{"id":3893,"date":"2018-07-22T17:45:31","date_gmt":"2018-07-22T21:45:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/?p=3893"},"modified":"2019-05-25T21:52:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-26T01:52:07","slug":"states-of-consciousness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/introduction-to-psychology\/states-of-consciousness\/","title":{"rendered":"States of Consciousness\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Consciousness <\/u><\/strong>\u00ad awareness of various cognitive processes<\/p>\n

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Sleeping, dreaming, concentrating, making decisions<\/li>\n
2 broad categories\u00ad vary according to how aware we are of processes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
o Waking consciousness<\/strong>\u00ad all thoughts, feelings, perceptions that occur when we are awake and reasonably alert
\no Altered states of consciousness<\/strong>\u00ad mental state that differs noticeably from normal waking<\/p>\n
\uf0a7 Detached from environmental experience to some level<\/p>\n
\u00a0Historical Views<\/h2>\n
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1^{st<\/sup>\u00ad consciousness was psychology\u2019s primary concern<\/li>\n}
Fell out of favor in early 20^{th<\/sup> century\u00ad focus became directly observable and measurable behavior<\/li>\n}
Change in the 1960s\u00ad alternative states of consciousness, increase in cognitive psychology, advancements in Neuroscience, dissatisfaction with behaviorism<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Consciousness and Nonconsicousness: <\/u><\/h3>\n
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One common view\u00ad conscious in only a small peak emerging from a mass of unconscious mental representations and activities that lie below the surface\u00ad not aware of all activities<\/li>\n
Unconscious<\/strong>\u00ad not aware of unconscious forces o Freud\u00ad sexual and aggressive instincts remain largely unconscious o Only way to access psychoanalysis and dream interpretation<\/li>\n
Nonconscious\u00ad<\/strong> no in conscious thoughts o Separate from Freud\u2019s idea of dark forces o Not as emotionally charged<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Cognitive Psychology <\/u><\/strong>\u00ad see consciousness as 1^{st<\/sup> person element of information processing<\/p>\n}
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Sense of self<\/li>\n
Interpret stimuli different based on learning history<\/li>\n
Brain and NS are composed of specialized brain centers and related neural pathways that function somewhat like the divisions of a global corporation. Together, these brain centers provide the self with an overall orientation, a framework of expectations about the world and other people, and an agenda for what should happen next.<\/li>\n
Work nonconsciously and independent most of the time\u00ad brain determines<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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When something new\/unusual\/expected occurs, more than one brain division enter consciousness<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
o Cocktail Party Phenomenon<\/strong>\u00ad hear name across room and pay attention<\/p>\n
\uf0a7 Practicing selective attention<\/p>\n
\u00a0Consciousness and Adaptation<\/h2>\n
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Many of today\u2019s psychologists view consciousness as highly adaptive\u00ad chose for a reason o Pinker\u00ad consciousness is necessary element of human sociability o Have to live\/work in groups to survive\u00ad intelligence and language<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
o Survival depends on how we get along with group o Advantageous to reflect on the self<\/p>\n
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More able to stay in group<\/li>\n
Learn from mistakes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Daydreaming and Fantasy<\/h2>\n
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James Thurber\u2019s \u201cSecret Life of Walter Mitty\u201d\u00ad lived more in daydreams<\/li>\n
Daydreams<\/strong>\u00ad apparently effortless shifts in attention away from here and now to private world of make believe o Urge comes in waves ~ every 90 minutes\u00adpeak between 12 and 2 PM o Average person spends almost \u00bd waking hours fantasizing o Most are variations on central theme\u00ad unfulfilled wishes\/goals o Fall into distinct categories:\n
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Positive<\/strong>\u00ad pleasant, playful, entertaining scenarios<\/li>\n
Negative<\/strong>\u00ad extremely achievement orientated people<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Recurring themes of frustration, guilt, fear of failure, hostility<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Image worst possible outcome<\/p>\n
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Scattered\u00ad<\/strong> loosely connected, worrisome daydreams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Less pleasant<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Anxious people<\/p>\n
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Purposefu<\/strong>l\u00ad solve problems, think aloud, develop insights<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Curious people<\/p>\n
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Does daydreaming serve any useful function?\n
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Negative aspects<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Interference with production activities<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Replacement of real\u00adlife relationships<\/p>\n
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Positive Aspects<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Provide a break\/refresher<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Working through hostile feelings\u00ad Freudian psyc.<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Problem solving, interpersonal skills, creativity\u00ad cognitive psychology<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Enduring difficult decisions\u00ad POW EX<\/p>\n
