PS101 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Pineal Gland, Reuptake, Agonist
Document Summary
Consciousness - our immediate awareness of our internal and external states. Sometimes we are aware of certain things, the other times we aren"t. Sometimes we don"t pay attention to complex stimuli, but we might end up remembering something later. Reflections on the nature of consciousness have been part of many spiritual traditions such buddhism. William james noted that our conscious awareness continually shifts based on what we are paying attention to and how intensely we are attending. Stream of consciousness signifies how we experience our conscious life because consciousness (like a running stream) keeps moving yet can stay the same. E. g. driving doesn"t require much attention, but we are able to turn more of our attention and respond in a safe and appropriate manner. Attention is a key part of our conscious awareness. The relationship between attention and consciousness is constantly being investigated.
