phenomenon of qualia
Never know if we perceive the same way
perception
The brain processing detected signals that results in internal interpretation of stimuli perception - only happens when we see an object
consciousness and coma
- persistent vegetative state
- full consciousness
- minimal vegetative state (in-between) - is person “conscious” of some events & not other
beta waves
Alert wakefulness
alpha waves
Just before sleep
sleep stages
- Theta waves - light sleep - claims to be awake
- Sleep spindle & k complex - amplitude deflection, asleep but responds to noise
- Delta waves - difficult to wake, short, unresponsive
- Bigger delta waves - difficult to wake, short, unresponsive
theories of the function of sleep
- Repair & restoration
- Consolidation of memories
- Safety/adaptive behaviour
REM sleep
- low amplitude, irregular EEG (similar to waking brain)
- begins 70-90 min into sleep, reoccurs every hour or so
- change in physiological pattern: increased heart rate, darting eyes, twitching
- most report dreaming during REM
obstructive sleep disorders
- sleep apnea: a disorder in which people, while asleep, stop breathing because their throat closes
- narcolepsy: a disorder in which people experience excessive sleepiness during normal waking hours
- REM behaviour disorder - people will act out their dreams
traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
impairment in mental functioning caused by a blow to or very sharp movement of the head
coma
allows for the brain to rest and heal - minimally conscious state
brain death
the irreversible loss of brain function
psychoactive drugs
causes change in mood, awareness, thoughts, feeling or behaviour
stimulants
increase behavioural and mental activity by heightening activity of the CNS
depressants
decrease behavioural and mental activity
opioids
reduce the experience of pain, brings pleasure
hallucinogens/ psychedelics
alter thought and perception
function of REM sleep
- activation-synthesis: proposed by hobson, activity in brain structures in the absence of external stimulants and normal B activity
- threat rehearsal: proposed by Revonsuo, rehearsal for real-life situations
biological rhythms
- physical cycles: circadian rhythm, biological activites that rise and fall along a 24-hour cycle
- master clock - suprachiasmatic neuclus of hypothalamus
- environment: light, the penial gland releases melatonin when dark
change blindness
a failure to notice large changes in one environment - we can only consciously perceive a limited amount of information
simon and levi
found that older people were less likely to notice changes
shadowing
the procedure where the participant receives a different auditory message in each ear. the participant is then asked to repeat one of the messages. - if a participant hears their name in the other ear they will remember hearing it but not the rest of the message.
donald broadbent
developed the theory that explains our selective nature - we have a limited capacity for sensory information and we screen incoming info based on relevance
endogenous attention
attention that is directed and voluntary
