Chapter 5

States of
Consciousness

States of Consciousness
Consciousness: All the sensations,
perceptions, memories, and feelings you are
aware of in any instant
Waking Consciousness: Normal,
Normal clear,
organized, alert awareness
Altered State of Consciousness (ASC):
Awareness that is distinctly different in
quality or pattern from waking
consciousness

The Need for Sleep

Definition: Innate,
Innate biological rhythm
Microsleep: Brief shift in brain-wave
patterns similar to those during sleep
Sleep Deprivation: Sleep loss;
loss being
deprived of needed amounts of sleep
Sleep-Deprivation Psychosis:
Confusion,
Confusion disorientation, delusions, and
hallucinations that occur because of sleep
loss

Sleep Patterns
Sleep Patterns:
Daily rhythms of sleep and waking
Short Sleeper:
A person averaging five hours of sleep or less per
night.
Long Sleeper:
A person who averages nine hours of sleep or more
per night.

Measuring Sleep Changes

Electroencephalograph (EEG):
Device designed to detect, amplify, and
record electrical activity in the brain.
brain

Beta Waves:
Small fast waves associated with being
awake and alert.

Alpha Waves:
Large, slow waves associated with relaxation
and falling asleep.

EEG Recordings

Stages of Sleep
Stage 1:
Small, irregular waves produced in light
sleep (people may or may not say they were
asleep). Muscle relax which may trigger reflex
muscle contraction called hypnic jerk.
jerk

Stage 2:
Deeper sleep;
sleep sleep spindles (bursts of
distinctive brain-wave activity) appear.

Stages of Sleep
Stage 3:
Deeper sleep;
sleep Delta waves appear; very
large and slow

Stage 4:
People reach deep sleep (deepest level of
normal sleep). Brain waves are almost pure
delta.

Two Basic Kinds of Sleep

Rapid Eye Movements (REM): Associated with
dreaming; sleep is very light.
Body is very still during REM sleep.
Lack of muscle paralysis during REM sleep is
called REM Behavioural Disorder.
Disorder
Non-REM (NREM) Sleep: Occurs during stages
1, 2, 3, and 4; no rapid eye movement occurs.
Seems to help us recover from daily fatigue.
fatigue

Insomnia
Insomnia: Difficulty in getting to sleep or
staying asleep
In 1992, 20% Canadian adults reported
frequent problems getting to sleep
Number rose to 25% by 1998 (Stats Can)
Sleeping pills exacerbate insomnia; cause
decrease in REM and Stage 4 sleep and may
cause dependency

Types and Causes of Insomnia

Temporary Insomnia: Brief period of
sleeplessness caused by worry, stress, and
excitement.
Avoid fighting it and read a book, for example, until
youre struggling to stay awake.

Chronic Insomnia: Exists if sleeping troubles

last for more than three weeks.
Adopt regular schedule; go to bed at the same time
each night, for example.

Drug-Dependency Insomnia: Sleeplessness

that follows withdrawal from sleeping pills

Sleepwalking and Sleeptalking

Sleepwalking (Somnambulism):
Occurs in NREM sleep during Stages 3
and 4

Sleeptalking: Speaking while asleep;

occurs in NREM sleep

Nightmares and Night Terrors

Nightmares:
Bad dreams
Occur during REM sleep
May occur once or twice a month; brief and easily
(unfortunately) remembered
Night Terrors:
Total panic and hallucinations may occur
Occurs during Stage 4 sleep
Most common in childhood;
childhood may occur in adults
Imagery Rehearsal:
Mentally rehearse the changed dream before you go
to sleep again; may help to eliminate nightmares

Sleep Apnea
Repeated interruption of breathing
during sleep.
Breathing stops for periods of 20
seconds to two minutes.
Apnea victims complain of hypersomnia
(excessive daytime sleepiness).
Causes: brain stops sending signals to
diaphragm; blockage of upper air
passages.

Other Sleep Problems

Hypersomnia: Excessive daytime
sleepiness.
Narcolepsy: Sleep disorder that causes a
person to suddenly slip directly into REM
sleep.

Dreams A Separate Reality?

Most people dream four or five times a night.
Not all people remember their dreams.
Dreams usually spaced about 90 minutes
apart.
First dream lasts only 10 minutes.
Last dream averages 30 minutes and may last
as long as 50.
50

REM Sleep
REM Rebound:
Occurrence of extra rapid eye movement
sleep following REM sleep deprivation.

Alcohol suppresses REM sleep and sets

up a powerful rebound when it is
withdrawn.
Alcohol and other depressant drugs may
help a person sleep but greatly reduce
sleep quality.

