Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY

(6th Ed)

Chapter 7

States of Consciousness

James A. McCubbin, PhDClemson University

Worth Publishers

States of Consciousness

Consciousness our awareness of ourselves and

our environmentsFantasy Prone Personality

imagines and recalls experiences with lifelike vividness

spends considerable time fantasizing

Sleep and Dreams

Biological Rhythms periodic physiological fluctuations

Circadian Rhythm

the biological clock regular bodily rhythms that occur

on a 24 hour cycle wakefulness body temperature

Sleep and Dreams

REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

recurring sleep stage vivid dreams “paradoxical sleep”

muscles are generally relaxed, but other body systems are active

Sleep periodic, natural, reversible loss of

consciousness

Sleep and DreamsMeasuring sleep activity

Brain Waves and Sleep Stages

Alpha Waves slow waves of a

relaxed, awake brainDelta 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

Sleep Deprivation

Effects of Sleep Loss fatigue impaired concentration immune suppression irritability slowed performance

accidents•planes•autos and trucks

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia persistent problems in falling or staying

asleepNarcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacksSleep Apnea

cessation of breathing often associated with snoring repeatedly awakes sufferer

Night Terrors and Nightmares

Night Terrors occur within 2 or

3 hours of falling asleep, usually during Stage 4

high arousal- appearance of being terrified

Nightmares occur towards

morning during REM sleep

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4

3

2

1

Sleepstages

Awake

Hours of sleep

REM

Dreams- Freud

Sigmund Freud- The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) wish fulfillment discharge otherwise unacceptable

feelingsManifest Content

remembered story lineLatent Content

underlying, uncensored meaning

REM Rebound

REM sleep increases following REM sleep deprivation

In other words, When you are sleep deprived you lose out on two types of sleep, REM and NREM (non-REM). Typically when you have a chance to fall asleep after sleep deprivation you have a tendency to get more REM sleep than you would normally get. This is your body's way of trying to catch up on its REM sleep.

Others have asked “Why do we dream?”

information processing: dreams sift, sort, and interpret gathered information from the day and set it into memory

physiological function: exercise for the inactive brain, develop or preserve new neural pathways

activation synthesis theory: the brain functions randomly in the night, triggering different areas of the brain, dreams attempt to make sense of the signals

Sleep Patterns and Age

Near Death Experiences

Near Death Experience an altered state of

consciousness reported after a close brush with death

often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

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

a relaxed state

Hypnosis

Posthypnotic Amnesia supposed inability to recall what one

experienced during hypnosis induced by the hypnotist’s suggestion

Hypnotic Suggestibility related to subject’s openness to

suggestion ability to focus attention inwardly ability to become imaginatively absorbed

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

Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drug a chemical substance that alters perceptions

and alters mood

Physical Dependence 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

Dependence

Tolerance need for

progressively larger doses to achieve same effect

Withdrawal discomfort and

distress with discontinued use

Small Large

Drug dose

Littleeffect

Bigeffect

Drugeffect

Response tofirst exposure

After repeatedexposure, moredrug is neededto produce same effect

Psychoactive Drugs

Depressants drugs that reduce neural activity slow body function

alcohol, barbiturates, opiates

Stimulants drugs that excite neural activity speed up body function

caffeine, 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) opiates 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

Cocaine Euphoria and Crash

Psychoactive Drugs

LSD lysergic acid diethylamide a powerful hallucinogenic drug also known as acid

THC the major active ingredient in

marijuana triggers a variety of effects, including

mild hallucinations

Psychoactive Drugs

Drug Type Pleasurable Effects Adverse Effects

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

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

Caffeine Stimulant Increased alertness and Anxiety, restlessness, and wakefulness insomnia in high doses;

uncomfortable withdrawal

Metham- Stimulant Euphoria, alertness, energy Irritability, insomnia, phetamine hypertension, seizures

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

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

Marijuana Mild Enhanced sensation, pain relief Lowered sex hormones, disrupted hallucinogen distortion of time, relaxation memory, lung damage from smoke

Trends in Drug Use

1975 ‘77 ‘79 ‘81 ‘83 ‘85 ‘87 ‘89 ‘91 ‘93 ‘95 ‘97 ‘99Year

80%

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

High schoolseniors

reportingdrug use

Alcohol

Marijuana/hashish

Cocaine