Transcript Consciousness

Consciousness
Unit 5
Consciousness
Modules 23-26
Consciousness
Module 23: States of Consciousness
• Consciousness
• Altered state of consciousness (ASC)
Consciousness
States of Consciousness
• Consciousness and culture
– Throughout history, people have found ways to
alter consciousness
– Meaning varies greatly
– Cultural conditioning greatly affects how we
perceive altered states
Consciousness
States of Consciousness
• Theories of Hypnosis
– Dissociative state (Highway hypnosis)
– Hidden observer
– Nonstate
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Hypnotic susceptibility
Consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness
Hypnosis
• Effects of hypnosis
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Strength
Memory
Amnesia
Pain relief
Age regression
Sensory changes
Consciousness
Meditation
• Concentrative meditation
• Mindfulness meditation
– Mantra
• Relaxation response
Consciousness
Sensory Deprivation (SD)
• Benefits
– Sensory enhancement
– Relaxation
Consciousness
Consciousness
Hypnosis, Meditation, and Sensory Deprivation
• Mindfulness and well-being
– Open, nonjudgmental awareness of current
experience
– Associated with self-knowledge and well-being
– Research: cancer patients
Consciousness
Module 24: Sleep and Dreams
• Sleep is an innate biological rhythm
• Hypersomnia
• Microsleep
• Sleep deprivation
• Sleep-deprivation psychosis
Consciousness
Sleep
• Sleep-waking cycle
– Circadian rhythms
• Sleep patterns
– Short sleepers (less than five hours/night)
– Long sleepers (over nine hours/night)
Consciousness
Consciousness
Brain wave patterns
Consciousness
Sleep
• Measuring sleep changes
– Electroencephalograph (EEG), measures brain
wave patterns in CPS (Cycles per second)
– Beta waves (13-24 CPS)
– Alpha waves (8-12 CPS)
– Theta waves (4-7 CPS)
– Delta waves (less than 4 CPS)
Consciousness
Sleep
• Stages of Sleep
– Stage 1:
• Hypnic jerk
– Stage 2:
• Sleep spindles
– Stage 3:
• Delta waves
– Stage 4:
• Purely delta waves
Consciousness
Sleep
• The dual process hypothesis of sleep
– Rapid eye movement (REM)
• Dreaming
• Muscle paralysis
• REM behavioral disorder
• Hypnopompic hallucinations
– Non-REM (NREM) sleep
• Stages 1, 2, 3, and 4
• Dream-free most of the time, but dreams can and
do occur in NREM sleep
Consciousness
Consciousness
Sleep Disorders and Disturbances
• Insomnia
– Temporary insomnia
– Drug-dependency insomnia
– Chronic insomnia
Consciousness
Sleep Disturbances
• Behavioral remedies for insomnia
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Stimulus control
Sleep restriction
Paradoxical intention
Relaxation
Exercise
Food intake
Avoid stimulants
Consciousness
Sleep Disturbances
• Sleepwalking (somnambulism)
• Sleeptalking
• Sleepsex - sexsomnia
Consciousness
Consciousness
Sleep Disturbances
• Nightmares and night terrors
– Nightmares
• Imagery rehearsal
– Night terrors
• Total panic with hallucinations of frightening dream
images
Consciousness
Sleep Disturbances
• Sleep apnea
– Repeated interrupted breathing during sleep
– Treated by surgery, weight loss, breathing mask
• Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
– Sudden and unexplained death
– Crib death
– “Back to Sleep”
Consciousness
Consciousness
Sleep Disturbances
• Narcolepsy
– Sudden, irresistible sleep attacks
• Cataplexy
– Sudden temporary paralysis of muscles
• Sodium oxybate
Consciousness
A humorous example of narcolepsy
Consciousness
Dreams – A Separate Reality
• Dreaming
– Most dream four or five times a night
– Non-dreamers
– Most dreams reflect everyday events
• Dreams
– About 90 minutes apart
– Dreams occur in real time
• REM rebound
Consciousness
Dreams Theories
• Psychodynamic dream theory (Freud)
• Wish fulfillment
• Dream symbols
– Manifest content
– Latent content
Consciousness
Dreams Theories
• Activation-synthesis hypothesis (Hobson &
McCarley)
– Dream content affected by motor commands in the
brain during sleep that are not carried out
– During REM sleep
• Several lower brain centers are “turned on”
(activated)
• Brain searches through stored memories and
manufactures (synthesizes) a dream
Consciousness
Dreams Theories
• Neurocognitive dream theory (Domhoff)
– Dreams have more in common with waking
thoughts and emotions
– Dreams are a conscious expression of REM sleep
processes
– Sorting and storing daily experiences
Consciousness
Module 25: Psychoactive Drugs
• Psychoactive drug
– Substance capable of altering consciousness
• Stimulant