Function of REM Sleep

In early life may stimulate developing
brain.
brain
In adulthood may prevent sensory
deprivation and help us process
emotional events.

Dream Theories
Most theorists agree that dreams reflect
our waking thoughts, fantasies, and
emotions.
Some theorists believe that dreams have
deeply hidden messages while other
regard dreams simply as no more
meaningful than ordinary thinking.

Psychoanalytic Dream Theory

Wish Fulfillment:
Freudian belief that many dreams express
unconscious desires.
desires

Psychoanalytic Dream Theory:

A theory that emphasizes internal conflicts,
conflicts motives,
and unconscious forces.
forces

Dream Symbols:
Images in dreams that serve as visible signs of
hidden ideas, desires, impulses, emotions,
relationships, and so forth.

Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis
Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis:
An attempt to explain how dream content is
affected by motor commands in the brain that
occur during sleep, but are not carried out.
Advanced by Psychiatrists Allan Hobson and
Robert McCarley.
McCarley

Hypnosis
Altered state of consciousness
characterized by intensely narrowed
attention and increased openness to
suggestion.
Mesmer: Believed he could cure diseases
by passing magnets over body; true
animal magnetism (mesmerize means
to hypnotize)
Must cooperate to become hypnotized

Inducing Hypnosis

All techniques encourage a person to:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Self-hypnosis:

Focus attention on what is being said,

Relax and feel tired,
Let go and accept suggestions easily, and
Use vivid imagination.
A state of hypnosis attended without the aid of a
hypnotist; autosuggestion.

Basic Suggestion Effect:

Tendency of hypnotized persons to carry out

suggested actions as if they were involuntary.

Hypnotic Susceptibility
Hypnotic Susceptibility:
Ones capacity for becoming hypnotized.

About eight people out of ten can be

hypnotized but only two out of ten will be
good hypnotic subjects.
People who are imaginative and prone to
fantasy tend to respond well to hypnosis.

Effects of Hypnosis
Hypnosis CAN
Help people relax
Enhance memory; frequently increases number of
false memories
Produce brief memory loss
Reduce pain

Hypnosis CANNOT
Produce acts of superhuman strength
Produce age regression
Force you to do things against your will

Stage Hypnosis
Use of hypnosis to entertain;
entertain simulation of
hypnotic effects
Tricks of the Trade:
Waking Suggestibility: People on stage do not want
to spoil the act, so they will follow any instruction.
Selection of Responsive Subjects: Any volunteer
who does not get hypnotized in the stage group and
does not follow instructions is eliminated.
The Hypnosis Label Disinhibits: On stage, once
you are in a hypnotic trance, your responsibility for
actions is removed; you can do whatever you want!

Stage Hypnosis
Hypnotists as Director: Once they are in
a trance, the volunteers are suddenly the
shows stars, and they will act like it. The
hypnotist only need to direct them.
Stage Hypnotist Use Tricks: Stage
hypnosis is 50% deception and 50%
taking advantage of the situation.

Theories of Hypnosis
Hidden Observer:
Under hypnosis, a detached part of our
conscious awareness observes the events.

Meditation
Meditation:
Mental exercise designed to focus attention
and interrupt flow of thoughts,
thoughts worries, and
analysis

Concentrative Meditation:
Attention is paid to a single focal point (i.e.,
object, thought, etc.)
Produces relaxation response and thus
works to reduce stress

Meditation
Mindfulness Meditation:

Based on widening attention span to become aware

of everything experienced at a given moment

Mantra:

Word(s) or sound(s) repeated silently during

concentrative meditation

Relaxation Response:

Occurs at time of relaxation; internal response that

prevents activation of adrenal glands

Drugs and Altered States of

Consciousness
Psychoactive Drug:
Substance capable of altering attention,
attention judgment,
memory, time sense, self-control, emotion, or
perception

Stimulant:
Substance that increases activity in body and
nervous system

Depressant:
Substance that decreases activity in body and
nervous system

Drugs and Altered States of

Consciousness
Physical Dependence: Addiction based on
drug tolerance and withdrawal symptoms
Withdrawal Symptoms: Physical illness
following withdrawal of a drug
Drug Tolerance: Reduction in bodys response
to a drug

Psychological Dependence: Drug

dependence based on psychological or
emotional needs

Amphetamines
Amphetamine:
Synthetic stimulants that excite nervous
system
Dexedrine and Methamphetamine are two
types of stimulants

Amphetamine Psychosis:
Loss of contact with reality because of
amphetamine use; user tends to be paranoid

MDMA
MDMA (methylenedioxymethamphetamine )
Chemically similar to amphetamine.
In addition to producing a rush of energy, users
say it makes them feel closer to others and
heightens sensory experiences.
Causes brain cells to release extra amounts of
serotonin.

