States of Consciousness
(not always of top interest in psychology; see behaviorism)
Levels of Consciousness
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Conscious Level
Nonconscious Level
Preconscious Level
Unconscious Level
Conscious
Preconscious
Unconscious
Biological Rhythms
Annual Cycles: seasonal variations (bear’s
hibernation, or Seasonal Affective Disorder).
28 day cycle: menstrual cycle.
24 hour cycle: our circadian rhythm.
90 minute cycle: sleep cycles.
Circadian Rhythms
• All living things go through
these 24 hour biological cycles.
• But the human body will adjust
itself to a 25 hour cycle if we
don’t see the light of day.
Circadian Rhythms
• Biological Cycle
• - influenced by light and dark illumination.
• - body’s clock resets each day at daylight.
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Disrupting Circadian Rhythms
- flying west = longer period of daylight.
- flying east = less time adapting to jet lag.
- effects of shift work: easier to rotate from
night to day.
It takes longer to adjust to local sleep
schedules and get over jet lag when
traveling west to east
8
7
6
5
4
4
3
3
2
2
1
1
Average number of
days to adjust to
local sleep schedule
Average number of
days to adjust to
local sleep schedule
D
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D
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M
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Daydreaming
• Shifting attention from external
stimuli to self-generated
thoughts and images. Young
adults daydream more than older
adults and have more sexual
fantasies.
Why do we daydream?
• Help us prepare for future events.
• Stay mentally aroused (when bored).
• Solve problems.
Dream Theories
Freud’s Theory of Dreams
• Dreams are a form of
wish fulfillment; a
symbolic expressions of
our unconscious conflicts
(the “royal road” to the
unconscious).
• Manifest Content (actual
storyline).
• Latent Content
(underlying meaning).
Activation-Synthesis Theory
• Our cerebral cortex
is trying to make
sense out of random
electrical activity we
have while sleeping.
• The brain’s attempt
to create a story.
• That is why dreams
often don’t make any
sense.
Information-Processing Theory
• Dreams are a way to
deal with the stresses
of everyday life.
• A way to work out
unsolved problems.
Sleep
• Sleep is a state of
consciousness.
• We are less aware
of our surroundings.
Sleep Cycle
• When wide awake you
experience beta waves.
• When you are at the onset of
sleep you experience alpha
waves.
• Drowsy, relaxed state (called a
“Twilight State”).
• Feel like your falling
(hypnagogic myoclonic twitch or
“Hypnic jerk“).
Sleep Stages
• There are 5 identified stages of sleep.
• It takes about 90 minutes to pass
through the stages.
• The brain’s waves will change according
to the sleep stage you are in.
• The first four stages and known as
NREM sleep..
• The fifth stage is called REM sleep.
Stage 1
• Kind of awake and kind of
asleep.
• Only lasts a few minutes,
and you usually only
experience it once a night.
• Your brain produces theta
waves.
Stage 2
• More Theta Waves.
that get progressively
slower.
• Begin to show sleep
spindles…short bursts
of rapid brain waves.
Stages 3 and 4
• Slow wave sleep.
• You produce delta waves.
• If awoken you will be
very groggy.
• Vital for restoring
body’s growth hormones
and good overall health.
From stage 4, your brain begins to speed up and you
go to stage 3, then 2….then ……REM sleep.
Fig. 7.5 Changes in brain-wave patterns associated with various stages of sleep. Actually,
most wave types are present at all times, but they occur more or less frequently in various
sleep stages.
REM Sleep
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Rapid Eye Movement.
Called “paradoxical sleep”.
Brain is very active.
Body is essentially paralyzed.
Vivid dreams.
BP, breathing, & HR increase.
REM cycles get longer as the
night goes on.
REM Sleep
• Genitals become aroused. Erections and
clitoral engorgement.
• “Morning Erections” are from final REM
stage.
A typical 25 year old man has an erection
during half of his sleep.
A 65 year old - one quarter.
NREM Sleep
• Non Rapid Eye Movement: slower
brain waves, regular heart rate
and blood pressure.
• Little or no dreaming.
• Sleepwalking, bedwetting, and
night terrors occur during stage 4
sleep (deep sleep).
