Transcript Chapter Five- Consciousness 2015

Consciousness
CHAPTER FIVE
Truth or Fiction
 If it were not for cues such as the sunrise
and sunset, people would act as if a day
were 25 hours long.
 TRUTH
 The only time people dream is just before
they wake up.
 FICTION
 It is possible to hypnotize any person at any
time.
 FICTION
 People who are drunk always know that
they are drunk.
 FICTION
The Study of
Consciousness
SECTION ONE
I. Meanings of Consciousness
A. Consciousness as Sensory Awareness: we are aware of the items we see,
smell, taste, hear, and feel
 We can be unaware of sensory stimulation
 We are more aware of unusual stimuli or intense stimuli
B. Consciousness as Direct Inner Awareness: we are aware of things within
ourselves (memories, past experiences, etc.)
C. Consciousness as Sense of Self: we are aware that we are unique individuals,
separate from other people and their surroundings
II. Levels of Consciousness
A. Total Consciousness: we are aware of our awareness
B. The Preconscious Level: we can answer a question
about something by recalling it, even if we aren’t
presently thinking about it; we simply direct our
attention to it
 Ex: What did you have for dinner last night?
C. The Unconscious Level: also called the subconscious; this
information is hidden from us and is unavailable
 Freud says we “hide” painful memories and certain
unacceptable impulses—like aggression
 We protect ourselves from feelings of anxiety, guilt, or
shame
D. The Non-conscious Level: includes some basic biological
functions
 Our fingernails grow, our pupils dilate, we breathe
III. Altered States of Consciousness
A person’s sense of self or senses of the world changes
Examples: sleep, drugs, and medications
Sleep and Dreams
SECTION TWO
We sleep about one-third of our lives
Circadian Rhythms: biological clocks, govern how we function; include a
sequence of bodily changes (body temperature, blood pressure, and sleep
patterns) that occur on a 24-hour schedule
Sample Circadian Rhythm
I. The Stages of Sleep
 Defined in terms of brain wave patterns measured by EEGs
 Four brain wave patterns: alpha, beta, theta, and delta waves
A. Awake/Alert to Drowsiness
1. We emit beta waves—short and quick waves
2. As we relax, we emit alpha waves—a little slower; we may experience
flashes of color or feelings of falling
B. Stage One
1. The lightest stage of sleep
2. Brain waves move from alpha to the slower rhythm of
theta waves
3. Includes brief images, similar to photographs
4. We will remember these images if we awake from stage
one sleep
5. Lasts no more than 30-40 minutes
C. Stages Two to Four
1. We move from stage two to three to four
2. Stages 3 and 4 are the deepest stages and we emit the slowest brain
waves—delta waves
3. We have the hardest time waking from stage four sleep
4. After 50 minutes, we move to stage four and back through the stages
to stage one again
D. Rapid Eye Movement / REM Sleep
1. We breathe more irregularly, our blood pressure rises, and the heart
beats faster; our brain wave patterns are similar to stage one (theta
waves)
2. Beneath our closed eyelids, our eyes move quickly
3. REM sleep becomes longer as we approach morning
4. REM sleep may help brain development in infants and may exercise
brain cells in adults

During 8 hours of sleep, we may go through five sleep cycles (1 to 2 to
3 to 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 to REM to 1 to 2, etc.)
II. Why We Sleep
A. For our health: to revive our tired bodies, to build up resistance to
infection, we can help recover from stress
B. When we go without sleep…
1. Randy Gardner’s study in 1964 found people became irrational
2. We become irritable, our eyes do not focus, we have speech difficulties
and memory lapses
3. When deprived of only REM sleep, we experience longer REM sleep
when we’re able to reach this stage
III. Dreams
A. Characteristics
1. May be in color or black and white
2. May be realistic or totally disorganized
3. Sometimes we dream in “real time,” a ten minute dream takes ten
minutes for us to dream it
4. Most dreams are extensions of our daily activities
B. We often don’t remember dreams because we are unable to hold on to
information from one state of consciousness to another
C. Freud’s View
1. Our dreams reflect our
unconscious
wishes/urges
2. Unacceptable and
painful wishes may
appear in symbolic
form
D. The Bio-psychological Approach
1. Dreams begin when neurons stimulate the
section of the brain that controls movement
and vision
2. The brain responds to these random stimuli
by creating stories—whatever is stimulated
is the basis for our dream
◦ Ex: if the part of our brain that controls
running is stimulated, our dream would
center on running in some way
E. Sleep Problems
1. Insomnia: the inability to sleep, usually the
inability to fall asleep at bedtime
a. Racing minds at bedtime
b. Becomes worse when we try to fall asleep—
increases tension
c. Solution? Sleeping pills or a variety of
techniques (tense/relax muscles, avoid
