Psychology Lecture 1: Consciousness

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Questions and Answers

What role does V1 play in visual consciousness according to TMS studies?

V1 feedback is essential for visual perception. (correct)

V1 is primarily responsible for color perception.

V1 activity completely overrides other brain areas.

V1 is not necessary for visual consciousness.

What effect does a second pulse of TMS over V1 have on phosphene perception?

It does not affect phosphene perception.

It completely impairs phosphene perception. (correct)

It enhances phosphene perception.

It only affects perception when the first pulse is strong.

In blindsight patients, what phenomenon occurs despite their reported blindness?

They can describe their visual experiences accurately.

They exhibit complete indifference to light.

They react to visual stimuli better than chance. (correct)

They can recall visual memories.

What is the implication of the findings from TMS over MT in relation to visual consciousness?

Feedback from MT to V1 is necessary for conscious perception of motion. Signup and view all the answers

What does Penfield's work from the 1950s primarily demonstrate?

Brain stimulation can evoke physical movement and memories. Signup and view all the answers

What finding supports the idea that FFA is necessary for face perception?

Lesion studies show impaired function without FFA. Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the microstimulation of V4 cells?

It influences the perception of color. Signup and view all the answers

What is a key concept of Models of Consciousness regarding the Global Neuronal Workspace?

Conscious states emerge when they enter the Global Workspace. Signup and view all the answers

What is typically considered the 'easy' problem of consciousness?

Identifying neural correlates of consciousness Signup and view all the answers

What major psychological movement is characterized by the study of stimulus and response?

Behaviorism Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes 'phenomenal consciousness'?

The experiential component of consciousness Signup and view all the answers

In which century did introspectionism emerge as an approach in psychology?

19th century Signup and view all the answers

What is the main focus of consciousness research since the 1990s?

Neuroimaging techniques Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'hard' problem of consciousness primarily concerned with?

Understanding subjective experiences Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following components did human consciousness NOT possess, according to the key features outlined?

Perception Signup and view all the answers

Which landmark psychological approach started in the 1960s and shifted focus toward mental processes?

Cognitive psychology Signup and view all the answers

What is the main characteristic of information in the global workspace (GW)?

It is accessible to multiple cognitive systems. Signup and view all the answers

Which processing stage allows information to influence action after being fed forward?

Stage 2: Deep feedforward processing. Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable difference between Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW) and Recurrent Processing Theory (RPT)?

GNW focuses solely on access consciousness. Signup and view all the answers

Which stage of processing is linked to local recurrent activity that allows for consciousness?

Stage 3: Superficial recurrent processing. Signup and view all the answers

What is necessary for activating network feedback and rendering content conscious in the GNW model?

Frontal cortex activity. Signup and view all the answers

What type of consciousness results from any recurrent activity, according to Recurrent Processing Theory?

Phenomenal consciousness. Signup and view all the answers

How does attention relate to consciousness based on the provided theories?

Attention and consciousness are two separate processes. Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily lacking in the Global Neuronal Workspace model compared to RPT?

The ability to account for phenomenal consciousness. Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by 'phenomenal consciousness' in the context of the brain?

An emergent property arising from the complexity of the brain Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean for consciousness to be an 'emergent property'?

It exists only at the system level and is not present in its individual components Signup and view all the answers

Why is phenomenal consciousness considered difficult to explain?

It involves extreme complexity associated with the brain's operations Signup and view all the answers

What does 'binocular rivalry' refer to in the study of visual consciousness?

The presentation of incongruent images to both eyes leading to perceptual alternation Signup and view all the answers

What is one implication of Logothetis' data regarding visual perception?

Conscious awareness may not be associated with activity in early visual cortex Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of the brain's structure contributes significantly to its complexity?

The number of neurons and synaptic connections Signup and view all the answers

What role does neural oscillation play in consciousness?

It helps the brain operate over various time scales Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes the connectivity in the brain that aids in consciousness?

