GROUP SEVEN (7)

CONSCIOUSNESS AND ITS ALTERED STATES

It is one of the main elements in defining and discussing mental philosophy or simply psychology, because it penetrates every human being in all magnitudes. It is the awareness in your surroundings. Both human and animals share this kind of consciousness than all other living things in the world. Consciousness has many different states of conscious awareness. Different definitions of consciousness from various authorities: Consciousness means we are conscious when we can perceive our environment, our own thoughts and feelings and those of others and when we can describe these perceptions to them. Silverman (1979) It is a state of or quality of being awake of internal thought, process or of external objects, states of facts. Garzaniga (1980) Said that to be conscious is to be alert and active, as when you are awakening from sleep, it means to know oneself and to be aware of ones surrounding. Ernest Hilgard (1982) The sum total of all the external stimuli and internal mental events of which we are aware at any given time or simply it is defined as a state of awareness. William James Normal Waking Consciousness When we are conscious, we are aware of everything- sight, sound, feelings and thoughts. Four Varieties Of Normal Waking Consciousness a. Directed consciousness- when our conscious awareness is directed toward a single focus. b. Flowing consciousness- our awareness drifts from one thought to another or from reading to daydreaming and vise-versa. c. Daydreaming- a period of focused, directed thinking about fantasies. Advantages of Daydreaming 1. Daydreams help make our life more creative and original. 2. Use the past to explore the future. 3. Help develop your personality. d. Divided consciousness- is characterized by the splitting of two conscious activities to occur simultaneously. Consciousness and Attention Most of us are conscious at any time of a limited portion of all the stimuli impinging on our senses. It is not possible for us to become aware all these stimuli in our environment. Attention is the means by which we respond while ignoring the other stimuli. Selective attention is the cognitive mental process that limits the amount of information allowed to consciousness. Subconscious Mental Activity A great deal of our behavior and mental activities takes place subconsciously. Subconscious processes are mental or behavioral activities that take place outside of conscious awareness. Freudian Psychoanalyst Believes in 3 Levels of Awareness 1. Conscious- refers to mental content (thoughts and feelings), which are aware of. 2. Pre-conscious- thoughts can easily become conscious because there is little resistance (Anti Cathexis) to their becoming known to the person. Cathexis is an energy expended on the thought (Sigmund Freud) 2. Unconscious- it is difficult or impossible to bring a thought to the conscious level. Fantasy and Daydreaming An important aspect of our stream of consciousness is the fantasy and daydreaming, which are so much a part of our walking life. Though fantasy, we can provide ourselves with internal stimulation during periods of low activities or boredom. The frequency of daydreaming increases at around time. Womens daydreaming tends to be more personal, passive and body-centered; mens daydreams involve active and athletic achievements. Sleeping and Daydreaming Sleeping: We spend almost one third of our lives- averaging about five to seven hours in each twenty-four hour period of sleeping. Sleep is a part of the daily cycles in behavioral or physiological activity known as circadian rhythms, from the Latin word circa which means around and dia which means day. It involves daily cyclical changes in body temperature, blood pressure, blood plasma volume, hormonal secretions in the bloodstream and other bodily processes.

