Normal waking consciousness- the state of consciousness you experience when you are awake and aware of your thoughts, feelings and perceptions from internal events and the surrounding environment
Characteristics of nwc- • Level of awareness • Content limitations • Attention • Controlled and automatic processes • Perceptual and cognitive distortion s • Emotional awareness • Self-control • Time orientation
Altered state of consciousness
Deviates from nwc.
Types of asc • Daydreaming- asc where attention shifts from external stimuli to internal thoughts feelings and imagined scenarios. • Alcohol induced state- a psychoactive drug, depressant.
Psychoactive Drug- chemical substances that affect the nervous system and brain activity.
Methods of studying consciousness
Methods used to study states of consciousness
• EEG- detects, amplifies and records electro-activity in the brain. • EOG- detects, amplifies and records electro-activity in the muscles around the eye. • EMG- detects, amplifies and record electro-activity in the muscles.
Beta Waves- High frequency and low amplitude. When we are awake and alert.
Alpha waves- Reasonably high frequency and low amplitude. Relaxed state.
Theta waves- Medium frequency and mixed amplitude. Early stages of sleep.
Delta waves- Low frequency and high aplitude. Deep Sleep.
EKG (heart rate)- a device that detects amplifies and records the electrical activity of the heart muscles.
Galvanic skin response- physiological response that indicates the electrical conductivity of the skin.
Other forms of measurement • Body temp • Blood pressure moniter • Respiration monitor • Sleep lab • Video monitoring • Self-reports.