\u00a0Sleep <\/u><\/strong>\u00ad characterized by decrease in voluntary body movements and awareness of surroundings<\/p>\n
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~ 1\/3 of our lives<\/li>\n
Necessity\u00ad not a luxury<\/li>\n
Deprivation used as form of torture\/interrogation<\/li>\n
How long we sleep, where, in what positions, and other details vary from species to species.\n
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In general\u00ad large animals sleep less than small animals\n
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Takes large animals longer to find enough food for E<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Circadian Cycles<\/strong>: The biological clock o Sleep and waking follow a daily cycle\n
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Human biological clock\u00ad tiny cluster of neurons in the hypothalamus that responds to a change in the levels of proteins in the body (blood stream)\n
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Self\u00adsustaining<\/li>\n
Functions in the absence of external cues to the cycle of day\/night\u00ad maintains~ 24 hour cycle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Melatonin<\/strong>\u00ad play key role in adaptation to light\/dark\n
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Produced by pineal gland around dusk or cease of light<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Rhythms of Sleep:<\/strong> predictable order from sleep studies o \u201cgoing to sleep\u201d\u00ad losing awareness\/failing to respond to external stimulir that would produce response in waking state\n
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brain waves resemble relaxed state o Stage 1<\/strong>\u00ad brain waves resemble being alert\/excited<\/li>\n
Decreased pulse, muscle relaxing, side to side rolling movement of eyes o Stage 2<\/strong>\u00ad short rhythmic bursts of activity\u00ad sleep spindles\u00ad periodically appear on EEG<\/li>\n
Fairly hard to awaken o Stage 3<\/strong>\u00ad delta waves\u00ad slow waves with very high peaks<\/li>\n
Fairly hard to awaken o Stage 4<\/strong>\u00ad brain emits VERY slow delta waves<\/li>\n
HR, Respiratory rate, BP, body temperature all get as low as they will during the night<\/li>\n
Lasts longer if haven\u2019t slept in a while o About an hour after falling asleep, ascend from Stage 4 into Stage 3, Stage 2, and back to Stage 1<\/li>\n
Takes about 40 minutes<\/li>\n
Perform cycle several times during the night o REM sleep<\/strong>\u00ad characterized by rapid eye movement and increased dreaming<\/li>\n
Paradoxical sleep<\/strong>\u00ad brain waves active, body non\u00adresponsive<\/li>\n
Associated more strongly with dreaming o Non\u00adREM sleep<\/strong>\u00ad alternate with REM stages during sleep cycle<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Stage 1 REM sleep lasts about 10 minutes and is followed by Stages 2,3,and 4 of nonREM sleep (~90 min cycle)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Sleep Disorders: <\/u><\/p>\n
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Sleepwalking and Sleep talking<\/strong>\u00ad usually in Stage 4 o More common among children ( 1 in 5) o Not dangerous but difficult to wake up<\/li>\n
Night terrors<\/strong>\u00ad sleepers suddenly sit\u00adup in bed, often screaming out of fear o Usually do not recall dream itself\u00ad just fear o Usually seen in children ages 4\/12<\/li>\n
Insomnia<\/strong>\u00ad inability to fall or remain asleep\n
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Onset\u00ad do not fall asleep\u00ad usually associated with stress o Maintenance\u00ad cannot stay asleep<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Apnea<\/strong>\u00ad breathing difficulty during the night, feelings of exhaustion during the day o Usually seen in obese or diabetic people\n
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Do not spend enough time sleeping\u00ad tired during the day<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Narcolepsy<\/strong>\u00ad suddenly nodding off during the day and sudden loss of muscle tone following moments of emotional excitement o Usually manifest in mid\u00adchildhood o Hereditary<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Dreams<\/h2>\n
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Every culture, including our own, attaches meaning to dreams\n
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Deities<\/li>\n
Actions in different realities<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Dreams<\/strong>\u00ad vivid visual and auditory experiences that occur primarily during REM sleep o Average person has ~ 4\u00ad5 each night\u00ad 1\u00ad2 hours total time<\/li>\n
Dreams as unconscious wishes o Freud\u00ad live out what we\u2019d like to do o Permit themselves to express primitive desires that re relatively free of moral controls o Even in a dream\u00adhostile feelings may be censored and transformed into symbolic form<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0a7 Accounts for illogical nature of dreams<\/p>\n
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Dreams as Information processing o Reprocess information gathered during the day o Strengthening memory of information is crucial for survival\n
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TV channel surfing EX<\/li>\n
Research\u00ad both humans and non humans spend more time in REM sleep after learning difficult material<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Dreams and Neural Activity o Alan Hobson\u00ad activation\u00adsynthesis Theory\n
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Dreams are a result of neurons misfiring from pons and BS<\/li>\n
Cerebral cortex tries to make sense of meaningless<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Dreams and Walking life o Extension of conscious concerns of daily life in altered, non disguised form o Worry transforms intro dream life<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Drug \u00adAltered Consciousness<\/h2>\n
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In nearly every culture throughout history, people have sought ways to alter waking consciousness<\/li>\n
