Introduction to PsychologyConsciousnessPick a card…Slide 4Selective attentionConscious processingNonconscious influencesSleepREM sleepSleep disordersDreamsWhy we dreamHypnosisPsychoactive drugsSlide 15MeditationSlide 17Introduction to PsychologyClass 10: ConsciousnessMyers: 187-208June 27, 2006ConsciousnessDefined as awareness of ourselves and our environmentsAre we completely conscious when we drive cars? Are we somewhat conscious when we dream?Pick a card…Selective attentionDefinition: Focusing of conscious awareness on particular stimuli Cocktail Party EffectChange BlindnessConscious processing5 senses11 million bits of sensation/information~40 are consciously processedWhy do we need a “perceptual filter”?Nonconscious influencesSimple, novel music tunesProse passagesParticipant recites the prose out loudDid participants recognize the music tunes? Did participants rate the music tunes they had been exposed to as more appealing than those that they had not been exposed to? NOYESWHAT CONCLUSION COULD WE DRAW BASED ON THESE RESULTS?SleepCircadian rhythm / body clockLight (natural or artificial) is the stimulusIt causes neural activity in the hypothalamus (SCN)Results in fluctuations of substances like melatonin (via the pineal gland)Necessary for protection, restoration and growthREM sleepLasts 10 minutes out of every 90 minute sleep cycle30 minutes in to sleep cycle1/4th of total sleepInternal arousal (heart, genitals, eyes) and dreams/nightmaresExternal relaxation (muscles)Paradoxical sleepSleep disordersInsomniaNarcolepsySleep apneaNight terrorsSleep-talking SomnambulismDreamsDefinition: A sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts notable for hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities and incongruities, the dreamer’s delusional acceptance of the content, and later difficulty remembering it Manifest contentLatent contentWhy we dreamWish-fulfillment - Sigmund FreudInformation processing-Consolidation of memoriesActivation synthesis-Low-level neural activity continues in sleep-The brain want to make “sense” of these “sensations”-Emotion-related limbic system has a role-Leads to the creation of the stories of dreamsHypnosisState of focus via hypnotic inductionSuggestibility / hypnotic susceptibilityPost-hypnotic suggestion - Good for obesity and stress-related skin disorders - Bad for drug addictions, including smoking - What about positive suggestion?Age-regression deeply disputed Pain relief - Dissociation or Selective Attention?Psychoactive drugsRelaxation, euphoria, wakefulness, alertness, energy, arousal, enhanced sensation, confidence, disinhibition, relief from painTolerance, withdrawal, physical dependence, psychological dependenceMyths-The addiction is always rapid-Therapy is a must-Any repetitive pleasure-seeking behavior is an “addiction”AlcoholInitial high, relaxation, disinhibitionDepressantDepression, memory loss, organ damageHeroinEuphoria, pain reliefDepressantDepressed physiology, agonizing withdrawalCaffeineAlertness, wakefulnessStimulantHigh doses, withdrawal are uncomfortableSpeed(Methamphetamine)Euphoria, alertness, energyStimulantIrritability, insomnia, seizures, high BPCocaineEuphoria, confidence, energyStimulantStress on heart, suspiciousnessNicotineArousal, well beingStimulantHeart disease, cancerEcstasy (MDMA) Elevation, disinhibitionStimulant, hallucinogenDehydration, mood and cognitive depressionMarijuanaEnhanced sensation, pain relief, time distortion, relaxationMild hallucinogenMemory disruption, lung damage from smokeDRUGTYPEEFFECTSPLEASURABLE ADVERSEMeditationEmployed by all kinds of traditions - Buddhism to New AgeLowers stress - Hormones - CardiovascularHelps negotiate between prefrontal cortex and amygdala? Increased gamma-wave activity at rest?They say dreams are only real while they last… but how much more can we say about
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