Levels of Consciousness

Subconscious - Consciousness just below the level of awareness. It contains thoughts and ideas just out of ourawareness.

Unconscious - A deeper level of awareness is the unconscious. It contains thoughts and desires about which we have no true or direct knowledge.

Consciousness - An organism’s or individual’s awareness of, or possibility of knowing what is happening inside or outside itself

Waking Consciousness

Levels of information Processing Parallel processing– subconscious information

processing occurs simultaneously on many parallel tracks.

Serial processing– conscious processing takes place in sequence

Waking Consciousness

Fantasy-prone personalities

someone who imagines and recalls experiences with lifelike vividness and who spends considerable time fantasizing

Biological Clocks

Biological clocks are internal units that control parts of the body and which are regulated by nature. They operate on free-running cycles (under their own control).

Through entrainment, some cycles can be modified to fit a different rhythm (sleep-wake cycle).

The human body has a natural rhythm or cycle of sleep and wakefulness of 25 hours. Contrast this to the light-dark cycle of 24 hours.

The human circadian rhythm is based on an entrained 24-hour cycle. Most people’s low points (temperature, blood pressure, and weakness ) generally fall between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.

Circadian Rhythms

Premenstrual Syndrome

Premenstrual Menstrual Intermenstrual

Menstrual phaseActual Recalled mood

3

2

1

Negative moodscore

Recalled mood isworse than

earlier reported

Sleep and Dreams REM (Rapid Eye Movement) Sleep

recurring sleep stage vivid dreams “paradoxical sleep”

muscles are generally relaxed, but other body systems are active

Sleep and Dreams

Sleep periodic, natural,

reversible loss of

consciousness

Sleep and DreamsREM SLEEP NREM SLEEP

1. Rapid eye movement 1. Non-rapid eye movement

2. Increases in length as night’s sleep progresses.

2.Decreases in length as night’s sleep progresses.

3. Vivid dreams 3. Vague, partial images and stories

4. Nightmares 4. Incubus attacks (night terrors)

5. Paralyzed body 5. Sleepwalking & talking in sleep

6. Essential part of sleep 6. Less essential part of sleep

Brain Waves and Sleep Stages

Beta Waves Wide awake waves

Alpha Waves slow waves of a relaxed,

awake brain Delta Waves

large, slow waves of deep sleep

Hallucinations false sensory experiences

Sleep Spindles Begin during stage 2 sleep

and increase through the cycle

The Nature of Sleep and Dreams

Stages in a Typical Night’s Sleep

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4

3

2

1

Sleepstages

Awake

Hours of sleep

REM

Stages in a Typical Night’s Sleep

Hours of sleep

Minutesof Stage 4 and REM

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 80

10

15

20

25

5

Decreasing Stage 4

Increasing REM

Stages of Sleep Upon reaching stage 4 and after about 80 to 100 minutes of total sleep

time, sleep lightens, returns through stages 3 and 2 REM sleep emerges, characterized by EEG patterns that resemble beta

waves of alert wakefulness muscles most relaxed rapid eye movements occur dreams occur

Four or five sleep cycles occur in a typical night’s sleep; less time is spent in slow-wave, more is spent in REM

Functions of Sleep

Restoration theory —body wears out during the day and sleep is necessary to put it back in shape

Adaptive theory— sleep emerged in evolution to preserve energy and protect during the time of day when there is little value and considerable danger

Sleep Deprivation

Effects of Sleep Loss fatigue impaired

concentration depressed immune

system greater vulnerability

to accidents

Sleep Deprivation

Has little effect on

performance of tasks

requiring physical

skill or intellectual

judgment Hurts performance on simple, boring tasks

more than challenging ones

Sleep Deprivation

2,400

2,700

2,600

2,500

2,800

Spring time change(hour sleep loss)

3,600

4,200

4000

3,800

Fall time change(hour sleep gained)

