100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
logo-home
Summary Chapter 5 SLK 120 notes R50,00   Add to cart

Summary

Summary Chapter 5 SLK 120 notes

1 review
 57 views  1 purchase

These notes are compiled using the textbook, lecture notes, and study outcomes. They are easy to understand and include diagrams. All of the visual material used in the textbook and in lectures are also included.

Preview 3 out of 20  pages

  • No
  • Chapter 5
  • January 31, 2023
  • 20
  • 2022/2023
  • Summary
book image

Book Title:

Author(s):

  • Edition:
  • ISBN:
  • Edition:
All documents for this subject (9)

1  review

review-writer-avatar

By: DanielaNason • 1 year ago

avatar-seller
inkedseas
© Ane Venter




Chapter 5
States of Consciousness




1

,© Ane Venter
The Nature of Consciousness

1. Variations in levels of awareness
2. The evolutionary roots of consciousness
3. Consciousness and brain activity



→ Consciousness: the awareness of internal and external stimuli
○ Includes:
 Your awareness of external events
 Your awareness of internal sensation
 Your awareness of yourself as the unique being having these experiences
 Your awareness of your thoughts about these experiences
○ It is a personal awareness
○ Consciousness is constantly moving and flowing – William James called it the Stream of
Consciousness



1. Variations in Levels of Awareness
→ According to Freud = steam of consciousness has depth – what goes on in the unconscious
→ Conscious and unconscious processes have different levels of awareness
→ Freud – one of the first theorists to recognise the consciousness is not an all-or-none phenomenon
→ People continue to maintain some awareness during sleep and anaesthesia
○ Some stimuli can still penetrate awareness
 Some patients can later repeat thing the surgeon said
 While people are asleep – can still register external events to some degree
 Selective sensitivity to sound = some mental processes during sleep must exist



2. The Evolutionary Roots of Consciousness
→ Plenty of debate about exactly how consciousness proved to be adaptive
→ Thought that consciousness helped our ancestors to think through courses of action + their
consequences
→ Little empirical evidence to judge merits of theories



3. Consciousness and Brain Activity
→ Consciousness does not arise from any distinct structure in the brain
○ Activity in distributed networks of neural pathways
→ EEG most commonly used to record brain activity (electroencephalograph)
○ Device that monitors the electrical activity of the brain – recording electrodes attached to the scalp
○ Summarised the rhythm of cortical activity in the brain in terms of line tracings (brainwaves)
○ Tracings vary in amplitude and frequency

2

, © Ane Venter


Brain wave activity based on usually divided into 4
bands based on frequency of the brain waves:
Beta (13-24 cps) β
Normal waking thought, alert problem solving
Alpha (8-12 cps) α
Deep relaxation, blank mind, meditation
Theta (4-7 cps) θ
Light sleep
Delta (under 4 cps) Δ
Deep sleep


→ Different patterns of EEG activity = associated with different states of consciousness




Biological Rhythms and Sleep

1. The role of circadian rhythms
2. Ignoring circadian rhythms



→ Variations in consciousness – shaped in part by biological rhythms
→ Biological Rhythms: periodic fluctuations in physiological functioning
○ Organisms have “internal clocks” = monitor passage of time somehow



1. The Role of Circadian Rhythms
→ Circadian rhythms: the 24-hour biological cycles found in humans and many other species
→ In humans – circadian rhythms particularly influential in regulation of sleep
→ Daily cycles also produce rhythmic variations in:
○ Blood pressure
○ Urine production
○ Hormonal secretions
○ Other physical functions
→ Cycles also affect alertness, short-term memory, and other aspects of cognitive performance
3

The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Guaranteed quality through customer reviews

Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.

Quick and easy check-out

Quick and easy check-out

You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.

Focus on what matters

Focus on what matters

Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!

Frequently asked questions

What do I get when I buy this document?

You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.

Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?

Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.

Who am I buying this summary from?

Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller inkedseas. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.

Will I be stuck with a subscription?

No, you only buy this summary for R50,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.

Can Stuvia be trusted?

4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)

72042 documents were sold in the last 30 days

Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy summaries for 14 years now

Start selling
R50,00  1x  sold
  • (1)
  Buy now