Awareness of what's going on outside (environment) and inside (mental processing)

Works continuously even when we're unaware

Previously encountered stimuli subconsciously influences our responses

Ex: Showing negative pictures to a person and then they are more inclined to have a negative response

We tend to like previously encountered stimuli (even if we aren't aware/conscious of previous exposure)

We respond faster to stimuli we've been previously exposed to

Purposefully focusing or concentrating mental activity

We are not aware of everything detected by our sensory systems

Failure to detect large changes

Ex: Someone is giving someone directions and then turns away and a different guy is asking him for the directions

Failure to detect the unexpected

Ex: Viewers were told to watch black shirted basketball players and count how many times they pass a ball. Most didn't notice a gorilla walk in the middle

Identifying a list of colors and then reading color words written in different colors

Slower reading color words because we identify colors automatically and we need to slow down to read the word

Stage 1 - Sudden Jerkiness

Stage 2 - Most time during the night

Stage 3 - Slow wave sleep

Stage 4 - Body functions at a low, slow wave

REM

Progression: 1,2,3,4,3,2,1,REM

Takes 30-45 min to go from 1-->4 and 30-45 for 4-->1

Paradoxical:

Sleep when you dream, brain waves are between awake and sleep 1

Paralyzed except for twiches

Story-like dreams. Other stages can have dreams but generally are short fleeting images

Restorative: Help restore brain and body functions

Learning and Memory: Process and store memory from the day

Usually more inclined to sleep more after a hard day of studying

Sensory experiences that your mind creates while you sleep

Tend to reflect what you see/think while you're awake or when you're falling asleep

Outside environments can affect dreams

All mammals dream

When you're deprived of REM sleep, you quickly fall asleep and go into REM and stay there longer

Indicates REM is important for learning and memory

Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis

(Dream)

Dream synthesized from random activation

Bursts of activity comes from the brainstem up to portions of the cortex and the brain creates a story based on the activity to make sense of it

Severe cases: Collapse and fall into REM

Genetc

Cataplexy - Loss of Muscle Tone

Occurs in stage 4

Rapidly switch back and forth between awake and deep sleep but still unconscious

Kids wake up completely scared and terrified

Stage 4

Not associated with nightmares --> Occur during REM and associated with dreaming

Paralysis associated with REM malfunctions and people act our their dream

Can be associated with Parkinson's disease

A social interaction in which one person uses special techniques to make another person more open to suggestion

Does not control behavior

Cannot be hypnotized against will

Not effective: Memory retrieval or Past life regression

Effective: Pain, Obesity, Make people they are abducted

Explanation: Selective attention (distracted/relaxed)

Role theory: People role play they are hypnotized

Affect brain and influence psychological processes and behaviors

Either alter the amount of neurotransmitters or their effects

Undesirable effects of quitting

Opposite effect of the drug

Decrease activity in the CNS

Causes: Relaxation and Drowsiness

Agonists of GABA (Major inhibitory neurotransmitter)

Affects many different neurotransmitters and parts of the brain

ex: Frontal Lobe, Hippocampus (Memory), Cerebellum (Balance), Hindbrain (Breathing, consciousness)

Prescription drug for anxiety

Easily addictive

Agonist of GABA

ex: Valium, xanax

Painkillers

Highly additive

Ex: Morphine, Heroin, Codeine

Opposite of depressants

Increase CNS activity --> Energy + Confindence

Agonists of NE and DA

Highly addictive

Agonist of NE and DA

Causes short euphoric rush

Affects many neurotransmitters

Improves mood and memory temporarily

Cross between hallucinogen and stimulant

Affects DA and 5-HT (Serotonin)

Causes: Euphoria, fever, brain damage, kills 5-HT neurons leading to depression

Very unpredictable effects

Alter perceptual processes and emotions

Can lead to depression, addiction, PTSD, loss of contact with reality

Never mix with anti-depressants

LSD

Psilocybin

Peyote - Mescaline

Reduces pain, causes out-of-body experience

Causes damage to hippocampus (memory and pain)

Antagonist of gutamate causing sensory deprevation

Ex: Ketamine, PCP