Less sleep,more accidents

More sleep,fewer accidents

Monday before time change Monday after time change

Accident frequency

Individual Differences in Sleep Drive Some individuals need more and some

less than the typical 8 hours per night Nonsomniacs—sleep far less than most,

but do not feel tired during the day Insomniacs—has a normal desire for

sleep, but is unable to and feels tired during the day

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia persistent problems in falling or staying

asleep Narcolepsy

uncontrollable sleep attacks Sleep Apnea

temporary cessation of breathing momentary reawakenings

Sleep Disorders

REM sleep disorder— sleeper acts out his or her dreams

Night terrors— sudden arousal from sleep and intense fear accompanied by physiological reactions (e.g., rapid heart rate, perspiration) that occur during slow-wave sleep

Nightmares– a vivid dream depicting frightening disturbing, anxiety-provoking events.

Sleep DisordersNightmares Night Terrors

1. Occurs during REM sleep, usually during the second half of the night.

1. Occurs during NREM sleep, usually during the first hour of the night.

2. Mild physiological changes 2. Drastic bodily changes: breathing & heart rate rise dramatically.

3. Associated with vivid images 3. Associated with panic

4. Most likely to occur during REM rebound.

4. Most likely to occur in children

Practical Issues in Sleep

Many people walk and talk in their sleep. It is normal. It is not dangerous to awaken a sleepwalker, as long as the person feels safe and secure.

Walking and Talking

Sleepwalking (somnambulism)About 25% of all children have at least one episode of sleepwalking. It typically occurs during the first three hours of sleep.

The Psychology of Dreams

Usually dreams contain everyday occurrences such as interactions with family, friends, school teachers, and so on. They also contain ideas about fears and inadequacies.

Everyone dreams...

Usually contain imagined conquests

Take place outdoors more than indoors

May be recurrent

Usually involve running or jumping

Usually involve strong emotions

Contain visual, auditory, and even taste sensations. (About 50% of our dreams are in color. No one knows why.)

Dream Content

Dreams: Freud

Sigmund Freud--The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) wish fulfillment discharge otherwise unacceptable feelings

Manifest Content remembered story line

Latent Content underlying meaning

Manifest Content

Monsters On Bikes I have this recurring dream of being chased by a gang of

monsters on bikes. I know the neighborhood that I am in because I used to live there. I am on foot trying to get away and hiding in places that I know are safe. But they keep finding me. I also know it is Halloween, because I am in costume and so is everyone else. I am screaming for help, but the people around me, and the people whose doorbells I am ringing keep telling me that there is no one after me. They ask me if I want some candy to calm myself down. Then they start taking guns and shooting at me, but they miss. Finally, I can't run anymore, and they catch up to me, and grab me by my nose when I wake up.

Thank you!JessicaOctober 1, 2000

Latent ContentHi Jessica,

Chase dreams are quite common and often reflect a situation that you are afraid in confronting. Being chased by a gang of monsters sounds quite frightening. You indicated that in your dream it was Halloween. These monsters were probably really people dressed in their own mask and costumes. The scenario of your dream and being that it is Halloween, furthers my belief that you are truly afraid in directly confronting a particular situation. Disguises and costumes protect and shield your real self. Behind a mask, you adapt a new persona and and feel freer in releasing your inhibitions. The costume/mask provides some sort of barrier against your vulnerabilities. It protects you from being hurt.

Another significant aspect of your dream is that the people you turn to for help turns against you. Does this parallel a situation in your waking life where you felt betrayed or that your trust was undermined? Next time you have another chase dream, turn around and confront the chasers. You may be surprised to find that what you are running from is not all that frightening. In doing so, you will even find that your recurring chase dreams will occur less often.

Best Regards,Steve

Dreams

As Information Processing helps facilitate memories

REM Rebound REM sleep increases following REM

sleep deprivation

Sleep Across the Lifespan

The Purpose of Dreaming

One hypothesis about dreaming is that it is a time for the brain to replenish chemicals used up during the day and to process information.

A second hypothesis says that dreams are used to work out problems experienced throughout the day.

A third hypothesis about dreaming suggests that it gives the brain an opportunity to sift through and reorganize eventsof the day. It creates a dream to organize the events. We dream to make sense of the random situations.

