Chapter 7 Notes: States of Consciousness
Chapter 7 Notes: States of Consciousness
Consciousness: mental awareness of sensations, perceptions, memories, and
feelings.
-mainly waking consciousness
-altered states of consciousness
-changes in quality and pattern of mental activity (sleep, dreaming)
Sleep
-necessary
-sleep-deprivation psychosis (confusion, disorientation)
-hallucinations after being awake 60 hours
-8% are short-sleepers (5 or fewer hours of sleep/night)
Stages of sleep
-EEG measures sleep activity
-awake, alert: beta waves (small, fast)
-immediately before sleep: alpha waves (larger and slower)
4 stages of sleep
-light sleep: heart rate slows, muscles relax, hypnic jerk
-body temp. decreases; EEG shows sleep spindles, boundary of sleep
-delta waves (very large and slow); deeper sleep; decreased
consciousness
-deep sleep: shift between light and deep sleep during night
REM: rapid eye movement; associated with dreaming
2 basic states of sleep: REM and non-REM
REM: increased by day time stress
Non-REM: usually dream-free; may help recover from fatigue
Functions of REM sleep
-early in life: may stimulate developing brain
-in adults: help process emotional events, integrate memories
Sleep Disturbances
-Insomnia: chronic or serious for 9%
-difficulty going to sleep; waking up during night; early-morning
awakening
-sleeping pills may not be effective or may decrease Stage 4 and
REM sleep
-temporary insomnia may be due to stress
-chronic insomnia (more than 3 weeks)
-Sleepwalking, sleeptalking: non-REM stages 3 and 4
-Nightmares and night terrors (Table 7.2)
-nightmares are bad dreams that occur in REM and are
remembered
-night terrors occur in Stage 4: total panic, hallucinations, not
Remembered
-imagery rehearsal: imagine positive ending to nightmare
-Narcolepsy: sudden, irresistible sleep attacks
-attacks last few minutes to 30 minutes
-fall directly into REM
-more than 50% also have cataplexy (sudden temporary paralysis
of muscles)
-treated with Ritalin
-Sleep Apnea: breathing stops
-snore loudly
-tired during day
-can be serious
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) (“crib death”)
-weak arousal reflex; don’t change position
-small baby with cold or cough
-risk factors: prematurity; adolescent mother; shrill, high-pitched
cry; snoring; frequent awakening; breath-holding;
breathes mainly with mouth open; passive when face
rolls onto pillow; parents smoke
Dreams
-most people dream 4 to 5 times per night
-most dreams reflect everyday events
-half of dreams have sexual elements
-reflect waking thoughts, emotions, fantasies
Psychodynamic Dream Theory
Sigmund Freud: The Interpretation of Dreams
-dreams based on wish fulfillment
-expression of unconscious desires
-dreams show few signs of directly expressing hidden wishes
-desires are disguised as dream symbols
Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis
Hobson and McCarley
-during REM, brain cells activated that normally control eye
Movement, balance, and actions
-messages are blocked from the body, so no movement
-cells tell brain of activities, lead to a dream
-REM: several parts of brain activated
-triggers sensations, memories
-synthesize this activity into visual images and stories
Hypnosis
-altered state of consciousness
-narrowed attention and increased openness to suggestions
-blend of conformity, relaxation, imagination, obedience, suggestion,
role-playing
-began with Mesmer in the 1700’s
-80% of people can be hypnotized, but only 4 will be good subjects
-often these with good imagination and those prone to fantasy
-when hypnotized, people remain in control of behavior
-do not do things that are immoral or repulsive to themselves
-used for pain relief
Sensory Deprivation
-any major reduction in the amount or variety of sensory stimulation
-can cause bizarre sensations, lapses in attention, distorted perceptions
-can misjudge time, color distortion, heightened visual illusions, slower
reactions
-true hallucinations are rare
Benefits of Sensory Restriction
-temporary increase in sensory acuity
-relaxing for brief periods
-change habits (smoking, drinking)
-increase creative thinking, increase performance in skilled sports
-relieve chronic pain and decrease stress
Drug-Altered Consciousness
Psychoactive Drug: substance capable of altering attention, judgment, memory,
time sense, self-control, emotion or perception
-influences activity of brain cells; imitate or alter neurotransmitters
-stimulant: increases activity in body and nervous system
-depressant: decreases activity in body and nervous system
Dependence
-physical dependence (addiction)
-most common with drugs that cause withdrawal symptoms
(alcohol, barbiturates, opiates)
-when accompanied by drug tolerance, need larger doses for
desired effect
-psychological dependence: drug is necessary for feelings of comfort,
well-being
Patterns of Abuse
-experimental: short-term curiosity
-social-recreational: occasional social use for pleasure
-situational: cope with specific problem
-intensive: daily use with some dependence
-compulsive: extreme use with extreme dependence
Table 7.4
Uppers: amphetamines, cocaine, MDMA, caffeine, nicotine
-drug tolerance
-amphetamines: synthetic stimulants (narcolepsy, ADHD)
Cocaine: CNS stimulant
-effects last 15 to 30 minutes
-one of the most dangerous drugs of abuse
-highly addictive
MDMA (“Ecstasy”)
-1 in 20 college students
-damages serotinergic brain cells
-don’t score well on tests of memory and mental functioning
Caffeine
-most frequently used psychoactive drug in North America
-abuse causes irritability, insomnia, can intensify anxiety
Nicotine
-natural stimulant found in tobacco
-most used psychoactive substance after caffeine
-addictive, carcinogenic
-quit by tapering off
Downers: sedatives, tranquilizers, alcohol
Barbiturates
-sedative drugs
-decrease brain activity
-can overdose because forget you already took them
Tranquilizers
-decrease anxiety, reduce tension
-Valium, Xanax, Halcion, Librium
-normal does can cause confusion, drowsiness
-strong addictive potential
-Rohypnol: date rape drug
-drug interaction (with alcohol) multiplies effects of both
Alcohol
-depressant
-70% of college students have engaged in binge-drinking
-impairs memory in young adults
-genetic factors
-abusers drink to cope with negative emotions
Danger signs
-morning drinking
-increasing consumption
-regretted behavior
-black outs
Detox
Alcoholics Anonymous
Hallucinogens
LSD: hallucinations
Marijuana
-sense of euphoria
-paranoia, hallucinations at high doses
-psychological dependence, not addiction
-with frequent use, small decrease in learning, memory, attention
-5 or more joints a week score 4 points lower on IQ test, regain in
1 month
Drug Abuse
-curiosity, desire to belong, escape from feelings of inadequacy
Predictors of adolescent drug use
-having friends who use drugs
-parental drug use
-delinquency
-troubled family life
-poor self-esteem
-social nonconformity
-stressful life changes
-impulsive, antisocial behavior, school failure
-immediate pleasure, delayed, punishment
-advertising of medication
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