Packet 8 Review

• What are some historical factors that impacted the view of consciousness in the field of psychology?


  After 1960 neuroscience advances linked brain activity to sleeping.

  • Psychology used to be defined as "the description and explanation of states of consciousness"
  • During 1960, as it got difficult to study, it became defined as the "science of behavior."
• What is a defining characteristic of someone who is easily hypnotized?

  People who reacted to postural sway suggestions similarly respond to stimuli.

  • Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale
• What evidence refutes some commonly held false beliefs about hypnosis?

  • Since 1980, people who report seeing UFO's usually are highly hypnotizable and have undergone hypnosis. This proves that hypnotists can plant ideas that become the subject's pseudomemomry.
  • Martin Orne and Frederich Evans did a blind study with hypnotized and non-hypnotized people, where both groups performed the same refuting the idea that hypnotized people perform actions they normally wouldn't.
• What ways can hypnosis be used in therapy and pain reduction?

  • Posthypnotic suggestions can help alleviate headaches, asthma, and stress-related skin disorders.
  • Hypnosis can help relieve pain by inhibiting pain-related brain activity. Making it seem as though you do not feel pain.
• What arguments state that hypnosis is a social phenomenon?

  • The more someone trusts a hypnotist, the more they can be directed.
  • If an experimenter eliminates their motivation for acting hypnotized, subjects become unresponsive.
• What is the Stroop Effect?


  The difficulty that occurs when naming the color a word states when the word doesn't match the color it's stating.

  EX: The word GREEN being the color red.
• How does the Stroop Effect support the argument that hypnosis is a state of divided consciousness?

  • The Stroop Effect shows that while you're actively reading the word, you're also actively trying to find the color.
  • When hypnotized people tried doing it, their time in the Stroop Effect had much less duration then non-hypnotized people, showing how hypnosis causes a state of divided consciousness.
• How did Ernest Hilgard's work support the idea of hypnosis as a divided consciousness?


  He viewed hypnotic dissociation as a vivid form of everyday splits like doodling when listening to a lecture. Similar to how when under hypnosis, people dissociate the sensation of the pain stimuli.
• How does selective attention play a role in the ability to not feel pain?


  When under hypnosis, the pain stimuli is often ignored, as hypnosis blocks it out. This is similar to how sports players often don't tell they're in pain until after whatever they're doing is finished, which is selective attention.
• How does age and experience alter the circadian rhythms?

  • Teens and young adults are evening-energized "owls"
  • Most adults are morning-loving "larks."
  • At age 20 (sooner for women), people begin to shift from being owls to larks.
  • Women become more morning oriented as they have children and transition to menopause.
• What is the Awake but Relaxed Stage wave name, wave characteristics, and common behaviors?

  1. Alpha Waves.
  2. High waves, and fast waves.
  3. Yawning, increased heart rate, and feeling tired.
• What is the NREM-1 Stage wave name, characteristics, and common behaviors?

  1. Theta waves.
  2. Short waves.
  3. Slowed breathing, sensory experiences without a stimulus.
• What is the NREM-2 Stage wave name, characteristics, and common behaviors?

  1. Delta waves
  2. Sleep spindles (periodic bursts of rapid rhythmic brainwave activity). Lasts about 20 minutes
  3. Light sleep
• What is the NREM-3 Stage wave name, characteristics, and common behaviors?

  1. Delta waves
  2. Slow, large waves. Lasts about 30 minutes.
  3. Hard to awaken, slowed brain activity, deep sleep.
• What is the REM Stage wave name, characteristics, and common behaviors?

  1. Theta Waves
  2. Lasts about 10 minutes, waves become rapid and saw-toothed.
  3. Rising heart-rate, rapid and irregular breathing, bursts of activity with closed eyes.
• What is the difference between sleep of a young adult and an older adult?

  • Young adults sleep longer without awakening.
  • Older adults have short transitions through each stage of sleep.
  • Older adults experience NREM-3 less than young adults.
• How does each stage of sleep change over the course of an 8 hour sleep period?

