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States ofConsciousness

Ms. SimonChapter 7

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AIM: How can we study sleep and consciousness?

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History of Consciousness

1. Psychology began as a science of consciousness.

2. Behaviorists argued about alienating consciousness from psychology.

3. After 1960, mental concepts (consciousness) started reentering psychology.

Studies: Mere exposure effect, Priming

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Consciousness, modern psychologists believe, is an awareness of ourselves and our environment.

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Levels of Consciousness• Conscious Level: information

about yourself and your environment in awareness

• Nonconscious Level: Body processes controlled by your brain stem and medulla

• Subconscious Level: Information we are not consciously aware of

• Unconscious Level: Events or feelings that are repressed from the conscious mind

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Neuroscience & Consciousness

Neuroscientists believe that consciousness emerges from the interaction of individual

brain events much like a chord that is created from different musical notes.

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Consciousness & Information Processing

The unconscious mind processes information simultaneously on multiple tracks, while the

conscious mind processes information sequentially.

Conscious mind

Unconscious mind

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Sleep & Dreams

Sleep – state of rest where the brain cycles through 90 minute stages

Mysteries about sleep and dreams have just startedunraveling in sleep laboratories around the world.

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Biological Rhythms

1. Annual cycles2. 28 day cycles- menstrual cycle3. 24 hour cycle= Circadian Rhythm4. 90 minutes cycles- sleep

Biological rhythms are controlled byinternal “biological clocks.”

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Biological Rhythms

2. 28-day cycles: The female menstrual cycle averages 28 days. Research shows menstruation may not affect moods.

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Biological Rhythms

3. 24-hour cycles: Humans experience 24-hour cycles of varying alertness (sleep), body temperature, and growth hormone secretion.

4. 90-minute cycles: We go through various stages of sleep in 90-minute cycles.

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Rhythm of Sleep

Circadian Rhythms occur on a 24-hour cycle and include sleep and wakefulness, which are disrupted during transcontinental flights.

Light triggers the suprachiasmatic nucleus to decrease(morning) melatonin from the pineal gland

and increase (evening) it at night fall.

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Measuring sleep: About every 90 minutes, we pass through a cycle of five distinct sleep stages.

Sleep Stages

Hank Morgan/ Rainbow

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Awake & Alert

During strong mental engagement, the brain exhibits low amplitude and fast,

irregular beta waves (15-30 cps). An awake person involved in a conversation shows

beta activity.

Beta Waves

Do Now:

• Rate your alertness on a scale of 1-10.

• Close your eyes, relax, focus on your breathing.

• Now rate your alertness

AIM: How can we characterize the different stages of sleep?

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Awake but Relaxed

When an individual closes his eyes but remains awake, his brain activity slows

down to a large amplitude and slow, regular alpha waves (9-14 cps). A

meditating person exhibits an alpha brain activity.

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Slow, regular wave form called theta waves (5-8 cps). A person who is daydreaming

shows theta activity.Vivid hallucinations

Sleep spindles during stage 2

Sleep Stages 1-2

Theta Waves

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During deepest sleep (stages 3-4), brain activity slows down. There are large-

amplitude, slow delta waves (1.5-4 cps).Delta sleep (Stage 4): body releases growth

hormone, fortify our immune system

Sleep Stages 3-4

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Stage 5: REM Sleep

•After reaching the deepest sleep stage (4), the sleep cycle starts moving backward

towards stage 1. •the brain engages in low- amplitude, fast and regular beta waves (15-40 cps) much

like awake-aroused state.

A person during this sleep exhibitsRapid Eye Movements (REM)

and reports vivid dreams.

