Sleep Paralysis: our body becomes paralyzed while we are sleepingPeople awaken cognitively but their brain and muscles are still impairedConsciousness:Our subjective experience of the world, our bodies, and our mental perspectivesCircadian Rhythms: cyclical changes that occur on a roughly 24-hour basisBiological processes like hormone release, body temperatureRegulated by the biological clock (SCN) of the hypothalamusTriggers our sense of fatigue via increasing melatoninMelatonin makes us feel tiredMelatonin is released in the afternoon because we sleep at night and so in order to make sure we are sleepy when darkness falls we release melatoninHow much light the retina is receiving tells the body how much melatonin it should sendJet LagThe more time zones passed through, the longer it takes the body’s clock to resetGet rid of it by taking a nap is not goodThe best thing to do to get rid of jet lag is to go outside. Your eyes will get information knowing its light outside by sending the info to your brainLate Work ShiftsIncrease risk of injuries, fatal accidents, health problemsSleepHow much we need to sleep is done by ageNewborns: 16 hoursCollege Students: 9 hoursMost people: 7-10 hoursPeople with mutation: 6 hours or lessSleep DeprivationOne night: edginess, irritability, poor concentration the next dayMultiple nights: often experience depression, difficulties in learning and attending, slowed reaction timesMore than 4 days of severe deprivation: can hear voices or see thingsStages of SleepWe cycle through 5 stages of sleep in 90 minutesNon-REM: happens in stages 1-4No eye movements, less dreamsREM sleepStage 5, vivid dreams, quick eye movementsAwake a lot of brain activity, when we sleep activity goes downNon-REM SleepStage 1: Very drowsy, transition quickly to stage 2; theta wavesStage 2: Brain waves and heart rate slow down, body temperature decreases, muscles relax; sleep spindles and K-complexesSleep spindles and K-complexes are short surges of electrical activityStages 3 and 4: Large-amplitude delta waves become more frequentAlcohol can keep us from deep sleepNon-REM DreamsShorterMore thought-likeRepetitiveConcerned with daily tasksREM SleepStage of sleep during which:The brain is most activeVivid dreaming most often occursAlso called paradoxical sleepREM DreamsMore dreamsEmotional, illogicalProne to plot shiftsBiologically crucialSleep DisordersWidespread and costly problem$35 billion/year cost30-50% of population experiences at some pointMost common is insomnia (0-15% of people)Difficulty going to, staying asleep, or early wakingHigh rates with depression, pain, medical conditionsSleep HygieneDrugsPsychoactive Drugs: substances containing chemicals similar to those found naturally in our brains that alter consciousness by changing chemical process in neuronsAbuse Versus Dependence: A Fine LineSubstance Abuse: people qualify for this diagnosis when they experience recurrent problems associated with a drugSubstance Dependence: a more serious pattern of use, leading to clinically significant impairment, distress, or bothWithdrawalTolerancePhysical and psychological dependenceExplanations for Drug Use and AbuseSociocultural Influences: cultures encourage and discourage the use of alcohol and other drugsMuslims do not let people drink alcoholItaly loves winePersonalityLearning and ExpectanciesTension-reduction hypothesis for example a glass of red wine after a long day of work will make you feel more calmGenetic InfluencesDrug and alcohol abuse genetic disorder (runs in families)DepressantsDepress the effects of the central nervous system (mimicking of GABA)Examples:AlcoholSedative-HypnoticsAlcoholFemales experience effects more heavilyResearch shows that we expect to happen when drinking also plays a role in social behaviorPlacebo effectSedative-HypnoticsOften prescribed to assist with anxiety or insomniaThree classes:BarbituratesNon-barbituratesBenzodiazepinesBenzos (like Valium) are in most widespread use and can be highly addictiveStimulantsIncrease activity in the central nervous system, including heart rate, respiration, and blood pressureInclude:NicotineCocaineAmphetaminesSometimes usersEveryday usersRecreational usersNarcoticsRelieve pain and induce sleep; derived from the opium poppyInclude:HeroinMorphineCodeineMost abusers are the ones who were prescribed the medicationPsychedelicsCause dramatic alterations of perception, mood, and thought; hallucinogenicInclude:LSDMescalinePCPEcstasy (properties of both psychedelic and stimulant)Mimics effect of Dopamine and suppress SerotoninMarijuanaSome classify as a hallucinogen, others do notMost frequently used illegal drug in the United StatesDevelopmental Psychology:The study of how behavior changes over the life spanClarifying the Nature-Nurture DebateGenes and environment can intersect in complex ways:Gene-environment interactionsRisk of skin cancer- if your pale and you spend a lot of time in the sunNature via nurtureWhen people with certain genetic predisposition seek out economic helpPeoples personalities will eventually show who they hang out with and what activities they doExpose yourself to activities that bring out your personalitiesGene expressionNot all genes turned on at the same timeWhen in particular environment we can turn on those genesMale pattern baldness- these gene expression changes the way people look. Only turned on when exposed to high levels of testosteroneCognitive DevelopmentThe study of how children learn, think, reason, communicate, and rememberCognitive Landmarks of Early DevelopmentPhysical reasoningPhysical reasoning in infants involves:Basic, apparently innate, knowledgeRefinement of knowledge based on experienceConcepts and CategoriesConceptual development requires children to acquire knowledge of:How things lookHow they are usedIn what contexts they appearSelf-concept and the concept of “other”Self recognition becomes increasingly sophisticated as children move from understanding they are physically distinct entities to understanding that others have minds distinct from their ownTheory of mindNumbers and mathematicsNumerical development requires a complex understanding of counting rules and the nature of precise quantitiesThe ability develops slowly and is easily disruptedThe ability to count doesn’t appear in all culturesClarificationsGene-environment interaction= expression of the vulnerability (phenotype)Exposure to sunlight and risk of skin cancer (fair skinned vs. dark
View Full Document
Unlocking...