States of Consciousness

Consciousness

an organism’s awareness of its own self and surroundings; exists along a continuum, ranging from high level awareness to unconsciousness

High Level of Awareness

Controlled Processes

focused Attention is required

Middle Level of Awareness

Automatic Processes

awareness but minimal attention

Daydreaming

low level of awareness and conscious effort; somewhere between active consciousness and dreaming while asleep

Minimal or No Awareness

Unconscious Mind

reservoir of unacceptable thoughts, feelings, and memories that are too painful or anxiety provoking to be admitted to consciousness

Unconscious

lowest level of awareness

Altered States of Consciousness

a mental state other than ordinary waking consciousness, found during:

•physical activity•meditation and spirituality•psychoactive drug use•hypnosis•dreaming•sleep

Physical Activity

Young children loveto alter their consciousness

Is this a naturalphenomena?

Meditation and Spirituality

Meditation:

a group of techniques designed to focus attention and produce an heightened state of awareness

Psychoactive Substances

Many different types ofpsychoactive substancescan alter your awareness

depressants

stimulants

opiates

hallucinogens

Hypnosis

Is one or more of thefollowing:

narrowed, highly focused attention

increased imagination

passive, receptive attitude

decreased pain

heightened suggestibility

Dreaming and Dream Theories

Percentages:

REM sleep: 70-80% NREM sleep: 20-30%

Theories:

Freudian Activation Synthesis

Sleep

The most widely studied Altered State of Consciousness

We spend 1/3 of our lives asleep

Sleep or Arousal States fall into three categories:–Waking–NREM sleep–REM sleep

It is still unclear just why we sleep

Sleep Recording

•EEG•EMG•EOG•EKG•Respiration

•Waking

•NREM•Stage 1•Stage 2•Stage 3•Stage 4

•REM

Delta or Slow Waves

Arousal States

Arousal State CharacteristicsWaking:

•low voltage, high frequency EEG patterns•very high EMG activity

NREM Sleep:•high voltage, low frequency mixed EEG patterns•slowed heart rate and respiration•reduced EMG activity

REM Sleep:•low voltage, high frequency EEG patterns•rapid eye movements•variable heart rate and respiration•muscle atonia•penile erection/vaginal secretions

•more SWS at the beginning of the beginning of the night•more REM at the end of the night•cycle goes from NREM 1-4 then back out from NREM 4-1

The Sleep Cycle in Young Adults

All Mammals Show Similar Sleep Characteristics

One hemisphere asleep, one awake

Unihemispheric Sleep in Marine Mammals

Sleep across the Lifespan

(MSLT)

Measures Sleep Deprivation

Multiple Sleep Latency Test

EEG SWA Increases After Sleep Deprivation

Rasterplot

Entrainment

Light/DarkCycle

ConstantConditions

Zeitgeber:Light Pulse

Tau: naturalrhythm

Circadian Rhythms

The SCN and Circadian Rhythms

Two Process Model of Sleep