Chapter 4

States of Consciousness

Sleep and Dreams

Learning Outcomes
Summarize the stages of sleep Explain REM sleep Explain why we sleep and how much sleep is necessary Differentiate the explanations of dreaming State the impact of sleep disturbances Explain circadian rhythms
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The Stages of Sleep

Consciousness:
Awareness of the sensations, thoughts, and feelings being experienced at a given moment

The Stages of Sleep

Stage 1 sleep:
transition between wakefulness and sleep; rapid, low-amplitude brain waves

Stage 2 sleep:
deeper sleep; slower, more regular waves; includes momentary interruptions of sleep spindles
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The Stages of Sleep (cont.)

Stage 3 sleep:
slower brain waves; greater peaks and valleys in waves than stage 2

Stage 4 sleep:
deepest stage, when we are least responsive to outside stimulation
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The Stages of Sleep (cont.)

REM Sleep: The Paradox of Sleep

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep:
fifth stage of sleep, about 20% of sleep time
Increased heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing Erections in males Rapid back-and-forth eye movement Major muscles appear to be paralyzed Most dreams occur in REM, experienced (not necessarily remembered) by everyone

Why Do We Sleep, and How Much Sleep Is Necessary?

Sleep is required for normal functioning, and ultimately for survival, but how much?
No set amount is required for everyone Most people sleep between 7-8 hours per night, but there is much variability

We don t know why .explanations remain speculative

Scientists have been unable to establish just how much sleep is absolutely required
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The Function and Meaning of Dreaming

The average person experiences 150,000 dreams by age 70 Unconscious wish fulfillment theory:
dreams represent unconscious wishes of the dreamer (Freud) Latent content of dreams:
The disguised meanings of dreams, hidden by more obvious subjects.

Manifest content of dreams:

The apparent story line of dreams
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The Function and Meaning of Dreaming (cont.)

Dreams-for-survival theory:
Dreams permit information that is critical for our daily survival to be reconsidered and reprocessed during sleep

Activation-synthesis theory:
The brain produces random electrical energy during REM sleep that stimulates memories lodged in various portions of the brain

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The Function and Meaning of Dreaming (cont.)

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Sleep Disturbances: Slumbering Problems

Insomnia:
afflicts as many as one-third of all people

Sleep apnea:
20 million people

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 Night terrors:

Sleep Disturbances: Slumbering Problems

Sudden awakenings from non-REM sleep that are accompanied by extreme fear, panic, and strong physiological arousal

Narcolepsy:
Uncontrollable sleeping that occurs for short periods while a person is awake Deuce Bigalow & Narcolepsy Girl

Sleepwalking and sleeptalking:

Not a lot is known. Usually harmless. Both occur in stage 4 sleep. More common in children. 13

Circadian Rhythms: Life Cycles

Biological processes that occur regularly on approximately a 24-hour cycle; from the Latin circa diem, around the day
Sleep/wake cycle Bodily functions such as body temperature, hormone production, and blood pressure
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EVALUATE
1. _____________ is the term used to describe our understanding of the world external to us, as well as our own internal world. 2. A great deal of neural activity goes on during sleep. True or false? 3. Dreams occur in ____________ sleep. 4. _________ ___________ are internal bodily processes that occur on a daily cycle.
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EVALUATE
5. Freud s theory of unconscious ___________ __________ states that the actual wishes an individual expresses in dreams are disguised because they are threatening to the person s conscious awareness. 6. Match the theory of dreaming with its definition:
1. a. Dreams permit important information to be reprocessed during sleep. Dreams-for-survival theory b. The manifest content of dreams disguises the latent content of the dreams. Unconscious theory wish fulfillment c. Electrical energy stimulates random memories, which are woven together to produce dreams.
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Activation-synthesis theory

2.

3.

Hypnosis and Meditation

Learning Outcomes
Define hypnosis Describe the effects of meditation

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Hypnosis: A Trance-Forming Experience

Hypnosis:
A trancelike state of heightened susceptibility to the suggestions of others
People do not lose all will of their own People cannot be hypnotized against their will More easily hypnotized if high ability to concentrate and become absorbed in what you are doing

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Meditation: Regulating Our Own State of Consciousness

Meditation: a learned technique for refocusing attention that brings about an altered state of consciousness
Repetition of a mantra to guide your focus Oxygen usage decreases, heart rate and blood pressure decline, brain-wave patterns change Means of bringing about deep relaxation Practiced in many cultures Practicing Transcendental Meditation
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EVALUATE
1. _________ is a state of heightened susceptibility to the suggestions of others. 2. A friend tells you, I once heard of a person who was murdered by being hypnotized and then told to jump from the Golden Gate Bridge! Could such a thing have happened? Why or why not? 3. _________ is a learned technique for refocusing attention to bring about an altered state of consciousness. 4. Leslie repeats a unique sound, known as a ___________, when she engages in meditation. 20

Drug Use: The Highs and Lows of Consciousness

Learning Outcomes
Explain the effects of stimulants Explain the effects of depressants Explain the effects of narcotics Explain the effects of hallucinogens

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Drug Categories
Psychoactive drugs:
influence a person s emotions, perceptions, and behavior

Addictive drugs:
produce a biological or psychological dependence; withdrawal leads to cravings that for some, may be nearly irresistible
Biological addiction Psychological addiction
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Stimulants: Drug Highs

Stimulants:
drugs that have an arousal effect on the central nervous system, causing a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular tension Caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines (speed), methamphetamine, cocaine, crack

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Stimulants: Drug Highs

- Meth: Police say is the most dangerous street drug - Highly addictive; relatively cheap - Produces a strong, lingering high - Soccer moms, to urban professionals to poor inner city people - After becoming addicted, users take it more frequently & in increasing doses - Long term use can lead to brain damage
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Depressants: Drug Lows

Depressants:
drugs that slow down the nervous system by causing neurons to fire more slowly Alcohol, barbiturates, rohypnol (the date rape drug )

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Depressants - Alcohol
The most common depressant is alcohol Based on liquor sales, the average person over the age of 14 drinks 2 gallons of pure alcohol over the course of a year. This works out to be more than 200 drinks per person 14 million adults in the United States (1 in every 13 adults) have a drinking problem
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Narcotics: Relieving Pain and Anxiety

Narcotics:
drugs that increase relaxation and relieve pain and anxiety Morphine, heroin

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Hallucinogens: Psychedelic Drugs

Hallucinogens: drugs that are capable of producing hallucinations (changes in the perceptual process)
MDMA (ecstasy), Marijuana, LSD (acid)

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Hallucinogens
- Marijuana (Cannabis) the most commonly used hallucinogenic drug. - What are common names for Marijuana? - Active ingredient is THC - Over 31% of high school seniors and 12% of eighth graders report having used marijuana in the last year. - Little scientific belief that users graduate to harder drugs.
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EVALUATE
1. Drugs that affect a person s consciousness are referred to as ____________. 2. Match the type of drug to an example of that type.
1. 2. 3. Narcotic a pain reliever Amphetamine a strong stimulant Hallucinogen capable of producing hallucinations a. LSD b. Heroin c. Dexedrine or speed

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EVALUATE
3. Classify each drug listed as a stimulant (S), depressant (D), hallucinogen (H), or narcotic (N).
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Nicotine Cocaine Alcohol Morphine Marijuana

4. The effects of LSD can recur long after the drug has been taken. True or False? 5. _________is a drug that has been used to cure people of heroin addiction.
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