EEG or electroencephalogram- it is an electronic device that measures or detects spontaneous brain activity. 2 Distinct Stages of Sleep: 1. Non- Rapid Eye movement has 4 stages: A. Lightest Level of Sleep Occurs right when we sleep The EEG shows irregular wave that are relatively low in voltage. This is also called the alpha wave sleep (awake but in relaxed state). Hypnagogic state- a relaxed state of dreamlike awareness between wakefulness and sleep. We begin to lose voluntary control over our body movements. Myclonia- an abrupt movement that sometimes occurs during the hypnagogic state in which the sleeper often experiences a sense of falling or sudden jerk. B. Deeper Level of Sleep- this is called the irregular stage. Sleep talking and sleepwalking may occur in this stage. C. Transitional stage- this is from the higher irregular waves to deep sleep. The EEG begins to show low periods of frequency, high voltage waves known as delta waves. D. Delta waves or the deepest level of sleep- delta waves appear mostly in the EEG. Stages 3 and 4 are characterized by slow waves called delta waves. At these last two stages of sleep, we may find it difficult to awaken the sleeper though he may be aroused by something personal, such as calling of his name or of names which are familiar to him (Hilgard, et.al., 1983). 2. Rapid Eye Movement (REM)- the EEG pattern shows the shift from deep levels of sleep into stage 1 activity and finally the sleepers eyes begin to move rapidly back and forth. This is the stage where mostly people dream. Dreaming conscious awareness during sleep that primarily occurs during rapid eye movement sleep. The hypothesis of dreaming is that when impulses sent from the brain, during the REM, physiological processes of the body produce sleep. When these impulses reach the brain areas, the brain interprets and makes sense. That is why we dream, because it is the brain waves initiate dreaming (Brion, et.al., 2006) The average person dreams four to six times each night but rarely remembers more than a fraction of those dreams. Most psychologist agreed that have specific characteristics and this includes the ff: 1) Dreams are made of succession of usually vivid and colorful visual images. 2) Often accompanied by emotions. 3) Dreams are products of our imagination. 1. Dream Theories Dreams as Wish Fulfillment Sigmund Freud and other psychoanalysts believe that unconscious impulses re responsible for dreams and that the aim of dream is wish fulfillment, the gratification of some instincts. The significances of dreams are: A. It serves as a means of releasing mental tension, resolving conflicts and compensating for things in our walking lives. B. It consolidates daytime memories. According to Freud, there are two levels of the content of dreams: A. Manifest content- the events that happen in a dream. B. Latent Content- is the term used for the unconscious wishes or drives expressed in the manifest content that is found in symbols. Freud believes that dreams must be understood and interpreted. 2. Dreams as Brain Activity Activation synthesis hypothesis- a biopsychological theory proposed by a two sleep researchers, J.A Hobson and R. McCarley, this theory regards dreams as a mere by-products of periodic brain activation rather than a result of unconscious wishes. Hobson and McCarley argued that the dream state of REM sleep is generated with in the area of the brainstem known as Pons. Sleep Disorders- disturbances of sleep Normal patterns of sleep and walking can be disturbed for many reasons: Insomnia- is the long-term inability to obtain adequate sleep due to lengthy time sleep onset, frequent wakening during the night, or very early morning wakening. People with this kind of sleep disorder are usually mildly depressed or anxious. Insomnia may also due to drug problem or a major psychological disorder. Psychoactive drugs interfere with the sleep process. Heavy alcohol consumption may decrease the time needed to fall

asleep but will interfere with various sleep stages. Caffeine, a stimulant drugs produced alert state that interferes with falling and staying asleep. Sleepwalking- walking and carrying on complicated activities during the deepest part of non-REM sleep. Sleepwalkers rise from the bed and carry on complicated activities, such as walking from one room to another, even when they are sound asleep. This is common in children before the age of puberty. Sleepwalking is not an abnormal behavior. It usually appears on adults only during periods of stress. Sleep talking- talking during any phase of sleep cycle. This is characterized by saying words, sometimes making fairly coherent statements for a brief period of time while sleeping. Common in young adults. Narcolepsy- a sleep disorder in which the person suddenly falls asleep during activities which are usually performed when fully awake, even when the person has had adequate sleep. It is generally treated with stimulant drugs to keep the patient awake during the day as well as by restricting them to engage in lengthy periods of monotonous activities like driving. Sleep Apnea- is characterized as a repeated interruption of sleep due to cessation of breathing or by obstruction of airflow in throat while attempting to breath. Nightmares- dreams that occur during REM sleep and whose content is exceptionally frightening, sad, angry, or in some other way uncomfortable. Meditation-is a one method of searching for an alternative waking consciousness. It has become a popular exercise and an important part of yoga. There are varieties of meditation; some are simple while the others are difficult to master. The simplest form involves assuming or relaxed sitting or lying position and breathing deeply, slowly and rhythmically. Attention is directed only at the breathing movements of the diaphragm and all other thoughts and feelings are gently blocked from consciousness. Mantras, is the word which often have religious meanings. Transcendental state- called to the meditation procures a relaxed state, some experiencing achievement a desirable altered state of consciousness. Meditation is a practice that trains attention in order to bring mental process under voluntary control. It also stabilizes attention, transforms emotions and motivations, cultivates awareness, and heightens sensitivity to unethical behaviors (Walsh and Vaughan, 1995). Hypnosis- a psychological state induced by ritualistic procedure, in which the subject experiences changes in perception, memory and behavior in response to suggestions by hypnotist. Characteristics of Hypnotic State 1. Relaxation- a sense of deed relaxation and peacefulness exists, often accompanied by changes in the way the body feels, such as floating or sinking. 2. Hypnotic Hallucination- when told to do so, the person may see, feel, or hear things that are not there, such as smelling a flower that do not exist. 3. Hypnotic Analgesia- when told to do so, the person may lose the sense of touch or pain in some region of the body. This is one of the best-validated aspects of hypnosis, and has led to the use of hypnosis in surgery, dentistry, and childbirth. 4. Hypnotic are Regression- the person can sometimes be made to feel that he or she is passing back in time to an earlier stage of life, but most experts do not believe that hypnosis improves the recall of childhood events. 5. Hypnotic Control- the actions of hypnotized individuals sometimes seems as if they are out of their control. When told that his/her arm can float, a hypnotized persons arm may seems to float up as if it were lifted by invisible balloons rather than by her own muscles. 6. Depersonalization- the perpetual experience of ones body or surroundings becomes distorted or unreal. 7. Astral Projection- depersonalization that includes the illusion that mind has left the body. Altering Consciousness With Drugs Psychoactive drugs are those drugs that influence specific neurotransmitter in the brain by chemically altering the action of neurons in other way. The effects of these vary from mild relaxation to vivid hallucinations. It has also powerful effects and can be addictive. These drugs are used illegally in most circumstances. 4 Major Categories of Psychoactive Drugs

