Consciousness & Awareness
What is consciousness?
The overall state of being aware of yourself and your surroundings.
Which level of consciousness describes being awake, alert, and actively thinking?
Conscious
What does REM stand for?
Rapid Eye Movement.
What is a dream?
Experiences, images, or thoughts that occur during sleep.
What is selective attention?
Focusing on one stimulus while ignoring others.
Why do psychologists describe consciousness as a construct?
Because it is an idea used to explain something that cannot be directly observed.
Which level describes information that is not currently in your awareness but can be easily remembered?
Preconscious.
What sleep disorder causes a person to fall asleep suddenly during the day?
Narcolepsy.
According to Freud, what do dreams express?
Unconscious wishes and desires.
What is a circadian rhythm?
The body's internal 24-hour biological clock.
What is the difference between consciousness and awareness?
Consciousness is the overall state of being aware, while awareness is noticing specific information.
Which level involves hidden thoughts, feelings, and memories that are not easily brought into awareness?
Unconscious.
What sleep disorder involves pauses in breathing during sleep?
Sleep Apnea.
What is an altered state of consciousness?
A state in which consciousness differs from normal waking awareness.
Give one possible consequence of sleep deprivation.
Difficulty concentrating, increased risk-taking, or poor emotional control.
What does awareness allow us to notice?
Sensory information, thoughts, and feelings.
Which level controls automatic body functions such as your heartbeat and breathing?
Nonconscious.
What is sleepwalking?
Walking or performing activities while asleep.
Give one example of an activity that can produce an altered state of consciousness.
Meditation, sleep, hypnosis
Why can teenagers have difficulty falling asleep early?
Their circadian rhythms may naturally shift toward later sleep times during puberty.
Give an example of someone being conscious and aware of their surroundings.
A student listening to a teacher, taking notes, and thinking about the lesson.
A student cannot remember the name of an elementary school teacher at first, but after thinking for a moment, remembers it. Which level of consciousness is this?
Preconscious.
What happens to REM periods as the night progresses?
They generally become longer toward morning.
According to Freud's theory, why might dreams contain symbols?
They may represent hidden wishes and desires.
During a basketball game, a student focuses on the ball and ignores the noise of the audience. What psychological concept does this demonstrate?
Selective attention.