Consciousness

Consciousness

Icebreaker?

Turn to the person next to you, find two things you have in common. After the song ends, we will go around and share.

Lets Review

1. If students get more sleep, then they will perform better on tests. (iv, dv, control)

2. If cognitive load increases during a memory task, then recall accuracy will decrease.

3. If participants are exposed to a mindfulness intervention, then their cortisol levels will be lower after a stress-inducing task.

4. What is this an example of?

   1. You see an object for the first time — it's shiny, small, and curved. You slowly recognize it's a paperclip based only on the visual input you're receiving (no prior expectations or knowledge involved).

5. Example of bottom-up processing and top-down processing with smell

6. As the number of hours studied increases, exam scores tend to increase. (+ or - correlation?)

Open Ended

What do you think it means to be conscious?

What is Consciousness?

Consciousness describes our awareness of internal and external stimuli.

Awareness of internal stimuli includes feeling pain, hunger, thirst, sleepiness, and being aware of our thoughts and emotions.

Awareness of external stimuli includes experiences such as seeing the light from the sun, feeling the warmth of a room, and hearing the voice of a friend.

States of Consciousness

Range from full awareness to deep sleep.

Sleep is a state marked by relatively low levels of physical activity and reduced sensory awareness that is distinct from periods of rest that occur during wakefulness.

Wakefulness is characterized by high levels of sensory awareness, thought, and behavior.

What are some other states of consciousness in-between?
intoxication, daydreaming, ect.

Biological Rhythms

Biological rhythms are internal rhythms of biological activity.
Examples
A woman’s menstrual cycle—a recurring, cyclical pattern of bodily changes.

Shorter Periods of Time
A circadian rhythm is a biological rhythm that takes place over a period of about 24 hours.

Example: Sleep-Wake Cycle

Problems with the Circadian Rhythm

Homeostasis is the tendency to maintain a balance, or optimal level, within a biological system.

Most people sleep during the night and are awake during the day and one important regulator of sleep-wake cycles is the hormone melatonin.

The pineal gland, an endocrine structure located inside the brain that releases melatonin, is thought to be involved in the regulation of various biological rhythms and of the immune system during sleep (Hardeland, Pandi-Perumal, & Cardinali, 2006).

Melatonin release is stimulated by darkness and inhibited by light.

Open Ended

What are some things that can disturb sleep?

Sleep Deprivation

Sleep debt and sleep deprivation have significant negative psychological and physiological consequences

Other States of Consciousness

Hypnosis is a state of extreme self-focus and attention in which minimal attention is given to external stimuli.

In the therapeutic setting, a clinician may use relaxation and suggestion in an attempt to alter the thoughts and perceptions of a patient.

How does hypnosis work? Two theories attempt to answer this question: One theory views hypnosis as dissociation and the other theory views it as the performance of a social role.

Other States of Consciousness

Meditation is the act of focusing on a single target (such as the breath or a repeated sound) to increase awareness of the moment.

Although there are a number of different techniques in use, the central feature of all meditation is clearing the mind in order to achieve a state of relaxed awareness and focus.