PSY100H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Terri Schiavo Case, Insomnia, Qualia
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PSY100H1 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Researchers are discovering ways to communicate with patients in coma through brain imaging. Consciousness is not strictly neurons firing and it is also strictly not biological, there"s consciousness in sleep. Consciousness: subjective moment-to-moment experience and awareness of the world and mental activity. Levels of consciousness (such as coma, sleep, wakefulness) and contents of consciousness are what is studied. Activity of neurons in the brain produce contents of consciousness- brain & mind are inseparable. Qualia: describes properties of our subjective experiences, such as the perception of color may be different. Different types of sensory information are processed by different brain regions: particular type of neural activity determines type of particular activity, example, seeing a house, face, shoe. Brain signals can be used directly to control robotic arms or mechanisms (monkey controlled joystick) Research allowing paralyzed individuals to control prosthetic devices to assist them with life. Levels of consciousness can change throughout the day from being alert to drowsy from alcohol.
