PSYC 1001 Lecture 5: ch 5 - variations in consciousness (class notes)
10 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Consciousness: an organism"s awareness of its own self & surroundings. Circadian rhythms 24 hr biological cycles regulation of sleep/other body functions. Physiological pathway of the biological clock: light levels retina suprachiasmatic nucleus of hypothalamus pineal gland secretion of melatonin. Hypothesis 1 sleep evolved to conserve organisms" energy. Hypothesis 2 immobilization during sleep is adaptive b/c it reduces danger. Hypothesis 3 sleep helps animals to restore energy & other bodily resources. Complete deprivation: 3 or 4 days max. Partial deprivation or sleep restriction: impaired attention, reaction time, coordination, and decision making, accidents: chernobyl, exxon valdez. Selective deprivation: rem and slow-wave sleep: rebound effect. Insomnia difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, early wakening. Sleep apnea reflexive gasping for air that awakens the sleeper. Night terrors intense arousal & panic nrem. Conventional definition: mental experiences during rem, vivid imagery, story-like, bizarre and real. Challenged by research: nrem dreams, less story-like and less vivid, content usually familiar, not bizarre, common themes.
