Psychology Chapter: Consciousness and Awareness
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Questions and Answers

What are the two key brain structures that are thought to be necessary for consciousness?

The thalamus and the reticular formation.

Why might an animal's awareness of its surroundings be important for survival?

It allows the animal to make more informed decisions and take actions that increase its chances of survival.

What is the default mode network (DMN) of the brain responsible for?

It maintains a high level of unconscious background activity and helps the brain prepare for conscious thought.

Which of the following is not an example of a state of awareness?

<p>Hallucinating</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the daily biological rhythm that responds to both internal and external factors?

<p>Circadian rhythm</p> Signup and view all the answers

Travelling westward is more disruptive to circadian rhythms than travelling eastward.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the mood disorder that occurs regularly at the same time each year, usually during the winter months?

<p>Major depressive disorder with seasonal pattern</p> Signup and view all the answers

Sleepwalking occurs during REM sleep.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main types of sleep?

<p>NREM (non-rapid eye movement) sleep and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a benefit of sleep?

<p>Increases anxiety</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the conscious awareness of dreaming accompanied by the ability to control the content of the dream?

<p>Lucid dreaming</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a type of sleep disorder?

<p>Hallucinations</p> Signup and view all the answers

Match the following sleep disorders with their descriptions:

<p>Sleep terrors = Sudden awakening from sleep in a state of fear and panic Insomnia = Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep Narcolepsy = Uncontrollable sleep attacks during the day Cataplexy = Sudden loss of muscle control triggered by strong emotions</p> Signup and view all the answers

Breathing-related sleep disorders can lead to problems like heart disease and increased risk of stroke.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) is the most common cause of death in infants during the first six months of life.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the disorder characterized by involuntary limb movements, often accompanied by tingling sensations?

<p>Restless legs syndrome (RLS)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a way in which consciousness can be altered?

<p>Exercise</p> Signup and view all the answers

A person in a vegetative state (VS) is completely unresponsive to stimuli.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Brain death is considered irreversible.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for altered states of consciousness reported by people who have been close to death?

<p>Near-death experiences (NDEs)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Seizures are always caused by brain injury or infection.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the two main categories of seizures?

<p>Tonic-clonic seizures and absence seizures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the need to administer greater quantities of a drug to achieve the same subjective effect?

<p>Tolerance</p> Signup and view all the answers

Withdrawal symptoms are only physical in nature.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the three main neural systems that can be disrupted by drug addiction, leading to impulsive decision-making?

<p>The impulsive system (dopamine pathways), the reflective system (frontal lobes), and the craving system (insula).</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not a commonly used psychoactive drug?

<p>Insulin</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for an altered state of consciousness characterized by relaxation and increased suggestibility?

<p>Hypnosis</p> Signup and view all the answers

Meditation is a voluntary alteration of consciousness characterized by positive emotion and a stream of thoughts.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

High doses of alcohol can lead to death.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Opioids, even in low doses, can lead to a state of euphoria and pain relief.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Consciousness: A State of Awareness

  • Consciousness is awareness of ongoing internal and external experiences.
  • Self-awareness is a specific understanding of oneself distinct from other stimuli.
  • Certain brain structures (like the thalamus and reticular formation) are involved in consciousness but it's more useful to see it as resulting from change in brain networks.

Consciousness as Variations in Alertness

  • Varying states of awareness might allow animals to repair their bodies and conserve energy.
  • Maximizing survival requires adapting to activity levels depending on the time of day/night.
  • Sleeping during times of low activity can be beneficial for animal survival.

Consciousness as Awareness of Sensations

  • Consciousness allows the ability to choose how to react by processing information rather than reacting instinctively.
  • Being consciously aware of sensations gives animals more options (ex., fleeing a predator).
  • Consciousness increases survival chances.

Consciousness in the Brain

  • The Default Mode Network (DMN) maintains unconscious background activity, helping the brain prepare for conscious thought.

Definition of Consciousness

  • State of Awareness: The level of awareness of internal states and surroundings, which can be high or low, and realistic or distorted. (e.g., asleep, awake, meditating, hallucinating)
  • Content of Awareness: The ongoing catalog of internal and external stimuli. (e.g., hearing music, feeling hungry, thinking about a news report)
  • Self-Awareness: Understanding of the self as separate from other stimuli. (e.g., knowing you're looking in a mirror, knowing you're dreaming)

Circadian Rhythms

  • Sleep is a normal state of consciousness characterized by reduced awareness of external stimuli.

Sleep Disorders

  • Sleepwalking: Occurs in stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep.
  • Sleep talking: Occurs in lighter stages of NREM sleep.
  • Nightmares: Associated with REM sleep.
  • Sleep terrors: Associated with NREM sleep.

The EEG During Sleep

  • Sleep is a mixture of NREM and REM sleep.
  • EEG recordings demonstrate different waveforms (theta, delta, etc) during various stages of sleep.

Features of Wakefulness and Sleep

  • Brain activity recorded by EEG varies depending on wakefulness and sleep stage.
  • Different stages of sleep have different levels of responsiveness to stimuli.
  • REM sleep resembles brain activity typical of wakefulness, but is accompanied by muscle paralysis.

Benefits of Sleep

  • Stages 3 and 4 of NREM sleep repair the body and release growth hormones.
  • Sleep restores energy and improves memory.

Daydreaming

  • Daydreaming is a spontaneous experience in a no-task, no-stimulus, and no-response situation.
  • Daydreaming is correlated with the Default Mode Network (DMN).

Sleep Disorders

  • Insomnia: Inability to initiate or maintain normal sleep.
  • Narcolepsy: Consists of 'sleep attacks' where REM sleep occurs during wakefulness.
  • Cataplexy: Muscle paralysis during wakefulness.
  • Breathing-related sleep disorders: Include sleep apnea, where breathing stops and starts repeatedly.

Consciousness and Brain Damage

  • Coma: Abnormal state of deep unconsciousness, caused by damage to cerebral hemispheres or the reticular formation.
  • Vegetative State (VS): Wakefulness without consciousness.
  • Brain death: Irreversible lack of measurable brain activity.

Seizures

  • Seizures: Abnormally high brain activation; often classified as tonic-clonic or absence.
  • Partial seizures originate in one area of the brain and can spread.
  • Generalized seizures affect the whole brain.

Psychoactive Drugs

  • Psychoactive drugs alter a person's state of consciousness.
  • Some, such as marijuana, LSD, and caffeine, affect perception.
  • Some, like alcohol, opioids, and nicotine, affect behaviour.

Non-drug Methods for Altering Consciousness

  • Hypnosis is characterised by relaxation and increased suggestibility.
  • Meditation is a voluntary alteration of consciousness.

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Description

Explore the intriguing concepts of consciousness and self-awareness. This quiz delves into how varying states of awareness affect survival and decision-making in animals. Understand the critical brain structures involved and their role in creating different levels of alertness.

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