Chapter 5 States of Consciousness

What Is Consciousness?
William James Stream of
Consciousness
Stream of consciousness activity

What is Consciousness,
cont.

Consciousness is notoriously difficult to define,

though as some have pointed out, we all know
what it is from direct experience. Here is a
selection of notable views.

Definition in our text: Consciousness: An

individuals awareness of external events and
internal sensations under a condition of arousal,
including awareness of the self and thoughts
about ones experience.
"What is meant by consciousness we need not
discuss - it is beyond all doubt."

Sigmund Freud, 'New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis', 1933

 "Behaviourism claims that consciousness

is neither a definite nor a usable
concept. The behaviourist, who has been
trained always as an experimentalist,
holds, further, that belief in the existence
of consciousness goes back to the
ancient days of superstition and magic."

John Watson, 'Behaviourism', 1924

"Consciousness is like the Trinity; if it is

explained so that you understand it, it
hasn't been explained correctly ."
R.J. Joynt, 'Are Two Heads better than One?', Behavioural
Brain Sciences, 1981

 "The improvements we install in our brain when

we learn our languages permit us to review,
recall, rehearse, redesign our own activities,
turning our brains into echo chambers of sorts,
in which otherwise evanescent processes can
hang around and become objects in their own
right. Those that persist the longest, acquiring
influence as they persist, we call our conscious
thoughts."
Daniel Dennett , 'Kinds of Minds', 1996

"'Consciousness' is a word worn smooth by a

million tongues. Depending upon the figure of
speech chosen it is a state of being, a substance,
a process, a place, an epiphenomenon, an
emergent aspect of matter, or the only true
reality."
George Miller, 'Psychology: the Science of Mental Life'',
1962

So, which definition do

we use?

Well use the definition from the text, but

remember that there are many others.

Despite our inability to come up with a

generally accepted definition one that
most psychologists can agree on and are
happy with,
most do agree that it is a highly important
concept in the study of the mind.

 Definition in our text: Consciousness:

An individuals awareness of external
events and internal sensations under a
condition of arousal, including
awareness of the self and thoughts
about ones experience.

Levels of Awareness

Controlled vs automatic processes

Joe in split brain study What was his level of awareness?
Twilight anesthesia Which level of awareness is it?
Smelling a bouquet of roses?

Theory of Mind (T.O.M.)

Theory of mind refers to individuals understanding
that they and others think, feel, perceive and have
private experiences.
What part of the text definition of consciousness is T.O.M.
getting at? What part is it not specifically addressing?
Consider Autism Spectrum Disorders
A. Persistent deficits in the social use of verbal and
nonverbal communication as manifested by all of the following:
1. Deficits in using communication for social purposes (e.g.,
greetings)
2. Impairment of the ability to change communication to match
context or needs of the listener (e.g., talking to a child vs an adult)
3. Difficulties following rules for conversation and storytelling
(e.g, taking turns in conversation)
4.
Difficulties understanding what is not explicitly stated (e.g.,
making inferences)

B.

False Belief Task Studies

Developmental evidence
Autism conflicting evidence and thoughts

Sleep and
Dreams

Biological and Circadian

Rhythms
Biological Rhythms (e.g., migration, hibernation, and the
cycles of sleep and wakefulness in a 24 hour period.)

Sleepiness: Homeostatic vs Circadian Rhythms

Homeostatic factors: depend on the duration since the last

sleep bout. The longer the time spent awake, the greater the
drive for sleep.
Circadian: Daily behavioral or physiological cycles
Body temperature normally varies around 3 degrees
highest in the afternoon and lowest between 3 and 5 am.
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnJkMfmea28
Both homeostatic factors and circadian rhythms are able to
modify the influence of the other through neurotransmitter
activity in the brain. This is why you find it more difficult to go
to sleep when the lights are on, but also why you can sleep in
the middle of the day, especially if it has been a long time since
your last sleep.

Why Do We Need Sleep?

Theories
Protection
Conserve energy
Restorative powers
Consolidate memories

Stages of Wakefulness and

Sleep

Dreams
Freuds Psychodynamic Approach
Sleep and Dreams: The Realm of THE UNCONSCIOUS.
Manifest and Latent Content

Cognitive Theory
Current Concerns Research

Activation-Synthesis Theory
Cognitive Trash?

Dream Survey
http://www.dreambible.com/dreamdictionary/h2.html

What Happens When Sleep

Is Disrupted?
Falling asleep on the job (or in class)
Decreased attention
Lower performance on cognitive
tasks and tasks involving memory
UCSD fMRI Study

The Normal And SleepDeprived Brain Doing

Arithmetic

Sleep Diseases and

Disorders

Insomnia
Sleepwalking and Sleeptalking
Nightmares and Night Terrors
Narcolepsy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=X0h2nleWTwI

Sleep Apnea
Sleep Paralysis

Sleep Disorder Activity

Get into your groups (take your stuff
with you) and see how many of the
disorders you can identify.

The Power of Naps

Anecdotal evidence
Edison and naps
http://www.brainpickings.org/index.php/2013
/02/11/thomas-edison-on-sleep-and-success/

Experimental Studies
Take a nap. Change your life. Sara
Mednick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MklZJprP5F0