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Questions and Answers
What role does V1 play in visual consciousness according to TMS studies?
What role does V1 play in visual consciousness according to TMS studies?
What effect does a second pulse of TMS over V1 have on phosphene perception?
What effect does a second pulse of TMS over V1 have on phosphene perception?
In blindsight patients, what phenomenon occurs despite their reported blindness?
In blindsight patients, what phenomenon occurs despite their reported blindness?
What is the implication of the findings from TMS over MT in relation to visual consciousness?
What is the implication of the findings from TMS over MT in relation to visual consciousness?
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What does Penfield's work from the 1950s primarily demonstrate?
What does Penfield's work from the 1950s primarily demonstrate?
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What finding supports the idea that FFA is necessary for face perception?
What finding supports the idea that FFA is necessary for face perception?
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What is indicated by the microstimulation of V4 cells?
What is indicated by the microstimulation of V4 cells?
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What is a key concept of Models of Consciousness regarding the Global Neuronal Workspace?
What is a key concept of Models of Consciousness regarding the Global Neuronal Workspace?
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What is typically considered the 'easy' problem of consciousness?
What is typically considered the 'easy' problem of consciousness?
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What major psychological movement is characterized by the study of stimulus and response?
What major psychological movement is characterized by the study of stimulus and response?
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Which of the following best describes 'phenomenal consciousness'?
Which of the following best describes 'phenomenal consciousness'?
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In which century did introspectionism emerge as an approach in psychology?
In which century did introspectionism emerge as an approach in psychology?
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What is the main focus of consciousness research since the 1990s?
What is the main focus of consciousness research since the 1990s?
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What is the 'hard' problem of consciousness primarily concerned with?
What is the 'hard' problem of consciousness primarily concerned with?
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Which of the following components did human consciousness NOT possess, according to the key features outlined?
Which of the following components did human consciousness NOT possess, according to the key features outlined?
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Which landmark psychological approach started in the 1960s and shifted focus toward mental processes?
Which landmark psychological approach started in the 1960s and shifted focus toward mental processes?
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What is the main characteristic of information in the global workspace (GW)?
What is the main characteristic of information in the global workspace (GW)?
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Which processing stage allows information to influence action after being fed forward?
Which processing stage allows information to influence action after being fed forward?
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What is a notable difference between Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW) and Recurrent Processing Theory (RPT)?
What is a notable difference between Global Neuronal Workspace (GNW) and Recurrent Processing Theory (RPT)?
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Which stage of processing is linked to local recurrent activity that allows for consciousness?
Which stage of processing is linked to local recurrent activity that allows for consciousness?
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What is necessary for activating network feedback and rendering content conscious in the GNW model?
What is necessary for activating network feedback and rendering content conscious in the GNW model?
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What type of consciousness results from any recurrent activity, according to Recurrent Processing Theory?
What type of consciousness results from any recurrent activity, according to Recurrent Processing Theory?
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How does attention relate to consciousness based on the provided theories?
How does attention relate to consciousness based on the provided theories?
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What is primarily lacking in the Global Neuronal Workspace model compared to RPT?
What is primarily lacking in the Global Neuronal Workspace model compared to RPT?
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What is meant by 'phenomenal consciousness' in the context of the brain?
What is meant by 'phenomenal consciousness' in the context of the brain?
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What does it mean for consciousness to be an 'emergent property'?
What does it mean for consciousness to be an 'emergent property'?
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Why is phenomenal consciousness considered difficult to explain?
Why is phenomenal consciousness considered difficult to explain?
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What does 'binocular rivalry' refer to in the study of visual consciousness?
What does 'binocular rivalry' refer to in the study of visual consciousness?
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What is one implication of Logothetis' data regarding visual perception?
What is one implication of Logothetis' data regarding visual perception?
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Which aspect of the brain's structure contributes significantly to its complexity?
Which aspect of the brain's structure contributes significantly to its complexity?
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What role does neural oscillation play in consciousness?
What role does neural oscillation play in consciousness?
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What characterizes the connectivity in the brain that aids in consciousness?
What characterizes the connectivity in the brain that aids in consciousness?
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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1960s: Emergence of cognitive psychology, bringing the mind back into psychological study.
- Reintroduction of brain as an information processor metaphor.
Consciousness History: Neuroimaging
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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.
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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.