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REM Sleep is known as “paradoxical sleep”

• Body is paralyzed and still, mind is active

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90-Minute Cycles During Sleep

With each 90-minute cycle, stage 4 sleep decreases and the duration of REM sleep

increases.REM Rebound- return to REM more quickly

Which stage of sleep:

• Is characterized by Delta waves?– Stage 4

• Exhibits sleep Spindles?– Stage 2

• Is known as “paradoxical sleep”?• Is when growth hormone is produced?• Increases as the night goes on ?• Is characterized by suppressed muscle

tone

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AIM: Why do we sleep?Jose L

uis Pelaez, Inc./ Corbis

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Sleep Deprivation

1. Fatigue and subsequent death.

2. Impaired concentration.

3. Emotional irritability.

4. Depressed immune system.

5. Greater vulnerability.

Do Now: Write down a description of a vivid dream

you have experienced recently

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Dreams

The link between REM sleep and dreaming

has opened up a new era of dream research.

AIM: Why do we dream?

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What do we Dream?1. Negative Emotional Content

2. Failure Dreams

3. Sexual Dreams

4. Dreams of Gender

5. Lucid Dreaming- the ability to be aware of and/or in control of dreaming

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Why do we dream?

1. Wish Fulfillment: -Proposed by Freud in The Interpretation of Dreams-The dream’s manifest (apparent) content may also have symbolic meanings (latent content) -Latent content signifies our unacceptable feelings (id)

http://www.dreammoods.com/

Manifest Content: Your sister drinking red punch

Latent Content: BLOOD!!!!

Why is Freud’s theory criticized?

NOT SCIENTIFIC

NO COMPELLING

EVIDENCE

Why do we dream?

2. Information Processing: Dreams may help sift, sort, and fix a day’s experiences in our memoriesREM sleep

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Why do we dream?

3. Activation-Synthesis Theory: (Hobson and McCarley)-Activation: the pons and emotional areas (limbic system) generates random bursts of action potentials to the forebrain- Synthesis: dreamer makes up a story line

(Frontal Cortex)

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Why do we dream?

All dream researchers believe we need REM sleep. When

deprived of REM sleep and then allowed to sleep,we show increased REM sleep called REM

Rebound.

AIM: How can we study altered states of consciousness?

• Dreams

• Hypnosis

• Drugs

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Hypnosis

Hypnos: Greek god of sleep

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An altered state of consciousness

characterized by deep relaxation and

heightened suggestibility

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Aspects of Hypnosis

1. Posthypnotic Suggestion: Suggestion carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized.

2. Posthypnotic Amnesia: Supposed inability to recall what one experienced during hypnosis.

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Facts and Falsehood Those who practice hypnosis agree that its power resides in the subject’s openness to suggestion.

Can anyone experience hypnosis? Yes, to some extent.

Can hypnosis enhance recall of forgotten events?

No.

Can hypnosis be therapeutic?

Can hypnosis alleviate pain?

Can hypnosis force people to act against their will?

Yes. Self-suggestion can heal too.

Yes. Lamaze can do that too.

No.

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Facts and Falsehood Those who practice hypnosis agree that its power resides in the subject’s openness to suggestion.

Can anyone experience hypnosis?

Can hypnosis enhance recall of forgotten events?

Can hypnosis be therapeutic?

Can hypnosis alleviate pain?

Can hypnosis force people to act against their will?

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Is Hypnosis an Altered State of Consciousness?

1.Role Theory/Social Influence Theory: Hypnotic subjects may simply be imaginative actors playing a social role.

(Hilgard, 1992)

Courtesy of N

ews and Publications Service, Stanford U

niversity

2. Divided Consciousness Theory: a. Hypnosis is a special state of dissociated (divided) consciousnessb. proposed by Ernest Hilgardc. one active, one “hidden observer”

True or False:1) Addictive drugs can quickly corrupt and lead to other drug

addiction2) Addiction cannot be overcome voluntarily

3) Addiction is no different than other pleasure-seeking

behaviors

• Do Now: 1) Hold up homework

Summary

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DO Now:

• What do the following have in common:– Coffee– Diet pills– Tylenol PM– Adderral– Four Loko– Cocaine– Viagra

AIM: How can drugs affect our consciousness?

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Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drug: A chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood (effects

consciousness).

