Unit 4: States of Consciousness
Guided Notes
Define “consciousness”:
Waking consciousness encompasses our thoughts, feelings and perceptions that occure when we are
awake and alert.
Altered States of Consciousness are mental states that significantly differ from normal waking
consciousness. They include:
-
-
Naturally occurring states:
o ______________________
o ______________________
o ______________________
___________ occurring states:
o ______________________
o ______________________
o ____________________________
While the study of consciousness had been dismissed years ago, the advent of ___________________
gave birth to the field of cognitive neuroscience.
Dual processing describes how we have __________ tracks of consciousness:
•
“Top track”: _____________________
•
“Bottom track”: _______________________
Give an example of how these “tracks” can work together:
Give an example of how these “tracks” can interfere:
Part 1: Waking Consciousness
Define Selective Attention:
Describe the video you saw with the basketball players:
“Inattention blindness” refers to the stimuli in your environment that you are missing when you
selectively attend to something else. When you are selectively attending to the sound of my voice, you
are “missing”:
Change blindness:
Ex:
Choice blindness:
Ex:
Sometimes stimuli in our environment that we are inattentionally blind to demand our attention.
Examples:
Yo
______!
Cocktail Party Phenomenon:
Popout:
Part Two: Altered States of Consciousness
Define “daydreaming”:
It naturally occurs every ______________ minutes, peaking _________________________________.
Do you think daydreams are helpful or hurtful?
Why does TV increase daydreaming and reduce creativity?:
Sleep: Why do we do it?
1. ______________________________________________________________________________
2.
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________________________
5. ______________________________________________________________________________
Guided Notes #2: Consciousness (cont.)
Sleep Deprivation:
-
How many hours of sleep do teenagers need per night? ________
What time is melatonin released for teenagers? __________
What are some of the side effects of sleep deprivation?:
-
Using the information from above, explain why starting the school day later might could
increase student performance and satisfaction:
Circadian Rhythm (def):
-
Naturally, humans are programmed to be awake when the sun is out and be asleep when it is
dark. What is the scientific explanation for this?
-
Give an example of how your circadian rhythm can be disrupted: (i.e. jet lag, artificial light)
Sleep: Every _________ minutes, we cycle through five stages of sleep.
•
Stage 1 Sleep:
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
•
Stage 2 Sleep: deeper sleep, more difficult to awaken
•
Stage 3 Sleep: even deeper sleep, difficult to awaken
•
Stage 4 Sleep:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________.
•
REM:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________.
•
Paradoxical sleep:
•
Brain waves during REM look most like brain waves we have__________________.
Amount of Sleep Per Stage as Night Progresses
As the night progresses, we experience less Stage ___ sleep and more _________ sleep.
When do not experience enough REM sleep, we experience REM __________. This might indicate that it
is the most important stage of sleep, as our body adjusts so that we can experience more of it if we are
deprived.
Amount of Sleep Per Stage as Age Progresses
As we age, we spend _______ time asleep. We experience less REM sleep and spend almost no time in
________sleep. This may explain why children are far more prone to experience stage four sleep
disorders than adults.
Guided Notes #3: Sleep Disorders
1. Insomnia:
Characterized by: ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Affects who?: _____________________.
Known causes?: ____________________________________.
Treatments? ____________________________________________________________________.
2. Narcolepsy:
Characterized by: ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Affects who?: _____________________.
Known causes?: ____________________________________.
Treatments? ____________________________________________________________________.
3. Apnea:
Characterized by: ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Affects who?: _____________________.
Known causes?: ____________________________________.
Treatments? ____________________________________________________________________.
4. Night Terrors:
Characterized by: ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Affects who?: _____________________.
Known causes?: ____________________________________.
Treatments? ____________________________________________________________________.
5. Somnambulism:
Characterized by: ______________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Affects who?: _____________________.
Known causes?: ____________________________________.
Treatments? ____________________________________________________________________.
Dreaming!
We dream approximately __________ times per night. This equates to about __________ years of
dreaming throughout a lifetime!
The actual story line of your dream is called the ______________ content. According to Freud, the
underlying meaning of that content is called the ______________ content.
Example: If you are dreaming that an enormous tsunami is rapidly approaching shore and you are
running away, the latent content is:
It is possible for real sensory stimulation to enter our dreams? _______ Example?:
Dream Theories: For each, write the explained cause of dreams, as well as their meanings.
1. Freud’s Wish Fulfillment:
Cause:
Meaning:
Strengths/weaknesses?:
2. Information Processing/Cognitive Development
Cause:
Meaning:
Strengths/weaknesses?:
3. Activation Synthesis
Cause:
Meaning:
Strengths/weaknesses?:
4. Physiological Functioning
Cause:
Meaning:
Strengths/weaknesses?:
Explain Lucid Dreaming:
Do we need to dream (do we need REM sleep)?:
Hypnosis is defined as:
What is the origin of “hypnotism”?
What influences one’s ability to be hypnotized?
What is hypnotism used for?
1. Access memories:
2. Therapy:
a. Posthypnotic suggestions:
b. Posthypnotic amnesia:
c. Hypnotherapy:
3. Pain management:
4. Fun:
Meditation:
Defined as:
Concentration Meditation:
1. Zen:
2. Transcendental:
3. Sufi:
All methods attempt to suppress ___________________________ activity.
Describe the meditation that we engaged in during class. Did you find it to be helpful in terms of relaxing?
Drugs
Define the following concepts:
•
Psychoactive drugs :
•
Ex:
•
Recreational Use
•
Drug Abuse – pattern of use that diminishes __________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________.
Tolerance refers to a person’s __________________________________________________________,
requiring ___________________________________________________________________________.
Reverse Tolerance- _________________________________________________________________
Ex:
Withdrawal: the unpleasant physiological symptoms (_________________________________) that
follow discontinued use may occur, indicating that ____________________________has occurred
Psychological dependence may also prompt the individual to continue using the drug
Ex:
Addiction results when continued use is necessary to prevent __________________________________.
Seven signs of dependence. Circle the signs that Jayden has been demonstrating:
1. Developing a tolerance
2. Experiencing withdrawal
3. Using substance for a longer period or in greater quantities than intended
4. Presence of a desire or repeated attempts to cut back on use
5. Spending a lot of time using/obtaining the substance
6. Reduction or cessation of usual activities
7. Continued use despite awareness of drug’s harmful effects
Depressants: (aka Sedative-Hypnotic Drugs)
•
_______________the functioning of the CNS, reduce neural activity and slow body functions
•
Withdrawal: tremors, nausea, sweating, restlessness, irritability, anxiety, possibly death (stroke,
heart attack)….Why???
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________.
•
Long term: _______________________
Depressant #1: Alcohol

