Psychology 1000 Study Guide - Final Guide: Circadian Rhythm, Alpha Wave, Pineal Gland
15 Dec 2016
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CHAPTER 6 STUDY QUESTIONS
STATES OF CONSCIOUSNESS
1. What is consciousness? How is it defined? Measured? Studied?
Consciousness is the moment-to-moment awareness of ourselves and our environment.
• Subjective and private
• Dynamic
• Self-reflective and central to our sense of self
• Intimately connected with the process of selective attraction.
2. What do the major theoretical perspectives have to say about consciousness? (e.g. Freud?
Cognitive theories?).
Psychodynamic perspective:
• Conscious – thoughts, perceptions.
• Preconscious – not currently available but could be (memories).
• Subconscious – inaccessible, unacceptable urges and desires.
Cognitive perspective:
• Controlled (effortful) processing – voluntary use of attention (aware).
• Automatic processing – little or no conscious effort (unaware).
• Divided attention – perform more than one activity at the same time.
3. What are circadian rhythms and how are they regulated?
Daily temperature, hormone and body function rhythms.
• Suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) – ai’s lok, located in hypothalamus.
• Melatonin – secreted by pineal gland, relaxing effect.
o SCN neurons stimulated by daylight, inhibiting melatonin, raising body
temperature and alertness, making you feel awake.
o Free running circadian rhythm, without daylight, body has 24.2 – 24.8 hour cycle.
SLEEP AND DREAMING
1. What are the stages of sleep? How do these stages differ?
Awake → Drowsy → Stage 1 → Stage 2 → Stage 3 → Stage 4 → REM
These differ in the types of brain waves and their EEG tracings.
2. Describe each of the different patterns of brain waves (Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta). What
state of consciousness is each associated with?
Delta waves: 0.5 – 4Hz, associated with stages 3 and 4 states.
Theta waves: 6 – 10Hz, associated with stage 1 state.
Alpha waves: 7.5 – 12.5Hz, associated with drowsy state
Beta waves: 12.5 – 30Hz, associated with awake and REM states.
Sleep spindles: Burst of oscillatory brain activity, occurs during stage 2, 12 – 14Hz for 0.5s.
K-Complexes: Large burst of oscillatory brain activity, occurs during stage 2, triggered
externally.
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3. Name and explain the theories that have been proposed to explain why we sleep. Is there
any evidence (i.e. research findings) that have supported these theories?
• Restoration model: sleep recharges our running bodies, recovers us from fatigue.
o Adenosine may accumulate, slowing the body down.
• Evolutionary/circadian sleep models (Webb): sleep increases a species chance of survival
in relation to environmental demands.
o Conserve energy and stay inside during dangerous nighttime.
• Learning and memory: sleep is a time when we store memories.
o REM deprived subject show reduced ability to retain information.
• Mood adjustment: speed of cycling into REM is correlated with positive mood on
following morning.
o Depressed people cycle into REM very quickly, to get a mood increase.
• REM rebound effect: brain increases REM sleep after it is deprived of it.
o Whe leaig e tasks, thee ae oe REM’s duig sleep.
4. What are the primary sleep disorders? What stage of sleep is each of the disorders
associated with?
• Insomnia: Chronic difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or having a restful sleep.
• Narcolepsy: extreme daytime sleepiness and sudden, uncontrollable sleep attacks.
o Goes directly into REM.
• REM-Sleep Behaviour Disorder: REM sleep paalysis does’t happe so you’e atig out
your REM dreams
• Sleep Apnea: interruption in breathing during sleep.
o Often during REM.
• Parasomnia:
o Sleepwalking – stage 3 or 4, no dangerous to wake them, not acting out a dream.
o Sleep talking – stage 1 or 2, sometimes in REM, sensitive to external world.
o Nightmares and terrors – stage 3 and 4, frightening dreams, still asleep hard to
wake.
5. What areas of the brain are important for regulating sleep and wakefulness?
No single brain system, many integrated systems and neurotransmitters.
Pons is critical for REM sleep as it contains neurons that activate different regions that control
REM sleep.
6. What neurotransmitters are important in the regulation of consciousness?
7. What theories have been proposed to explain why we dream?
Psychoanalytic theory (Freud):
• Wish fulfillment – gratification of our unconscious desires and needs.
• Manifest content (surface story of dream) vs latent content (hidden meaning).
• Unconscious ID: repressed wishes strive for expression.
• Ego → control
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Document Summary
Psychodynamic perspective: conscious thoughts, perceptions, preconscious not currently available but could be (memories), subconscious inaccessible, unacceptable urges and desires. Awake drowsy stage 1 stage 2 stage 3 stage 4 rem. These differ in the types of brain waves and their eeg tracings: describe each of the different patterns of brain waves (beta, alpha, theta, delta). Delta waves: 0. 5 4hz, associated with stages 3 and 4 states. Theta waves: 6 10hz, associated with stage 1 state. Alpha waves: 7. 5 12. 5hz, associated with drowsy state. Beta waves: 12. 5 30hz, associated with awake and rem states. Sleep spindles: burst of oscillatory brain activity, occurs during stage 2, 12 14hz for 0. 5s. K-complexes: large burst of oscillatory brain activity, occurs during stage 2, triggered externally: name and explain the theories that have been proposed to explain why we sleep. No single brain system, many integrated systems and neurotransmitters. Pons is critical for rem sleep as it contains neurons that activate different regions that control.