Altered States of Consciousness

1. SRIMULANTS- are drugs that increase the activity of the central nervous system, providing a sense of energy and well being. They are often called uppers. A. Caffeine- is found in coffee, tea, and soft drinks and some nonprescription medicine. B. Nicotine- is found in cigarettes & often tobacco products, and is most widely used stimulants. C. Amphetamines- trade names Dexedrine, Benzedrine and Methedrine. These are stimulant drugs that generally produce a conscious sense of increased energy, alertness, enthusiasm and a euphoric high. D. Cocaine- made from the leaves of the coca plants and effects like amphetamines. It comes in many forms, but is most commonly inhaled as a powder or smoked in the dangerously powerful known as shabu. It produces alertness, high energy, optimism, self-confidence, happiness and talkativeness. It raises body temperature, breathing rate, and desire for food and sleep. 2. NARCOTICS- is powerful and highly addictive depressants. A. Opium- a narcotic drug, derived from the opium poppy, dates back at least 7000 years in the Middle East. B. Heroine, Morphine and Codeine- derivatives of opium, are powerful narcotic drugs that dramatically alter consciousness. 3. DEPRESSANTS- is large class of psychoactive drugs that influence conscious experience by depressing parts of the central nervous system. A. Alcohol- is the most widely abused drug to which most individuals are physiologically addicted. Its effect is it impairs visual judgment and motor control and induces sleepiness. B. Sedatives- often called downers is depressants that in mild doses generally produce a state of calm relaxation. They are inscribed to aid sleep and sometimes to combat anxiety. C. Tranquilizers- are milder drugs that are similar to sedative. They produce a sense of calm relaxation for brief period of time. D. Hallucinogens- are drugs that can most powerfully alter consciousness. It is also called PSYCHODELICS such as lysergic acid and diethyl amide (LSD), mescaline, and psilocybin. It can also alter perceptual experiences, but only large doses cause vivid hallucinations. It can also produce druginduced state( trips) both pleasant and frightening(bad trip). OTHER DRUGS 1. MARIJUANA- is a popular consciousness-altering drug that generally produces a sense of relaxation and well-being. Prolonged used of these drugs decreases the efficiency of cognitive processing, weakens the bodys immune system, decreases the action of male sex hormones, and increases risk of lung cancer. 2. INHALANTS- substances that when inhaled produce a sense of intoxication. Toxic substances such as glue, cleaning fluid, paint and others are typically placed in proper plastic bags and inhaled (sniffed). *** E N D *** ( (^ _^) ) __________________________________________________________________________ ___________________

INFERENCES: General Psychology by Aquino and Kahayon The Science Psychology 1st Edition by Dr. Roxel A. Apruebo www.psychology.com Scharra May Tangarorang Group leader Members:

Renalyn Alforque

Leny Desphy PSYCHOLOGY 2nd Semester A.Y 2010-2011 First Year -1

Danmae Encarguez