Psychology Test #2 Notes PDF

Psychology Second Half of Term **Chapter \#5 -- Consciousness and Drugs** **Consciousness --** everything of which we are aware at any given time (thoughts, feelings, mental processes, events outside ourselves) [Simplified Definition:] awareness of ourselves and our environment. How are brain co...

Psychology Second Half of Term **Chapter \#5 -- Consciousness and Drugs** **Consciousness --** everything of which we are aware at any given time (thoughts, feelings, mental processes, events outside ourselves) [Simplified Definition:] awareness of ourselves and our environment. How are brain constructs an alternative conscious world: **Spontaneously** Daydreaming Drowsiness Dreaming ----------------------------- --------------------- ------------ ------------------------ **Physiologically Induced** Hallucinations Orgasm Food/Oxygen Starvation **Psychologically Induced** Sensory Deprivation Hypnosis Meditation [Sleep Stages] How much sleep do we need? - Most need 7-10 hours - Newborns need 16 hours over the day Mnemonic Acronym: **The waves seen as a person gets more tired** **B**e (Beta) **A**wake (Alpha) **T**hen (Theta) **D**reaming (Delta) Stage \#1: Lasts about 10 minutes - Often, we are unaware that we've been sleeping - May have sensation of falling (hypnic myoclonia) or experience sudden jerks (myoclonic jerks) of limbs Stage \#2: Lasts about 30 minutes - Bursts of electrical activity called sleep spindles and K-complexes appear. Heart rate and body temperature lower, and muscles relax. - We spend 65% of our sleep in stage 2 **REM (Rapid Eye Movement):** quick movement of the eyes that happens at certain times while sleeping/dreaming. Stage \#3 & 4: Lasts about 30 minutes (deep sleep) - Slow wave sleep, appearance of slow delta waves. - People are hard to wake up - Researchers think that slow wave sleep is important for repairing muscles - Non-REM sleep, 43% dream reports (dreams are boring) Stage \#5: Lasts about 20 minutes - REM sleep. 20-25% of our night's sleep - Vivid dreaming occurs, 80-90% report dreams [REM Sleep & Dreaming] - Function of eye movements (darting) is unknown. Blind individuals also show this pattern. - Individuals with **REM Behaviour Disorder** act out their dreams because brain stem structures responsible for the paralysis that normally occurs during REM (the locus coeruleus aren't functioning correctly) **REM Dreams:** emotional, illogical, plot shifts **Non-REM Dreams:** shorter, thought-like, repetitive **Lucid Dreaming:** occurs when you realize you are dreaming while asleep. [Major Sleep Anomalies] **Somnambulism:** sleepwalking, occurs during stage 3 & 4 sleep **Somniloquy:** sleep talking, occurs during any sleep stage (more frequent among children) **Narcolepsy:** sleep disorder uncharacterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and *uncontrolled REM sleep* **Sleep Apnea** consists of *periods during sleep when breathing stops.* Individual must awaken briefly to breathe **Insomnia:** sleep disorder characterized by *difficulty falling and staying asleep.* Happens by waking to early, light sleep, restless, or poor quality. Factors Related to Insomnia: - Depression, stress - Caffeine, napping - Should sleep in a cool room and get up at regular times **Night Terrors:** occur within 2-3 hours of falling asleep (in stages 3 & 4) **Nightmares:** occur toward morning, are frightening dreams that occur during REM sleep [Dream Function] **Freud:** dreams that represent wish fulfillment - Themes are less frequent than dreams of misfortune - Believes that many/most dreams are sexual in nature Sleep and Dreaming Appear to be Important for: 1. Processing emotional memories 2. Integrating new experiences 3. Learning new strategies 4. Simulating threatening events 5. Reorganizing and consolidating memories [Why do we dream?] - During REM Acetylcholine goes *up* but serotonin & norepinephrine goes *down.* - The pons sends incomplete signals to the *lateral geniculate (thalamus)* and the forebrain interprets these signals. The *Amygdala* is active.