Topics in Psychology
Sleep, Consciousness, and Altered States of Consciousness – Unit Schedule
Big Questions: What is consciousness? How might knowledge of consciousness help increase
our quality of life?
Date
Wednesday
10/7
Agenda / Topics
What is Consciousness?
Information-Processing Model
Biological Rhythms
Sleep Cycle
Friday
10/9
Sleep Theories
Sleep Deprivation
Sleep Disorders
Tuesday
10/13
Sleep Disorders
Dream Theories
Dream Interpretation
Thursday
10/15
Hypnosis and Meditation
Psychoactive Drugs and cultural impacts
Monday
10/19
Psychoactive Drugs and Neurological effects
Wednesday
10/21
Sleep and Consciousness Test
Sleep and Dream Assignment Due (see reverse side)
Binders Due
Unit Objectives:
After completing this unit, you should be able to do the following:
 Discuss the different levels of information processing.
 Describe the cyclical nature of sleep.
 Discuss possible functions of sleep and the effects of sleep deprivation.
 Identify and describe major sleep disorders.
 Describe the normal content of dreams.
 Discuss the possible functions of dreams as revealed in various theories.
 Define hypnosis and discuss several popular misconceptions about hypnosis.
 Discuss the controversy over whether hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness.
 Discuss the physical and psychological effects common to all psychoactive drugs and state three
common misconceptions about addiction.
 Describe the physiological and psychological effects of depressants, stimulants, and
hallucinogens.
 Discuss the biological, psychological, and social roots of drug use.
SLEEP LOG AND DREAM JOURNAL
DUE: 10/21 at beginning of class
This assignment consists of 2 main parts – (1) keeping an objective record of sleep habits and dream content for
2 weeks, and (2) writing a subjective and reflective analysis of your records.
Sleep Log (Effort)
Format: This will be a hand-written record of your personal sleeping habits for 2 weeks. It should record as
much objective information as possible. It must include at least 10 entries.
INCLUDE IN EACH ENTRY:
o Time you went to sleep; time you fell asleep
o Time you woke up; Total hours of sleep (record times awakened, how long)
o Rate the quality of sleep on a scale of 10 (great) to 1 (poor)
o Dream memories – how many different dreams (or fragments of dreams) can you recall? What was last
dream you had? Why do you think you had that dream?
o Other notes about sleep habits and behavior from that night.
Sleep and Dream Journal (K&S)
Format: Based on your dream records from the sleep log and other reflection, you will write an analysis of your
dreams and sleep behaviors. This must be typed-written, 2-3 pages.
INCLUDED IN THIS PAPER:
o Analysis of sleep behavior
o Are you getting enough sleep? Why or why not? Provide examples.
o Analysis of how you might change your sleep behavior
o How can you change your patterns for the better? Have you noticed negative side effects? How
can you reduce these? How will college change your sleep habits? How will you make sure to
get your needed sleep in this new setting.
o Discussion of at least 3 dreams from the last 2 weeks
o Provide the full the context, plot, setting, etc to provide a complete description of the dream.
What do you think the dream meant? What did specific aspects of the dream represent? What
theory(ies) of dreaming do you think best explain each dream? How does this dream relate to
your waking life?
Tips to Remember and Record Dreams
In order to best remember your dreams, you should follow several steps. First, place a pen and pad next to your
bed before you go to sleep. Before you go to sleep, tell yourself that you’ll be able to remember your dreams
when you wake up. When you do wake up, keep your eyes closed and replay the dream until the plot and
details become clear in your mind. Then, gently sit up, turn on the light, and write down what you remember
about your dream. If you typically have trouble remembering your dreams, try setting your alarm clock for 10
or 15 minutes earlier than normal (this should interrupt your last dream of the night).
When recording your dream, include whatever information you can remember about:
o The setting (e.g. indoors or outdoors)
o Characters (e.g. relatives, friends, celebrities, strangers)
o Nature of the interaction (e.g. friendly, hostile, etc)
o Activities (running, speaking, flying)
o And relationship with the previous day’s events or day’s planned activities.