Cocaine
Central Nervous System stimulant
derived from leaves of coca plant;
plant also
used as local anesthetic
From 1886-1906, Coca-Cola did indeed have
cocaine in it!
Highly addictive drug
Anhedonia (Inability to Feel Pleasure):
Common after cocaine withdrawal

Caffeine
Most frequently used psychoactive drug in
North America; present in colas, chocolate,
coffee, tea
Causes tremors, sweating, talkativeness,
tinnitus, suppresses fatigue or sleepiness,
increases alertness
May be hazardous to pregnant women if used
excessively

Caffeinism: Physiological dependence on

caffeine
Symptoms: Insomnia, irritability, loss of appetite,
May also be beneficial

Nicotine
Natural stimulant found mainly in
tobacco; known carcinogen
May cause stomach pain, vomiting,
diarrhea, confusion, tremors
Addictive
Carcinogen:
A substance capable of causing cancer;
produced by burning cigarettes.

Smoking Facts
Every cigarette reduces a smokers life expectancy by seven
minutes.
Number one cause of deaths in Canada and the United States.
In Canada, one in six deaths is caused by smoking.
Tobacco cost the Canadian economy $9;6 billion in 1992.
Forty percent of all smokers who develop throat cancer try
smoking again.
Each year, only one out of five smokers who tries to quit
succeeds.
Some tobacco companies manipulate nicotine levels in their
cigarettes to keep smokers addicted.
Daily exposure to second-hand smoke at home or work causes
a 24 to 39 percent increase in cancer risk to non-smokers.

Downers, Sedatives, Tranquillizers

Barbiturates:

Sedative drugs that depress brain activity

GHB:

Gamma-hydroxybtyrate (goop, scoop,

max, Georgia Home Boy is a central
nervous system depressant that relaxes and
sedates the body.

Downers, Sedatives, Tranquillizers

Tranquilizers:

Lower anxiety and reduce tension

Valium, Xanax,
Xanax and Librium are three types
Rohypnol: Related to Valium; lowers
inhibitions and produces relaxation or
intoxication Larger doses can induce shortterm amnesia and sleep
Date rape drug because its odourless and
tasteless

Drug Interaction:

One drug increases the effect of another

Alcohol
Ethyl Alcohol: Intoxicating element in
fermented and distilled liquors
NOT a stimulant but DOES lower inhibitions
Depressant

Binge Drinking: Consuming five or more

drinks in a short time
Serious sign of alcohol abuse

Recognizing Problem Drinking

Initial Phase: social drinker begins to turn
more often to alcohol relieve tension
Increasing consumption
Morning drinking
Regretted behaviour

Crucial Phase: Turning point comes as

the person begins to lose control.
Chronic Phase: Person is alcohol
dependent.

Treatment
Detoxification:
Withdrawal of the person from alcohol; occurs in a
medical setting and is tightly controlled; oftentimes
necessary before long-term treatment begins

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA):

Worldwide self-help organization composed of
recovering alcoholics; emphasizes admitting
powerlessness over alcohol usage and wanting to
recover.
Spiritual component
Free; around for over 70 years!

Marijuana
Cannabis Sativa (Marijuana; Pot): Leaves and
flowers of the hemp plant
Active chemical: THC (tetrahydrocannabinol)
Effects: Relaxation, time distortion, perceptual
distortions
Psychologically, NOT physiologically, addictive

Hashish: Resinous material scraped from

leaves of the hemp plant; higher concentration
of THC

Health Risks of Using Marijuana

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

In regular users, causes pre-cancerous changes in lung cells.

Temporarily lowers sperm production.
In experiments with animals, THC causes abnormal
menstrual cycles and disrupts ovulation, higher rates of
miscarriages.
THC can suppress the bodys immune system.
In some animals, causes genetic damage within cells of the
body.
Activity levels in the cerebellum are lower than normal.
Evidence that THC damages parts of brain important for
memory.
Children whose mothers smoked marijuana during pregnancy
show lower ability to succeed in challenging activities.

Medical Benefits
Many anecdotal reports alleging medical
benefits but confirmed in an experiment
Canadian government policy:
People with certain conditions may
smoke marijuana as a therapeutic agent.
People suffering from serious illnesses
can apply to grow their own or have
someone else cultivate for them.

Hallucinogens
Hallucinogen: Substance that alters or distorts
sensory perceptions
Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD):
Hallucinogen that can produce hallucinations
and other psychotic symptoms
Mescaline (Peyote) and Psilocybin (Magic
Mushrooms)
PCP (Angel Dust): Initially can have
hallucinogenic effects; also an anesthetic and
has stimulant and depressant effects