PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Global Workspace Theory, Sleep Deprivation, Visual Cortex

• School: Queen's University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jill L Atkinson

Document Summary

Consciousness exists because it is a substance, and is separate from and has different properties than physical matter (does not have properties ascribe to matter) Matter is the only kind of substance in the universe, consciousness is a physical phenomenon. A specific definition of a phenomenon that allows us to generate testable hypotheses about it (to measure it in some way) One can only measure observable, physical events. A person is conscious when he or she is able to report his/her own mental state. The ability to remember a stimulus long enough to report on it verbally. A global workspace that serves to integrate, access, and coordinate the functioning of large numbers of specialized brain circuits the otherwise operate independently (global workspace theory of consciousness) Perceptual representations and memories compete for representation in this global workspace. The i(cid:374)for(cid:373)atio(cid:374) that (cid:862)(cid:449)i(cid:374)s(cid:863) is the(cid:374) a(cid:272)(cid:272)essi(cid:271)le (cid:271)y pro(cid:272)esses i(cid:374)(cid:272)ludi(cid:374)g atte(cid:374)tio(cid:374), (cid:373)e(cid:373)ory, high-level decision making, and verbal report.