Increases _______________, __________________, and __________________ causing:
o
mild euphoria, relaxation, lowered ____________________ (misperceived as stimulant)
o
Slowed _________________________________ , such as:

o
Perception, motor processes, judgment, visual acuity, cognitive functioning are
impaired
Memory disruption, which contributes to _____________________.

Behavioral tolerance refers to _____________________________________________________.

Highly ________________ and _______________________

___________________ Americans abuse alcohol (NIAAA), or _____ % of population

Men are 3x more likely to become alcoholics than women

Women who use alcohol during pregnancy risk their child being born with ________________.
Depressant #2: Barbituates
•
Sleeping pills and Tranquilizers
o
Bind to ______________(inh.) receptors and block ___________________ (Exc.)
o
Calming, sedative effect – reduce inhibitions
o
e.g. Nembutal (Exorcism of Emily Rose)
Depressant #3: Benzodiazepine
•
Like Barbiturates, they enhance the effects of _____________ (inhibitory neurotransmitter)
•
Used to treat __________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
•
Tolerance and physical dependence result after time
•
Ex: Diazepam (Valium), Lorazepam, Xanax
Depressant #4: Propofol
•
Increases effects of _____________
•
Blocks Sodium Channel (Think back to neural firing!)
•
Short term: mild euphoria, hallucinations, and disinhibition; Used as __________ for anesthesia
Case study: Michael Jackson
Conclusion
•
What are some reasons for why people use depressants?
•
How do they work? (Mechanisms and effects)
•
Why are they so dangerous?
Stimulants
Stimulants_______________ central nervous system activity and speed up body functions; arousal
response
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine (____________)



Euphoria, triggers release of ____________
May cause: ______________________________________________________________
HIGHLY addictive
Nicotine
Triggers __________________________________release (similar to effects of adrenaline)
Suppresses ___________and increases __________________
Stimulates release of _________________: highly addictive!
Withdrawal leads to insomnia, anxiety, irritability and weight gain
Correlation w/ ____________, __________________, and _____________________
Caffeine
Blocks adenosine, a chemical that inhibits neural firing
Result: _________________, increased ____________________ (3-4 hours)
Withdrawal leads to fatigue and headaches
Cocaine
Fast euphoria – fast crash
Blocks __________________reuptake (pleasure)
HIGHLY addictive
Withdrawal leads to fatigue, irritability, increased appetite, depression
Ecstasy (MDMA)
Stimulant and mild __________________
Triggers release of _______________ and prevents its reabsorption
Destroys serotonin-producing _______________ – permanent depression
Also suppresses immune system
Hallucinogens
Definition: Drugs that alter _______________________and distort __________________ and
_____________________.
Hallucinogens typically share the following properties:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Exact mechanisms are still unknown, but likely affect certain neurotransmitter pathways (i.e. serotonin)
Many are derived from plants (i.e. fungi, mushrooms) and contain nitrogen.
LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)
How was LSD discovered and by whom?: ___________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________.
The first intentional trip happened on April 19, 1943. The day is known as _________________________.
Results: ______________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________.
Non-addictive, but can produce “bad trips” and flashbacks
Can result in: _______________, _______________, _________________, panic attacks, nightmares and
aggression
Marijuana
THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, produces symptoms such as:
PCP
Most common side effects:
1. Loss of touch with _____________________
2. Insensitivity to pain; ______________________
Potential long-term risk of hallucinogens is HPPD:
________________ Persisting ___________________Disorder- Defined as:
Ex: ________________
Narcotics
Used to _____________________ and induce sleep – also called _________________
Examples: ______________________________________; Oxycodone (brand name Oxycontin)
Stimulate _________________________ receptors to produce euphoric numbness
Highly addictive!!!! Intense withdrawal symptoms prompt relapse and contributes to dependence
Withdrawal symptoms include _________________________________________________________.
View the table below. Which drugs are the most dangerous and why?
Based on the other graphs you have seen, briefly summarize the trends of illicit drug use, alcohol abuse,
and nicotine use among the population.
List the factors that contribute to drug use and abuse. How can drug abuse be reduced among
adolescents?