V. States of Consciousness
College Board - “Acorn Book”
Course Description
2-4%
Unit V. States of Consciousness
“And then
suddenly, I saw
this bright light
at the end of
the tunnel.”
Summary Outline
• A. Sleep and Dreaming
• B. Hypnosis
• C. Psychoactive Drug Affects
Unit V. States of Consciousness
A. Sleep and Dreaming
A. EEG and sleep
Unit V. States of Consciousness
EEG Recordings
• Frequency
• How fast ups and
downs occur
• Amplitude
• Distance between a
peak and a trough
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Stages of Sleep
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Characteristics of EEG sleep
Stage
Frequency
Amplitude
Wave Form
stages
(cycles /
second)
Stage I
4-8
50-100
Theta
Waves
Stage II
8 - 15
50-150
Spindle
Waves
Stage III
2-4
100-150
Slow waves
plus
splindles
Stage IV
0.5 - 2
100-200
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Delta
Waves
Need for Sleep
•
•
•
•
•
•
Preservation and Protection Theory
Sleep
Restorative Theory of Sleep
Makes Memories
Sleep Deprivation
Circadian Rhythms
Pituitary releases growth
hormones
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Functions of Sleep
• Lowering metabolic
rate conserves
energy
• Reduces the risk of
thermal
disequilibrium
during the coldest
part of the day
• New learning
processes are
inactivated which
allows us to:
• Reorganize and
more efficiently
store the
information already
in the brain
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Functions of sleep
• Homeostasis
(constancy)
• Need for Alertness
• Fluctuates despite
•
our best efforts
• Occasionally fails
completely
• Sleep helps to
restore
• Heteroplasticity
(capacity to change
in response to
changing
circumstances)
• Information
processing
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Replenishment of
Neurotransmitters
• During REM sleep
• Most neurons
decrease activity
slightly in sleep
• A small minority of
neurons cease
firing altogether
• Aminergic Neurons
• Norepinephrine-
and Serotoninreleasing neurons
• Located in the
locus coeruleus and
raphe nuclei
Ach has a concurrent
increase during
REM sleep
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Neuronal Replenishment theory suggest
that:
• Norepinephrine and serotonin are
involved in alertness
• The producing neurons are inactive
during REM sleep
• The brain produces these
transmitters during sleep
• Which explains the refreshed
feelings when we awake
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Dreaming
Dreams: Content, Lucid Dreaming
Meaning of Dreams
• Wish fulfillment (Freud)
• Activation-synthesis (Hobson &
McCarley)
• Information Processing, Problem-Solving
Daydreams and Fantasies
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Sleep Disorders
•
•
•
•
Insomnia
Narcolepsy
Sleep apnea
Somnambulism
Unit V. States of Consciousness
B. Hypnosis
•
•
•
•
•
Hypnotic susceptibility
Age regression
Posthypnotic suggestion
Posthypnotic amnesia
Meditation
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Theories of Hypnosis:
•
•
•
•
Deep relaxation
Role playing
State theory
Dissociation theory
Unit V. States of Consciousness
C. Psychoactive Drug
Affects
• Agonists (Mimic)
• Antagonists (Block)
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Abuse
• Psychological Dependence
• Physical Addiction
• Withdrawal
• Tolerance
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Class
Effects
Opiates /
Narcotics
Heroin
Morphine
Codeine
Opiods
Depresses neural
functioning.
The user becomes lethargic.
Pleasure replaces pain and
anxiety.
Depressants
Alcohol
Sedatives
Barbiturates
Tranquilizer
Slows brain activity that
controls judgment and
inhibitions.
Slows sympathetic nervous
system.
Stimulants
Caffeine
Amphetamines
Cocaine
Nicotine
Speeds up body functions.
When drug stimulation
ends, the user experiences
fatigue, irritability, and
depression.
Psychedelics
LSD
“Trips” vary from euphoria
Mescaline
to detachment to panic.
Unit V. States of Consciousness
Marijuana
The person’s mood and
Hashish
expectations color the
Agonists-Drugs that mimic neurotransmitter
Antagonists-Drugs that block neurotransmitter
• Psychological
dependence:
• Intense desire
• Convinced that its
needed in order to
feel a particular
way.
• Mental
• Physical
dependence:
• Users experience
physical symptoms
without it such as
headaches or
vomiting.
Dreams
• Humans spend an average of six years
•
•
•
•
dreaming.
Dreamers usually experience negative
emotions such as failing, being attacked,
being subdued, rejected, having misfortune,
or living daily life.
Limbic System- Emotion
Amygdala- Fight or Flight
Frontal Lobe- Idles- Inhibition & Rational
Thought
Why do you think you dream?
• Freud-Manifest Content- Dreams
sometimes incorporate traces of previous
days’ experiences.
• Freud- “Interpretation of Dreams” Latent
Content- We fulfill wishes and desires that
would otherwise be threatening if expressed
directly.
• Information Processing- Dreams may help
shift, sort, and fix the days’ experiences in
our memory.
• Students higher grades=more sleep
Why do we dream?
• Physiological function- Regular brain stimulation
from REM sleep may help develop and preserve
neural pathways.
• Activation-synthesis-REM sleep triggers neural
activity that evokes random visual memories,
which our sleeping brain weaves into stories.
• Cognitive development- Dreams reflect
dreamer’s cognitive development-their knowledge
and understanding.