Consciousness
Chapter 4: Consciousness, Sleep, Dreams, and Altered States of Consciousness
Learning Objectives
For this test you should be able to:
1.
Explain daydreaming.
2.
Describe the stages of sleep.
3.
Explain why REM sleep is also called paradoxical sleep.
4.
Define the sleep disorders of insomnia, narcolepsy, and apnea.
5.
Explain the theories of the nature and content of dreams.
6.
Explain the difference between substance abuse and substance dependence.
7.
Explain the effect of depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens.
8.
List two negative effects of each of the following drugs: alcohol, marijuana,
amphetamines, barbiturates, the opiates, cocaine, and the hallucinogens.
9.
Explain the biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors related to
addiction.
10. Describe meditation and hypnosis.
I. Sleep and Dreams
a. Vocabulary:
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Consciousness
Altered State of Consciousness
Daydream
Circadian rhythms
Melatonin
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
REM sleep
Insomnia
Sleep apnea
Narcolepsy
Night terrors
Construct
b. Explain the process of and importance of Sleep
Sleep Deprivation Effects
•Decreases efficiency of immune system functioning
•Safety and accident issues
•Contributes to hypertension, impaired concentration, irritability, etc.
c. Why We Sleep
Hypothalamus
•Sleep control center in the brain
•Monitors changes in light or dark in the environment
•Changes levels of hormones in the body
Melatonin
•Hormone that helps regulate daily biological rhythms
•Linked to the sleep-wake cycle
•Melatonin level increases during the night and decreases with exposure to morning light
Reasons for Sleep
•Two primary reasons:
–Preservation: keep us protected from the dangers of the night
–Restoration: recuperate from the wear and tear of the day
d. Explain what is happening during Sleep Stages, REM, and Dreaming:
Electroencephalograph (EEG)
•Machine that amplifies and records waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface
•Electrodes placed on the scalp measure the waves
•Electrodes are placed on the person’s scalp to measure the waves
•Used as a means to measure the stages of sleep
Stage 1 Sleep
•Breathing is slowed.
•Brain waves become irregular.
•It is easy to wake the person, who will insist they are not asleep.
•Rarely lasts longer than 5 minutes
•Brain wave cycle slows.
•First time through stage 2 last about 20 minutes.
Stage 2
•Slow wave sleep
•First time through stage 4 is about 30 minutes and is where one gets rejuvenated
Stage 3
Stage 4
Sleep
Non-REM Sleep
•Stages 1 - 4 considered N-REM (non-REM sleep)
REM Sleep
•Rapid eye movement (REM Sleep) as eyes move quickly back and forth
•Vivid dreaming occurs in REM sleep
•Considered “paradoxical sleep”
•Term coined by William Dement
Paradoxical Sleep
•During REM sleep brain wave patterns are similar to when a person is awake
•Pulse and breathing quickens.
•REM sleep is sometimes called paradoxical sleep as one’s physiology is close to that of being awake but the brainstem
blocks all muscle movement
Information-Processing Theory
•Dreams serve an important memory- related function by sorting and sifting through the day’s experiences
•Research suggests REM sleep helps memory storage.
Physiological Function Theory
•Neural activity during REM sleep provides periodic stimulation of the brain.
Activation-Synthesis Theory
•Dreams are the mind’s attempt to make sense of random neural firings in the brain as one sleeps.
Cognitive Development Theory
•Dreams part of the maturation process
•Dreams reflect our knowledge
•Reflection of normal cognitive development
e. Identify the effects of Sleep Disorders and Sleep Problems
Insomnia
•Recurring problems falling asleep or staying asleep
•Sleeping pills tend to inhibit or suppress REM sleep; worsen the problem
•Alcohol suppresses REM sleep; also worsens the problem
•Studies show most people overestimate how long it took them to get to sleep
Sleep Apnea
•Sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and consequent momentary
reawakenings.
•Tend to be loud snorers
•Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine
Narcolepsy
•Sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks
•Person may lapse directly into REM sleep
•Nervous system getting aroused tends to trigger the sleep attack
Somnambulism
•Formal name for sleepwalking
•Starts in the deep stages of N-REM sleep
•Person can walk or talk and is able to see
•Rarely has any memory of the event
Night Terrors
•Sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and appearance of being terrified
•Unlike nightmares
•Happens during stage 4 sleep; mostly children
•The children seldom remember the event.
II.Drug Induced Altered States of Consciousness
It is important to distinguish between substance use and substance abuse.
• Substance use may be essential for medical reasons and it may also be culturally
approved and valued.
• Substance abuse is a pattern of drug use that diminishes the person's ability to
fulfill responsibilities at home or at work or school, that results in repeated use of a drug
in dangerous situations, or that leads to legal difficulties related to drug use.
A. Depressants
• Chemicals that slow down behavior or cognitive processes.
• Alcohol is an example
• Barbiturates
• Opiates
B. Stimulants
• Stimulate the sympathetic nervous system and produce feelings of optimism and
boundless energy, making the potential for their abuse significant.
• Caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine
C. Hallucinogens
• Distort visual and auditory perception
• LSD, PCP, Acid
D. Marijuana
• A mild hallucinogen that is capable of producing feelings of euphoria, a sense of
well-being, and swings in mood from gaiety to relaxation to paranoia.
III. Hypnosis/Meditation
A. Hypnosis
• A heightened state of suggestibility
• Sometimes used in therapy
B. Meditation
• A form of relaxation aimed at slowing the sympathetic nervous system.