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12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
States of Consciousness - Module 20, 21, and 22
• What is Consciousness?
– Waking consciousness vs. altered states of consciousness
• Philosophical discussion on the nature of consciousness
– Mind-body problem
– Dualism
– Materialism
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Levels of Consciousness
• Conscious level– Working memory
• Nonconscious level– Autonomic nervous system
• Preconscious level– Long-term memory
• Unconscious– Psychodynamic theory
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Altered States of Consciousness
All altered states of consciousness share some common characteristics:
• Critical thinking
• Self-control
• Perception of our environment
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
EEG
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Sleep
Characteristics of Sleep
• circadian rhythm
• four to six 90-minute cycles of NREM and REM
• need for sleep
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Stages of SleepStage 0
– Sleep onset Stage 1
– Loss of awareness– Brain waves change from alpha waves to beta waves
Stage 2 – Further slowing of brain waves
Stage 3– Beginning of NREM sleep– Physical rest provided by stage 3 and 4 sleep
Stage 4 – Deepest sleep– Almost a total lack of awareness of your environment
Active Sleep: REM (rapid eye movement)
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Brain waves
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Sleep Cycle
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
REM
• Good band, nice initials for a teacher• Rapid Eye Movement• Occurs at second descent• Function is somewhat mysterious
– REM deprivation affects cognitive functioning - concentration, memory, mood, etc.
• REM sleep function vs. NREM sleep function
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Sleep Deprivation (National Transportation Safety Board, 1995)
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Why we sleep
• Two primary reasons:
– Preservation: keep us protected from the dangers of the night
– Restoration: recuperate from the wear and tear of the day
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Sleep changes across the life span
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Dreams• Definition of dreaming• When dreams occur• Theories of dreaming• Sigmund Freud/psychodynamic theory
– Manifest content vs. latent content– Symbols
• Activation-synthesis theory – Dreams are the mind’s attempt to make sense of random neural firings in
the brain as one sleeps.• Problem solving/information processing theory
– Dreams deal with what we encounter during our day• Physiological function theory
– Neural activity during REM sleep provides periodic stimulation of the brain.
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Sleep Disorders• Insomnia • Narcolepsy • Sleep apnea • Parasomnias
– SIDS – Night terrors– REM behavior disorder– Jet Lag – Sleepwalking (Somnambulism) – Bruxism – Mycolonus/Hypnic Jerks
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Hypnosis• History - Franz Anton Mesmer• Hypnotic ability/hypnotizability• What hypnosis can do:
– Enhance memory (sort of)• Problem: constructed memory• Hypnotic amnesia• Age regression doesn’t work
– Pain control– Some therapeutic uses
• Addiction therapy– Post -hypnotic suggestions
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Hypnotizability
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Theories of Hypnosis
• Social Influence Theory– Spanos (1991) study
– People pretending to be hypnotized are indistinguishable from people who are “really” hypnotized
– No special physiological state acquired during hypnosis
• Divided consciousness theory– Hilgard (1986) study
– Evidence for the hidden observer
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Drugs
• Psychoactive drugs
– A chemical substance that alters perceptions, mood, or behavior
– Change consciousness through changing brain chemistry
• neurotransmitters
• blood-brain barrier
• Agonists vs. Antagonists
• Physical Dependence/Addiction
– Tolerance/Withdrawal
• Psychological Dependence
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Tolerance
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How drugs affect the brain
• Psychoactive drugs affect synapses and neurotransmitters in three ways:
– Binding with receptors (agonists)
– Blocking receptor site (antagonists)
– Blocking neurotransmitters’ reuptake
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Drugs and neurotransmitters
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Categories of Drugs• Depressants
– Alcohol– Barbiturates
• Stimulants– Amphetamines– Cocaine– Caffeine– Nicotine
• Opiates– Opium– Morphine– Heroin
• Hallucinogens– LSD– PCP
• Marijuana (THC)
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Depressants• Drugs that reduce neural activity and slow body functioning• Includes alcohol and sedatives
– Alcohol • 2nd most widely used drug• Slows thinking, and impairs physical activity• Alcohol impairs the parts of the brain responsible for
controlling inhibitions and making judgments• Studies have shown that alcohol impairs memory by
suppressing the processing of events into long term memory.• Alcohol impairs REM sleep, further disrupting memory
storage.• All depressants can cause dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, and
psychological addiction
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Sedatives
• Drugs that reduce anxiety or induce sleep
• Also called tranquilizers
• Include barbiturates and benzodiazepines
– Can be lethal in overdose and interact with other drugs, especially alcohol
– Impair both memory and judgment
– Include Valium and Xanax
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Opiates
• Drugs that depress neural activity, temporarily lesson pain and anxiety
• Include: opium, morphine, and heroin• Strong sedative and pain-relieving drugs• Work by preventing pain neurons from firing or
releasing pain-signaling neurotransmitters into the synapse, and increasing endorphin levels
• All Opiates can cause dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, and psychological addiction
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Stimulants
• Drugs that excite neural activity and speed up body functions
• Include: caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, and cocaine
– Caffeine = #1 most often used drug
• Provides user with a sense of increased energy, mental alertness, and forced wakefulness
• Blocks neurological receptor sites that , if activated, sedate the central nervous system
• All Stimulants can cause dependence, tolerance, withdrawal, and psychological addiction
• Methamphetamines = “super” stimulant
– Can cause irreversible changes in mood
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Hallucinogens• Drugs that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the
absence of sensory input• Include: LSD and ecstasy (MDMA)• Sometimes called “psychedelics”• LSD effects vary from person to person• Ecstasy produces lower inhibitions, pleasant feelings, and
greater acceptance of others– Even moderate users may experience permanent brain
damage.• Can cause physiological dependence/tolerance in some people,
but not everyone. Can cause psychological dependence.
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Marijuana
• Leaves, stems, resin, and flowers form the hemp plant that, when smoked, lower inhibitions and produce feelings of relaxation and mild euphoria
• THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the active ingredient
• Disrupts memory; lung damage from smoke• Can cause physiological dependence/tolerance is
some people, but not everyone. Can cause psychological dependence.
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
Physical dependence vs. Psychological dependence
• How do we know when a person is physically dependent?– Tolerance/withdrawal
• How do we know when a person is psychologically dependent?– ?
• Which type of addiction is “worse”?
12/15/04 Mod 20-22 States of Cons
High School Drug Use(Johnston & others, 2002)