Consciousness: Consciousness: Focus on AwarenessFocus on Awareness

ConsciousnessConsciousnessOur awareness of our own Our awareness of our own existence, sensations, and existence, sensations, and cognitionscognitions

““Stream of consciousness”Stream of consciousness”– William JamesWilliam James

What function does consciousness serve? What What function does consciousness serve? What advantages does it provide humans? What is an advantages does it provide humans? What is an alternative to conscious behavior?alternative to conscious behavior?– Allows us to consolidate information in novel waysAllows us to consolidate information in novel ways– Binds people’s complex perceptual and mental processes into a Binds people’s complex perceptual and mental processes into a

single coherent wholesingle coherent whole– Allows for flexibility in respondingAllows for flexibility in responding

ConsciousnessConsciousness

Normal consciousnessNormal consciousness Altered states of consciousnessAltered states of consciousness

– SleepingSleeping– DreamingDreaming– HypnosisHypnosis– MeditationMeditation– Drug inducedDrug induced

Stages of SleepStages of Sleep EEG-based EEG-based

measurementsmeasurements Stage 1Stage 1

– HypnogogicHypnogogic Stage 2Stage 2

– Sleep spindlesSleep spindles Stages 3 and 4Stages 3 and 4

– Delta wavesDelta waves REM (rapid eye REM (rapid eye

movement) sleepmovement) sleep

Stages of SleepStages of Sleep

REM Sleep over the LifespanREM Sleep over the Lifespan

Sleep DeprivationSleep Deprivation How many hours of sleep do you get each How many hours of sleep do you get each

night? How many do you prefer? night? How many do you prefer? 2/3 adults are not getting enough sleep2/3 adults are not getting enough sleep REM reboundREM rebound EffectsEffects

– AttentionAttention Sustained attentionSustained attention

– Physical performancePhysical performance Visual-motor tasksVisual-motor tasks

– MoodMood– The body suffersThe body suffers

Increased cortisolIncreased cortisol– Decreased learningDecreased learning

The Function of SleepThe Function of Sleep

Why do we sleep?Why do we sleep?– Evolutionary theory Evolutionary theory – Restorative theoryRestorative theory– Facilitating learningFacilitating learning

Are Your Dreams Like This?Are Your Dreams Like This?

Dream Video

DreamingDreaming

What triggers particular dreams?What triggers particular dreams? Why do we dream?Why do we dream? Freud Freud

– Wish fulfillmentWish fulfillment– Manifest contentManifest content– Latent contentLatent content

Activation-synthesis hypothesisActivation-synthesis hypothesis How about your dreams?How about your dreams?

Sleep and the BrainSleep and the Brain

The chemistry of sleepThe chemistry of sleep– Acetylcholine (inhibited)Acetylcholine (inhibited)– Sleeping pillsSleeping pills– MelatoninMelatonin

Circadian rhythmsCircadian rhythms– Suprachiasmatic nucleusSuprachiasmatic nucleus– 24 or 25 hours?24 or 25 hours?– Owls versus LarksOwls versus Larks– Afternoon energy dipAfternoon energy dip– Shift workShift work

Troubled SleepTroubled Sleep

Night terrorsNight terrors NightmaresNightmares NarcolepsyNarcolepsy InsomniaInsomnia Sleep apneaSleep apnea

HypnosisHypnosis

Focused awareness on vivid, imagined Focused awareness on vivid, imagined experiences and a decreased experiences and a decreased awareness of the external environmentawareness of the external environment

Hypnotic inductionHypnotic induction Trance stateTrance state

– Generalized reality orientation fadingGeneralized reality orientation fading– Trance logicTrance logic

Posthypnotic suggestionPosthypnotic suggestion

Hypnosis VideoHypnosis Video

Hypnosis Video

Is Everyone Hypnotizable?Is Everyone Hypnotizable?

Hypnosis TheoriesHypnosis Theories

TheoriesTheories– Trance theoryTrance theory– Sociocognitive theorySociocognitive theory

Evidence from neuroimagingEvidence from neuroimaging Hypnosis as a tool for…Hypnosis as a tool for…

– AnxietyAnxiety– Compulsive habitsCompulsive habits– AsthmaAsthma– StressStress– Pain reliefPain relief

MeditationMeditation

Religious traditionsReligious traditions TypesTypes

– Concentrative meditationConcentrative meditation– Opening-up meditationOpening-up meditation– Mindfulness meditationMindfulness meditation

MeditationMeditation

BenefitsBenefits– Reduced tension and Reduced tension and

anxietyanxiety

– Decreased stressDecreased stress– Decreased blood pressureDecreased blood pressure– Increased ability to fight infectionIncreased ability to fight infection

Meditation versus relaxationMeditation versus relaxation Biology of meditationBiology of meditation