Psychoactive Drugs\u00ad chemical substances that change moods, perceptions, mental functions, and behavior<\/li>\n
Of all psychoactive substances, Alcohol has longest history of widespread use o Usually try to find something to ferment for alcohol o Known as Aqua Viate\u00ad \u201cwater for life\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0a7 Mixed water with alcohol to make drinking water safe<\/p>\n
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Today\u2019s drug problem is different from drug use in other societies and times o Motives for using psychoactive drugs have changed\n
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Used as religious devices\u00ad communicate with deity<\/li>\n
Today\u00ad use to get high o Drugs themselves have changed<\/li>\n
Stronger<\/li>\n
Not ingesting the same type constantly o New, synthetic drugs appear regularly with unpredictable consequences<\/li>\n
Club Drugs<\/strong>\u00ad not around long enough to see long\u00adterm effects<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Depressants <\/u>: Alcohol, Barbiturates, and Opiates<\/p>\n
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Depressants<\/strong>\u00ad slow down activity in CNS o Feelings of calmness and drowsiness o Sleep allows less anxiety\n
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Alcoho<\/strong>l\u00ad intoxicating ingredient in whiskey, beer, wine, and other fermented\/distilled liquors\n
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Effects depend on individual, social setting, cultural attitudes, but also how much an individual consumes and how fast<\/li>\n
Alcohol is US #1 drug problem<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa ~ 8 mil US are alcoholics<\/p>\n
\uf0fa ~100,000 US die every year from mixing drugs with alcohol<\/p>\n
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Barbiturates<\/strong>\u00ad potentially deadly depressants\n
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1^{st<\/sup> used for sedative\/anti\u00adconvulsion properties<\/li>\n}
Now used only to treat epilepsy and arthritis<\/li>\n
1950s\u00ad researchers began to realize that barbiturates were more addictive and potentially lethal<\/li>\n
Continued use leads to tolerance\u00ad increase does to get same effect but OD level stays the same<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Opiates<\/strong>\u00ad psychoactive substances derived from or resembling the seedpod of the opium poppy\n
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Incredibly addictive and hard to get off of<\/li>\n
Mainly used in folk medicine<\/li>\n
Changes in way opium and its derivative morphine were used opened doors to abuse<\/li>\n
Morphine\u00ad<\/strong> derivative of opium that became widespread during the Civil War<\/li>\n
Heroin\u00ad<\/strong> introduced in 1898 as a cure for morphine addiction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Created an even stronger addiction<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Can smoke, snort, or inject \uf0fa Effects:<\/p>\n
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Rush of drug<\/li>\n
Serious health conditions o Spontaneous abortions o Collapsed veins o HIV, hepatitis<\/li>\n
Easy to OD\u00ad cannot predict potency of each batch<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\u00a0Stimulants<\/h2>\n
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Amphetamines<\/strong>\u00ad stimulant drugs that initially produces \u201crushes\u201d of euphoria often followed by sudden \u201ccrashes\u201d\n
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Used in WW2 to keep soldiers fighting o Effects:\n
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Increased alertness\u00ad work extra shifts<\/li>\n
Appetite suppressant<\/li>\n
Sweating, heart palpitations that can lead to shock<\/li>\n
Formication\u00ad \u201cinsects inside skin\u201d<\/li>\n
Amphetamine psychosis\u00ad paranoid schizophrenia<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Methamphetamine<\/strong>\u00ad speed, fire, ice, crank ,crystal o Ecstasy\u00ad acts as both stimulant and hallucinogen\n
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Become more emotionally close to people around them<\/li>\n
Produced in Dallas\u00ad used for therapy<\/li>\n
Body temperature increases\u00ad cooking brain in skull<\/li>\n
Water intoxication<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n
Hallucinogens\u00ad<\/strong> natural\/synthetic drugs that cause shifts in perception or experience of imaginary landscapes, settings and beings o LSD\u00ad<\/strong> lysergic acid diethylamide<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0a7 \u201cbad trips\u201d\u00ad unpleasant experiences may be set off by a change in dosage or an alternation in setting\/mood<\/p>\n
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Marijuana<\/strong>\u00ad mild hallucinogen that produces feelings of euphoria, sense of wellbeing, swings in mood\n
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May also cause feelings of anxiety and paranoia<\/li>\n
Active ingredient\u00ad THC\u00ad shares some chemical properties with hallucinogens like LSD but with fare less potency \uf0a7 Physical effects:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
\uf0fa Red eyes, weak eyelid muscles<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Bronchial problems<\/p>\n
\uf0fa Fertility issues<\/p>\n
Temporal disintegration\u00ad lose track of time<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u00a0Consciousness \u00ad awareness of various cognitive processes Sleeping, dreaming, concentrating, making decisions 2 broad categories\u00ad vary according to how aware we are of processes o Waking consciousness\u00ad all thoughts,… Continue Reading States of Consciousness\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[99],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3893"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3893"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4756,"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3893\/revisions\/4756"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.amyork.ca\/academic\/zz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}