Connections exist in both feedforward and feedback patterns Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Lecture 1: Consciousness

Essential features of consciousness: Sentience (sensory/perceptual system), wakefulness (not in deep sleep/coma), self-awareness (aware of being awake and sentient), meta-cognition (thinking about thoughts).
Human consciousness: Two key components: phenomenal consciousness (subjective experience, what it feels like to be you) and reflexive consciousness (ability to think about thoughts, meta-cognition).
Quick history of consciousness (17th-19th C): Began with philosophers like Descartes, Leibniz, and others, leading to introspectionism in the late 19th century (experimental psychology focusing on subjective observations of mental processes, e.g. Fechner, Wundt, Titchener).
Early 20th Century : Behaviorism (focus on observable behavior, ignoring the mind, e.g., Watson, Skinner).
1960s : Cognitive psychology (focus on information processing, computation, mental processes).
1990s : Neuroimaging (fMRI, MEG, PET) measuring brain functions while performing tasks).
Early 21st Century : Neural networks (simulating consciousness, conscious machines).

Consciousness History: Philosophy of Mind

Humanist Thinkers (17-18th C): Descartes, Leibniz, Locke, Hume, and Mill all wrote about the mind and consciousness before modern psychology.
Philosophical Perspectives :
- Dualism: (Descartes) mind and body are separate; mental is distinct from physical.
- Materialism: (19-20th C): Only matter exists, brain is matter, mental states are a product of the brain.
- Epiphenomenalism: Mental states are a product of the brain's physical events; have no causal role.

Consciousness History: Introspectionism

Experimental Psychology (Late 19th Century): Began with introspectionism (Fechner, Wundt, Titchener).
- Method: Controlled, replicable subjective reports of mental processes.
- Goal: To observe "qualia" (subjective conscious experiences, e.g. "redness").
- Problems: Biased observers, different skills/terms, lack of agreement.

Consciousness History: Behaviorism

Early 20th Century: Dominated psychology, focusing on observable behavior.
- Rejection of the mind as a subject of study.
- Focus on stimulus and response (S-R) psychology.

Consciousness History: Cognitive Psychology

1960s: Emergence of cognitive psychology, bringing the mind back into psychological study.
- Reintroduction of brain as an information processor metaphor.

Consciousness History: Neuroimaging

1990s onward: Neuroimaging techniques (fMRI, MEG, PET) for studying brain activity.
- Allows observation of brain activity during conscious tasks.

Consciousness History: 1990s - Present

1990s: Consciousness became a legitimate scientific research area.
What needs to be explained: Chalmers' Easy vs. Hard problem of consciousness.
- Easy: Linking brain activity to specific conscious states.
- Hard: Explaining why brain activity produces subjective experiences (qualia).

Phenomenal Consciousness

Emergent property: Consciousness may arise from the brain's complexity.
Interconnectedness: The brain is highly interconnected non-linearly at all levels.
Properties: Notions of complexity are connected and relevant to emergence of consciousness.

Connectivity Within Regional Networks

Connections generally go both ways (feedforward and feedback).

Why Consciousness?

Interaction with the world (gathering information, planning, actions, and goals).

Models of Consciousness:

Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW): Consciousness is a state where information is accessible to multiple systems. Information in the global workspace is conscious, not contained solely in a specific location.
Recurrent Processing Theory (RPT): Consciousness does not need frontal activation. Recurrent activity (looping) in the brain provides awareness.

Binocular Rivalry:

A paradigm for visual consciousness where incompatible images are presented to each eye, causing perceptual alternation.
- Purpose: To investigate the neural correlates of consciousness (NCC) and to understand which brain regions participate in visual awareness.

Brain Stimulation:

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS): Non-invasive brain stimulation technique. Used to temporarily disrupt brain function in a specific area.

Microstimulation:

Direct stimulation of brain areas (e.g., FFA, V4) can produce specific conscious experiences, as shown in studies using implanted electrodes and stimulation.

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Description

Explore the essential features and history of consciousness, from early philosophical thoughts to modern cognitive psychology. This quiz covers the evolution of consciousness through different eras and key contributors like Descartes and Skinner. Test your understanding of the multifaceted nature of human awareness.