E=MC2

No one can be hypnotized to do something they wouldn’t do anyway.

HypnosisHypnosis is a state of relaxation. Attention is focused on certain objects, acts, or feelings.

Anton Mesmer believed power came from magnetism.

Hypnotic results really come from the power of suggestion to focus or block.

Trances are periods of deep relaxation.

Hypnosis

Hypnosis a social interaction in which one person (the

hypnotist) suggests to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur

Posthypnotic Amnesia supposed inability to recall what one

experienced during hypnosis induced by the hypnotist’s suggestion

Hypnosis

Unhypnotized persons can also do this

Hypnosis

Orne & Evans (1965) control group instructed to “pretend” unhypnotized subjects performed the same acts

as the hypnotized ones Posthypnotic Suggestion

suggestion to be carried out after the subject is no longer hypnotized

used by some clinicians to control undesired symptoms and behaviors

Hypnosis

Dissociation a split in consciousness allows some thoughts and behaviors to occur

simultaneously with others Hidden Observer

Hilgard’s term describing a hypnotized subject’s awareness of experiences, such as pain, that go unreported during hypnosis

Facts and Falsehoods

1. Can hypnosis work for anyone?

2. Can hypnosis enhance recall of forgotten events? Age regression – relive an earlier experience

3. Can hypnosis force people to act against their will?

4. Can hypnosis be therapeutic?

5. Can hypnosis alleviate pain?

Explaining Hypnosis

Drugs and Consciousness

Psychoactive Drug a chemical substance that alters perceptions and

mood Physical Dependence

physiological need for a drug marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms

Psychological Dependence a psychological need to use a drug for example, to relieve negative emotions

Dependence and Addiction

Tolerance diminishing effect

with regular use Withdrawal

discomfort and distress that follow discontinued use

Small Large

Drug dose

Littleeffect

Bigeffect

Drugeffect

Response tofirst exposure

After repeatedexposure, moredrug is neededto produce same effect

Psychoactive Drugs

Depressants drugs that reduce neural activity slow body functions

alcohol, barbiturates, opiates Stimulants

drugs that excite neural activity speed up body functions

caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine

Psychoactive Drugs

Hallucinogens psychedelic (mind-manifesting)

drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input LSD

Psychoactive Drugs

Alcohol– in large or small doses it is a depressant. Small doses may indeed, enliven a drinker, but they do so by slowing brain activity that controls judgment and inhibitions. It contributes to the greatest number of deaths.

Psychoactive Drugs

Barbiturates drugs that depress the activity

of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgement

Psychoactive Drugs

Opiates opium and its derivatives

(morphine and heroin) opiates depress neural activity,

temporarily lessening pain and anxiety

Psychoactive Drugs

Amphetamines drugs that stimulate neural

activity, causing speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes

Cocaine Euphoria and Crash

Psychoactive Drugs

Ecstasy (MDMA) synthetic stimulant and mild hallucinogen both short-term and long-term health risks

LSD lysergic acid diethylamide a powerful hallucinogenic drug also known as acid

THC the major active ingredient in marijuana triggers a variety of effects, including mild

hallucinations

Trends in Drug Use

1975 ‘77 ‘79 ‘81 ‘83 ‘85 ‘87 ‘89 ‘91 ‘93 ‘95 ‘97 ‘99Year

80%

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

High schoolseniors

reportingdrug use

Alcohol

Marijuana/hashish

Cocaine

Perceived Marijuana Risk

‘75 ‘77 ‘79 ‘81 ‘83 ‘85 ‘87 ‘89 ‘91 ‘93 ‘95 ‘97 ‘99Year

100%

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0

Percentof

twelfthgraders

Perceived “great risk ofharm” in marijuana use

Used marijuana

Psychoactive Drugs

Near-Death Experiences

Near-Death Experience an altered state of

consciousness reported after a close brush with death

often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

Near-Death Experiences

Dualism the presumption that mind and body

are two distinct entities that interact Monism

the presumption that mind and body are different aspects of the same thing