Psychology 1000 Lecture : Consciousness

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Dr.Mike

Document Summary

Daily cycles: blood pressure, body temp, chemical concentrations. Peak levels in late afternoon (best time for physical things) Suprachiasmatic nucleus timing mechanism in brain (above optic chiasm) in hypothalamus. Daylight stimulates the scn, which inhibits production of melatonin in pineal gland: some ganglion cells are photosensitive, melanopsin is photosensitive to blue light. Darkness removes the inhibition, resulting in melatonin we feel tired. Flying vancouver to halifax more problematic than east to west: jury still out. Probably relieves daytime fatigue: hydrate, avoid alcohol, get up and stretch, light meals, expose self to sunlight upon arrival. Consciousness: awareness of the relationship between self and the external world. A happy person never fantasizes, only an unhappy one . What do we fantasize about? (every 90 minutes: failure/success, aggression, sex/romance, guilt, problem solving. Low risk way to deal with problems imagine reality. High frequency, low intensity low frequency, high intensity. Awake 1 2 3 4 3 2 1 rem (theta, beta)