worrying in bed, stick to a routine, relax with
daydreams/pleasant images)
2. Nightmares/Night Terrors: dreams that frighten
us
a. Usually affect people who are anxious or
depressed
b. Night terrors: more severe than nightmares,
memories may be vague, our hearts race and
we gasp for air; tend to occur during deep sleep
(stages 3 and 4) and closer to the beginning of
sleep
c. May be due to immature nervous systems;
common with children
3. Sleepwalking: roaming around during
sleep
4. Sleep Apnea: breathing interruptions
during sleep
a. May result in being tired in the
morning
b. Caused by blocked air passages
c. May be linked to SIDS
5. Narcolepsy: falling asleep at any time in any place
a. Very rare
b. Go straight to REM sleep
c. Treated with medication and frequent naps
Altered States When
We're Awake
SECTION THREE
I. Meditation
A. Definition: narrowing our consciousness
B. Techniques: focus on a peaceful, repetitive stimulus
1. Looking into a candle or oil lamp
2. Looking at intricate/detailed drawings
3. Repeating mantras (pleasing sounds like “om”) and focusing on the
sounds
C. Important in some religions (Buddhism)
II. Biofeedback: Feeding Back Information
A. Definition: a system that provides the information about something
happening in the body; through training, people control certain bodily
functions
B. Uses
1. To produce relaxing brain waves
2. To relax forehead muscles and stop headaches
3. To lower heart rates and blood pressure
C. A machine is needed to perform the process
III. Hypnosis
A. Definition: a “sleep-like” state in which people respond to
suggestions and/or answer questions
B. Uses
1. To help people relax, reduce anxiety, manage pain, or
overcome fears
2. As an anesthetic in surgery
C. Can only occur if the patient is willing!
D. Effectiveness
1. Post-hypnotic Suggestion: technique in which behavior
changes after hypnosis
 Some people have stopped smoking after hypnosis
IV. Déjà Vu
A feeling of re-experiencing a specific situation
Can be used to relive the experiences of past lives
Some epileptics experience déjà vu prior to having a seizure
V. Lucid Dreaming
A dream in which the dreamer is aware he/she
is dreaming
Can happen naturally
Through training, people are able to place
themselves into dreams
◦ Used to relax and relieve stress
Is different from dream control in which the
dreamer directs his/her dreams
Drugs and
Consciousness
SECTION FOUR
DRUGS HAVE A VARIETY OF EFFECTS ON THE BODY…THEREFORE
THEY ALSO AFFECT US PSYCHOLOGICALLY!
I. Depressants
A. Definition: drugs that slow down the nervous system (breathing, movement, etc.); may
make people feel relaxed
B. Examples
1. Alcohol
a. Small doses may make people feel relaxed, but large doses can up a person to sleep
b. Can cause intoxication and may be fatal
c. People may become addictive –alcoholics
2. Narcotics: addictive depressants used to relieve pain and induce sleep
a. Includes: morphine, heroin, and codeine
b. Users may suffer withdrawal symptoms (tremors, chills, cramps, rapid heartbeat,
insomnia, vomiting, and diarrhea)
II. Stimulants
A. Definition: drugs that increase the activity of the nervous system
B. Examples
1. Nicotine
a. Spurs the release of adrenaline, which increases the user’s heart rate
b. Reduces the appetite and increases metabolism
c. Is addictive; quitters suffer from withdrawal
d. Can cause serious health risks and thus the surgeon general’s
warnings
2. Amphetamines (speed)
a. Known for helping people stay awake and reducing one’s appetite
b. High doses can produce feelings of pleasure and highs, but the users
usually “crash” or come down quickly and become depressed
c. Can lead to hallucinations (people see/hear things that aren’t real—
seeing/feeling bugs crawling all over you) and delusions (a false idea
that seems real—thinking you can fly)
3. Cocaine
 Produces feelings of pleasure, reduces hunger, deadens pain, and
boasts self-confidence
 Also raises blood pressure and decreases the supply of oxygen to the
brain
III. Hallucinogens
A. Definition: a drug that produces hallucinations; may produce feelings of
pleasure, but may also induce panic
B. Examples
1. Marijuana: leads to relaxation and very mild hallucinations
a. Can impair perception, coordination, memory, and learning
b. Used to treat minor aches and pains over 100 years ago (like Tylenol
and aspirin today)
2. LSD/Acid: much stronger than marijuana, produces strong hallucinations
a. Users claim they become extremely creative, but may forget when the
effects wear off
b. Effects are not predictable
c. Long or continuous use can lead to flashbacks
IV. Drug Abuse Treatments
A. Detoxification: remove the drug from the body
B. Maintenance Programs: participants are given controlled amounts of the
drug or a less addictive substitute
 Example: nicotine gum to help quit smoking
C. Counseling: individually or in groups
D. Support Groups: include several people who share similar experiences,
concerns, or problems; useful to provide emotional and moral support
 Example: Alcoholics Anonymous