PSYC 111 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Suprachiasmatic Nucleus, Circadian Rhythm, Theta Wave
Document Summary
What is consciousness: an awareness of internal and external stimuli. William james: consciousness is like a stream: always flowing, thoughts are constantly changing like the water in a stream. Freud: the unconscious plays an important role in behavior: consciousness is not an all or nothing proposition. Why did consciousness develop: promoters survival and reproduction, allows us to plan and exercise forethought, man other explanations; little empirical data. Sleep: circadian rhythms and sleep wake cycle, many bodily functions fluctuate in a circadian rhythm (24 hr. cycle, melatonin makes us sleepy, 2 stages of sleep. Suprachiasmatic nucleus (scn) located in the hypothalamus regulates sleep-wake cycle. Scn regulates pineal gland (melatonin: nrem: first 4 stages, rem: 5th stage. Variations in consciousness- stages of sleep: nrem, nrem purpose: recover form physical fatigue. Stage 2: spindle shapes waves, deeper sleep but still easily awaken. Stage 4: even more delta waves, deepest sleep.