– Increases activity in body and nervous system
• Depressant
– Decreases activity in body and nervous system
Consciousness
Consciousness
Drug-Altered Consciousness
• Drug Dependence
– Physical dependence
• Drug tolerance
• Withdrawal symptoms
– Psychological dependence
• Dependence based on psychological or emotional
needs
Consciousness
Drug-Altered Consciousness
• Patterns of Abuse
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Experimental
Social-recreational
Situational
Intensive
Compulsive
• Polydrug abuse
Consciousness
Uppers
• Amphetamine
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Dexedrine
Methamphetamine
Adderall and Ritalin
Amphetamine psychosis
The visible impact of crystal meth use
• Cocaine
– Leaves of coca plant
– Increases dopamine and noradrenaline
– Anhedonia
Consciousness
Uppers
• MDMA (Ecstasy)
– Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
– Chemically similar to amphetamine
– Repeated use damages serotonergic brain cells
• Caffeine
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Causes tremors, sweating, talkativeness, tinnitus
Suppresses fatigue or sleepiness
Hazardous to pregnant women if used excessively
Caffeinism
Consciousness
Uppers
• Nicotine
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Natural stimulant found mainly in tobacco
Known carcinogen
Addictive
Lung cancer deaths
E-cigarettes
• “Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body”
– Cancers, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory
diseases, and reproductive disorders
Consciousness
Downers
• Narcotics
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Opium poppies
Opium
Morphine
Heroin
Methadone
Consciousness
Downers
• Barbiturates
– Sedative drugs that depress brain activity
– Seconal & Amytal
• GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate)
– CNS depressant that relaxes and sedates
– Combination of degreasing solvent and drain
cleaner
– Inhibits gag reflex
– Addictive and deadly
Consciousness
Downers
• Tranquilizers
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Lower anxiety and reduce tension
Valium, Xanax, Halcion, and Librium
Rohypnol (“Roofies”)
Physical dependence and severe emotional
depression
• Combining barbiturates with alcohol is risky
Leads to a synergistic effect
Consciousness
Downers
• Alcohol
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Ethyl alcohol
Depressant of CNS
Fermented and distilled liquors
NOT a stimulant but DOES lower inhibitions
Sex
• “Provokes the desire, but it takes away the
performance”
– Alcohol myopia
Consciousness
Downers
• Patterns of drinking
– Binge drinking
• Consuming 5 or more drinks in a short time
– Moderated drinking
• Drink slowly, eat, limit drinking to first hour of event
Consciousness
Consciousness
Downers
• Treatment for alcohol abuse and dependence
– Detoxification
• Withdrawal of the person from alcohol
– Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
• Worldwide self-help organization composed of
recovering alcoholics
– Rational Recovery
– Secular Organizations for Sobriety (SOS)
Consciousness
Hallucinogens
• Hallucinogen
– Substance that alters or distorts sensory
impressions
• Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD)
– Produce hallucinations and psychotic disturbances
in thinking and perception
Consciousness
Hallucinogens
• PCP (angel dust)
– Initially can have hallucinogenic effects
– Anesthetic with stimulant and depressant effects
• Mescaline (peyote)
• Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)
Consciousness
Hallucinogens
• Marijuana (Cannabis Sativa)
– Active chemical: THC
– Relaxation, time distortion, perceptual distortions
– Psychologically, NOT physiologically, addictive
Consciousness
Hallucinogens
• Health risks of using marijuana
– Increased risk of prostate, lung, and cervical
cancer
– Suppresses immune system
– Affects activity levels in cerebellum
– Some evidence it damages brain’s memory
functions
– Brain inflamation
– Sexual dysfunction in men
Consciousness
Consciousness
Module 26: Exploring and Using Dreams
• Freud
– Four dream processes that hide true meanings of
dreams
• Condensation
• Displacement
• Symbolization
• Secondary elaboration
Consciousness
Dream Work
• Gestalt therapy: Perls
– Special message about what is missing in our lives
– Dreams fill in gaps in our personal experience
• Lucid dreaming
– Feel fully awake within the dream and capable of
normal thought and action
– Can be used for creative problem-solving