  • NREM-1 - Decreases
  • NREM-2 - Increases
  • NREM-3 - Decreases
  • REM - Increases
• William James

  • Father of American Psychology
  • Laid the groundwork for modern theories of consciousness, perception, memory, emotion, etc.
  • Philosopher and psychologist, trained as a physician
• Ernest Hilgard

  • Founded the theory that hypnosis involves dissociation, which is a split in consciousness in which one part of the mind operates independently of the rest of consciousness.
• Circadian Rhythm


  Our biological internal clock; regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle.
• REM Sleep 


  Rapid Eye Movement sleep

  • A recurring sleep stage during which vivid dreams commonly occur.
  • Also known as paradoxical sleep, because the muscles are relaxed (except for minor twitches) but other body systems are active.
• Insomnia


  A sleep disorder that consists of not being able to fall asleep, or constant awakening.

  Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or both.
• Narcolepsy


  A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks.
• Sleep Apnea


  A sleep disorder that consists of temporary cessations of breathing during sleep, and repeated momentary awakenings.
• Differences in sleep patterns and the need for sleep among humans

  • Impacted by genetics and culture
  • EX: Young people need more sleep
• How does the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and melatonin work to regulate sleep and wake cycles?


  Morning light activates light sensitive retinal proteins that trigger signals to the SCN.

  Causes the SCN to tell the pineal gland to decrease production of melatonin the morning, and in the evening.
• How does artificial light distort the SCN-melatonin process?


  Artificial light disrupts thee 24 hour biological clock, and distorts the SCN's ability to properly give melatonin when needed.

  Artificial light causes the SCN gland to restrict melatonin
• Sleep as a protection from predators is most likely a view taken by which approach to psychology?

  Evolutionary Psychology

  • It focuses on survival and adaptations
• Sleep as recuperation, repair, and a supporter of growth is a view taken by which approach to psychology?

  Biological Approach

  • Relates to the brain and nervous system (neurons/their repair)
• Why do animals need varying amounts of sleep?


  Larger animals sleep shorter amounts of time as they have less visible protection from smaller animals.

  Domesticated animals sleep more as they've evolved to not need to protect themselves from predators, unlike wild animals.
• How can a regular night's sleep improve athletic ability?

  The pituitary gland releases a growth hormone necessary for muscle development during sleep.
• What are behavioral and emotional effects of sleep loss?


  More irritability (behavioral)

  Increased likelihood of getting depression (emotional)
• How does sleep deprivation impact student performance, weight, health, and job performance?


  Student Performance: Sleep deprivation causes lack of focus, and higher risk of making dumb mistakes.

  Weight: Sleep loss increases ghrelin and cortisol which increases body fat.

  Health: Sleep deprivation suppresses the immune system cells necessary to fight off viral infections and cancer.

  Job Performance: Sleep deprivation increases difficulty of concentration , and mental fatigue.
• What is research regarding the impact of sleep loss on the frequency of auto accidents?


  Stanely Coren researched daylights saving time and the number of car accidents. His researched shows increase of accidents during loss of sleep.
• Describe the symptoms of Insomnia


  Occasional inability to sleep

  Persistent problems falling asleep/staying asleep

  • Exercise and avoiding caffeine can help
• Describe the symptoms of Narcolepsy


  Sudden attacks of overwhelming sleepiness, usually lasting less than 5 minutes.

  • Prescribed drugs can help ease it.
• Describe the symptoms of Sleep Apnea

  Intermitten stopped breathing during sleep

  "snoring"

  • A mask like device with an air pump keeps the airway open.
• Describe the symptoms of Night Terrors


  High Arousal

  Appearance of Being Terrified

  • As you grow older it diminishes.
• Describe the symptoms of Sleepwalking


  Walking and moving around during sleep

  • As you grow older they diminish
• Describe the symptoms of Sleeptalking


  Talking nonsense in sleep

  • As you grow older they diminish