REM Deprivation
• People who are deprived of REM
sleep (4-7 nights) became
irritable, anxious, and couldn’t
concentrate.
• When allowed to get REM sleep,
they experienced REM Rebound
(longer periods of REM sleep)
and lots of dreaming.
Sleep Disorders
Insomnia
• Persistent problems
falling asleep or
staying asleep.
• Effects 10% of the
population.
• Most common sleep
disorder.
Somnambulism
• Sleep Walking.
• Most often occurs
during in stage 4
(deep sleep).
• More common with
children.
Sleep Apnea
• A person stops
breathing during
their sleep.
• Wake up
momentarily, gasps
for air, then falls
back asleep.
• Very common,
especially in heavy
males.
• Can be fatal.
Narcolepsy
• Uncontrollable urge
to sleep.
• Effects 1 in a 1,000.
• Treated with CNS
stimulants.
•
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zVCYdrw1o
Night Terrors
• Sudden arousal from stage
3 or 4 sleep with a scream,
cry or terror.
• Usually occurs with
children.
Sleep Bruxism
• Grinding or clenching
of the teeth during
sleep.
REM Behavior Disorder
• “Act out” dream activity.
Hypnosis
Hypnosis
• Altered state of
consciousness?
• Posthypnotic suggestion.
• Posthypnotic amnesia.
Hypnotic Theories
Social Influence Theory
• Hypnosis is NOT an
altered state of
consciousness.
• Different people have
various states of hypnotic
suggestibility.
• A social phenomenon
where people want to
believe.
• Works better on people
with richer fantasy lives.
State Theory
• Hypnosis is an altered
state of consciousness.
• Dramatic health
benefits.
• It works for pain best.
Uses of Hypnosis
• Can help with minor
pain, normal childbirth,
some dental work,
headaches, etc.
• Doesn’t work for
everyone.
• Does NOT improve
memory.
Dissociation Theory
• We voluntarily divide
our consciousness up.
• Ice Water Experiment.
• Hypnosis dissociates
the sensation of pain
from the emotional
suffering that defines
our experience of pain.
Psychoactive Drugs
Drugs
• Our brain is protected
by a layer of capillaries
called the blood-brain
barrier.
• The drugs that are
small enough to pass
through are called
psychoactive drugs.
Drugs are either….
• Agonists (Opiates are
endorphin agonists)
• Antagonists (Naloxone is an
opiate antagonist)
• Reuptake inhibitors (Cocaine)
If a drug is used often, a
tolerance is created for the
drug.
Thus you need more of the drug
to feel the same effect.
If you stop using a drug you can
develop withdrawal symptoms.
Stimulants
• Speed up body
processes.
• More powerful ones
(like cocaine) give
people feelings of
invincibility.
Stimulants
• Ecstasy (MDMA).
• Also a mild
hallucinogen.
• Can cause dehydration
and damages serotonin
producing neurons.
Depressants
• Slows down body
processes.
• Alcohol.
• Anxiolytics (barbiturates)
like nembutal or amytal
and tranquilizers such as
valium or librium).
Alcohol
• Makes people loosen up
and talk more.
• Decreases self-awareness.
• Decreases feelings of
guilt.
Alcohol
• More than 86 billion
dollars are spent
annually on alcoholic
beverages.
• Alcohol is involved in
60% of ALL crimes.
• Alcohol is involved in
over 70% of sexually
related crimes.
• Is it worth the cost?
Hallucinogens
• Psychedelics.
• Causes changes in
perceptions of
reality.
• LSD, peyote,
psilocybin
mushrooms and
marijuana.
• Synergistic effect
Hallucinogens
Marijuana
• THC is the active ingredient
(Tetrahydrocannabinol).
• Used with cancer, glaucoma,
and AIDS patients .
• Can amplify senses.
• Affects short term memory.
Opiates
• Has depressive and
hallucinogenic qualities.
• Agonist for endorphins.
• Derived from poppy
plant.
• Morphine, heroin,
methadone and codeine
(rapid increase in
tolerance).
• All these drugs cross
the placental
barrier….teratogens.