Drugs can affect the central nervous system as agonists- mimic neurotransmitters or

antagonists-block neurotransmitters

Interpret this graph:

1 2

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Dependence & Addiction

Continued use of a psychoactive drug produces tolerance. With repeated exposure to a drug, the drug’s effect lessens. Thus it takes greater quantities to get the desired effect.

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Withdrawal & Dependence

1. Withdrawal: Upon stopping use of a drug (after addiction), users may experience the undesirable effects of withdrawal.

2. Dependence: Absence of a drug may lead to a feeling of physical pain, intense cravings (physical dependence), and negative emotions (psychological dependence).

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Psychoactive Drugs

Psychoactive drugs are divided into three groups.

1. Depressants 2. Stimulants3. Hallucinoge

ns

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Depressants

Depressants are drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functions. They include:

1. Alcohol 2. Barbiturat

es3. Opiates

• Category

• Effect on the Central Nervous System

• Positive Effects

• Adverse Effects

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Alcohol

1. Alcohol affects motor skills, judgment, and memory…and increases aggressiveness while reducing self awareness.

Drinking and Driving

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Barbiturates

2. Barbiturates: Depressant, mimic the effects of alcohol, reduces anxiety, sleeping aidsCan impair memory and judgmentExample: Xanax

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Depressants

3. Opiates: Opium, heroin, morphine

Agonists: mimic endorphins, suppresses nervous system, leads to lethargy

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Stimulants

Stimulants are drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

1. Caffeine2. Nicotine3. Cocaine4. Ecstasy5. Amphetamines6. Methamphetami

nes

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Caffeine & NicotineCaffeine and nicotine increase heart and

breathing rates and other autonomic functions to provide energy. CRASH- fatigue, headaches

Nicotine lasts 15-30 minutes

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AmphetaminesStimulant- energy, reduces dopamine over time leading to

depression, euphoria, leads to insomnia, seizures, aggressionMethamphetamine: Crystal Meth

Amphetamines: speed, “study drugs” adderallN

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EcstasyStimulant and mild

hallucinogen, releases dopamine and works

on serotonin receptors, feeling of

euphoria, connectedness, impaired sleep,

memory and immune system and cognitive functions impaired

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CocaineStimulant, lasts 15-30 mins , affects dopamine, norepinephrine and

serotonin“Sniffing,” crack is smoked, injected

Intense crashNegative Side Effects: Paranoia, insomnia, cardiovascular problems

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HallucinogensLSD: distorts

perceptions, leads to hallucinations,

synesthesia, acts on serotonin receptors

Marijuana: THC-receptors- relaxes,

disinhibits, euphoric high, impairs motor

skills, smoked, cooked

Ronald K

. Siegel

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Hallucinogens

1. LSD: (lysergic acid diethylamide) powerful hallucinogenic drug (ergot fungus) that is also known as acid.

2. THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol): is the major active ingredient in marijuana (hemp plant) that triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations.

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Drugs

Distinguish between the three different groups of drugs

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Influences on Drug Use

The graph below shows the percentage of US high- school seniors reporting their use of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine from the

70s to the late 90s.

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Influences on Drug Use

The use of drugs is based on biological, psychological, and social-cultural influences.

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Marijuana Use

The use of marijuana in teenagers is directly related to the “perceived risk” involved with

the drug.

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After a close brush with death, many people report an

experience of moving through a dark tunnel with a light at the end. Under the influence of hallucinogens, others report bright lights at

the center of their field of vision.

Near-Death Experiences

(From “H

allucinations” by R.K

. Siegel. Copyright

© 1977 Scientific A

merican, Inc. A

ll rights reserved.)

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Mind-Body Problem

1. Dualism: Dualists believe that mind (non-physical) and body (physical) are two distinct entities that interact.

2. Monism: Monists believe that mind and body are different aspects of the same thing.

Near-death experiences raise the mind-body issue. Can the mind survive the dying body?