Myers’ EXPLORING PSYCHOLOGY (4th Ed)

Chapter 5

States of Consciousness

James A. McCubbin, PhDClemson University

Worth Publishers

States of Consciousness

Consciousness our awareness of ourselves and

our environmentSelective Attention

the focusing of conscious awareness on a particular stimulus

cocktail party effect

Sleep and DreamsFantasy Prone Personality

imagines and recalls experiences with lifelike vividness

spends considerable time fantasizingCircadian rhythm

the biological clock cyclical bodily rhythms

wakefulness body temperature

Sleep and DreamsREM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

recurring sleep stage vivid dreams commonly occur also know as paradoxical sleep

muscles are generally relaxed, but other body systems are active

Brain Waves and Sleep Stages

Alpha Waves slow brain waves of a relaxed,

awake stateDelta Waves

large, slow waves of deep sleep Hallucinations

false sensory experiences

Typical Nightly Sleep Stages

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4

3

2

1

Sleepstages

Awake

Hours of sleep

REM

Typical Nightly Sleep Stages

Hours of sleep

Minutesof Stage 4 and REM

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

10

15

20

25

5

Decreasing Stage 4

Increasing REM

Sleep DeprivationEffects of Sleep Loss

fatigue impaired concentration immune suppression irritability slowed performance

accidents• planes• autos and trucks

Sleep Deprivation

2,400

2,700

2,600

2,500

2,800

Spring time change(hour sleep loss)

3,600

4,200

4000

3,800

Fall time change(hour sleep gained)

Less sleep,more accidents

More sleep,fewer accidents

Monday before time change Monday after time change

Accident frequency

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia persistent problems in falling or

staying asleepNarcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks sufferer may lapse directly into REM

sleep, often at inappropriate times

Sleep Disorders

Sleep Apnea characterized by temporary cessations

of breathing during sleep and consequent momentary reawakenings

Night Terrors high arousal- appearance of being

terrified usually in Stage 4, within 2-3 hours of

falling asleep

Dreams- FreudSigmund Freud- The Interpretation of

Dreams (1900) dreams viewed as wish fulfillment discharge otherwise unacceptable feelings

Manifest Content remembered story line of a dream

Latent Content underlying, censored meaning of a dream

Dreams

Information Processing View of Dreams the notion that dreams help

consolidate the day’s memories stimulates neural development

REM Rebound tendency for REM sleep increases

following REM sleep deprivation

Hypnosis

Hypnosis a social interaction in which one

person (the hypnotist) suggests to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts or behaviors will spontaneously occur

Hypnosis

Posthypnotic Amnesia supposed inability to recall

what one experienced during hypnosis

induced by the hypnotist’s suggestion

Hypnosis and RecallMemory

sometimes a relaxed, focused state can improve recall

“hypnotically refreshed” memories are unreliable

false memories or pseudomemories can be implantedintentionallyunintentionally

Hypnosis

Unhypnotized persons can

also do this

Hypnosis

Orne & Evans (1965) control group instructed to “pretend” unhypnotized subjects performed the same

acts as the hypnotized onesPosthypnotic Suggestion

suggestion to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized

used by some clinicians to control undesired symptoms and behaviors

Hypnosis and Pain

Dissociation a split in consciousness allows some thoughts and behaviors to

occur simultaneously with othersHidden Observer

Hilgard’s term describing a hypnotized subject’s awareness of experiences, such as pain, that go unreported during hypnosis

HypnosisDivided Consciousness or Social

Phenomenon?

In some way attentionis being diverted from a very aversive stimulus.

How?

Divided-consciousnesstheory:hypnosis has caused a split in awareness

Social influencetheory:The subject is so caught up in the hypnotized Role that she can Ignore the odor

Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drug a chemical substance that alters perceptions

and alters mood

Physical Dependence a physiological need for a drug marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms

Psychological Dependence a psychological need to use a drug for example, to relieve negative emotions

Drug Tolerance

Tolerance diminishing effect

with regular use of the same dose of a drug

Withdrawal discomfort and

distress that follow discontinued use of an addictive drug

After repeatedexposure, moredrug is needed to produce same effect

Drug dose

Drug effect

Response tofirst exposure

Psychoactive Drugs

Depressants drugs that reduce neural activity and

slow body functions alcohol, barbiturates, opiates

Stimulants drugs that excite neural activity

and speed up body functionscaffeine, nicotine, amphetamines

Psychoactive Drugs

Hallucinogens psychedelic (mind-

manifesting) drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory inputLSD

Psychoactive Drugs

Barbiturates drugs that depress the

activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement

Psychoactive Drugs

Opiates opium and its derivatives

(morphine and heroin) depress neural activity,

temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Psychoactive Drugs

Amphetamines drugs that stimulate neural

activity, causing accelerated body functions and associated energy and mood changes

Psychoactive Drugs

LSD lysergic acid diethylamide a powerful hallucinogenic drug also

known as acidTHC

the major active ingredient in marijuana

triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations

Psychoactive Drugs

A Guide to Selected Psychoactive Drugs Drug Type Pleasurable Effects Adverse Effects

Alcohol Depressant Initial high followed by Depression, memory loss, relaxation and disinhibition organ damage, impaired reactions

Heroin Depressant Rush of euphoria, relief Depressed physiology, from pain Agonizing withdrawal

Cocaine Stimulant Rush of euphoria, Cardiovascular stress, confidence, energy suspiciousness, depressive crash

Nicotine Stimulant Arouses and relaxes, sense Heart disease, cancer of well-being (from tars)

Marijuana Mild Enhances sensation, Lowered sex hormones, hallucinogen relieves pain, distorts time, disrupted memory, lung relaxed high damage

Trends in Drug Use

‘76 ‘78 ‘80 ‘82 ‘84 ‘86 ‘88 ‘90 ‘92 ‘94 ‘960

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Year

Percentage of high schoolseniors reporting use

Alcohol

Marijuana/hashish

Cocaine

Near Death Experiences

Near Death Experience an altered state of

consciousness reported after a close brush with death

often similar to drug-induced hallucinations