Consciousness
©2011 W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.
Chapter Topics
• Introspection and the Functions of
Consciousness
• The Neural Basis for Consciousness
• Varieties of Consciousness
• Some Final Thoughts: The Unsolved
Mysteries
• Summary
Consciousness
What is consciousness?
The state of being awake and aware of
what is happening around you.
Integrated Information Theory of
consciousness.
Integrated Information Theory
of Consciousness
Consciousness can exist to varying
degrees depending on the person, time of
day, distractions, amount of sleep or food,
mental and physical illness, medicine, etc.
In order to be conscious the brain
integrates a complex web of information
from sensory systems and cognitive
processes. Cerebrum, somatosensory,
frontal lobe…what other areas?
Consciousness is influenced
by the Unconscious
Olaf Blanke, MD, Neuroscientist,
Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience, at
the Brain-Mind Institute in Lausanne,
Switzerland
He studies the neuroscientific study of
multisensory body perception and how this
is related to self-consciousness.
https://youtu.be/mD7NzrBgXwM
Introspection
• The only direct way to study
consciousness is to have people look
within themselves, or introspect.
• Introspection is a powerful research tool—but
it is limited.
• People often lack words for experiences.
• Different individuals may use the same words to
describe different experiences.
Cognitive Therapist
Intervention for Introspection
Cognitive Therapy defined
Cognitive Therapy
Adding Conscious Awareness
One tool is the “Automatic Thought
Record”
An Event (picture) triggers feelings and
thoughts for each party
Make yourself aware of how thought,
feeling, and action are intertwined.
ATR for picture
Cognitive Unconscious
• Introspection is also limited due to the
cognitive unconscious.
• Much of what’s going on in our minds
happens outside awareness.
• Many processes of the mind unfold in the
cognitive unconscious.
• People are aware only of the result of those
processes.
Unconscious Functioning
• The scope of the cognitive unconscious is
evident in cases of brain damage.
• We remember without being aware.
• We perceive without being aware.
• unconscious attribution
• the ability to evaluate and interpret evidence while
being unaware of the process
Unconscious Attribution
Projection, making implicit stereotypes,
assumptions, intentions vs. actual actions
Practicing something to the point of musce
memory
Self-deception, Dr Cortney Warren,
Clinical Psychologist
https://youtu.be/YpEeSa6zBTE
Mistaken Introspections
• Introspections are also sometimes
mistaken.
• People don’t realize what factor influenced
their thoughts or behavior.
• Or they insist a factor influenced them even
though it didn’t.
• These cases suggest introspection often is
people’s best after-the-fact estimation of why they
acted or felt the way they did.
Mind-Body Problem
• The mind-body problem:
• The conscious mind is completely different
than the physical body.
• This raises profound questions about the
relationship between mind and body.
Brain Areas Needed
• Many brain areas are needed for
consciousness.
• including areas that govern people’s overall
level of arousal and alertness
• thalamus and reticular activating system
• The exact content of consciousness
depends on diverse brain sites and what a
person is conscious of.
Exploring Consciousness
Drawing Exercise to notice the shift
between conscious drawing and drawing
from your unconscious
Concentration Exercises with music
Thursday
Finish unit on Consciousness.
Exam
Next week is the unit on Learning.
You will meet Klaus. Please let me know if
you have a fear or allergy of dogs. He is
well trained and he will leave you alone as
needed.
Varieties of Consciousness
• Our conscious state changes when we’re
asleep.
• EEG data allows us to distinguish distinct
stages of sleep.
• People seem to need an adequate amount of
sleep as well as the right amount of both
slow-wave and REM sleep.
Dreams
• Dreams are associated with REM sleep.
• Dream showcase a range of ordinary
preoccupations, but they also include weird
elements like being naked in public.
• Many people propose that dreams have
hidden meaning.
• Most researchers say they are just a hodgepodge
of activated images made into a narrative by the
sleeping brain or the person recalling the dream.
Hypnosis
• Hypnosis is another means of altering
someone’s conscious state.
• Many extraordinary claims about hypnosis
have no basis in fact.
• Even so, hypnosis can have striking effects.
• hypnotic analgesia
• blending of powerful social influence with
dissociation
Meditation
• Altered states of consciousness are
associated with some religious practices.
• Brain activity changes during meditation.
• pronounced alpha rhythm (relaxation)
• a rhythm that’s crucial for integrating brain
activity in distinct areas
Drugs
• Depressants
• alcohol, sleep medications, and antianxiety
medications
• Stimulants
• caffeine, cocaine, amphetamine, and MDMA
• decrease need for sleep and lift a person’s energy
level and mood
• bad side effects
Drug Addiction
• All mind-altering drugs have associated
risks.
• medical and psychological problems
• bad choices under their influence
• dependence or addiction
Drug Addiction
• People differ in how readily they become
dependent on a drug, depending on:
• genetic factors
• personality
• environmental factors
• social support
• personal circumstances
Unsolved Mysteries
• Psychology has made large gains in the
study of consciousness.
• But despite tremendous progress, many
questions about the conscious experience
remain unanswered.
Video Clips
This concludes the presentation
slides for Chapter 6
For more learning resources, visit the StudySpace at
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/psych/psychology8/