Major Concepts and Behavioral Objectives

CONCEPT I: Cyclical States of Consciousness

Consciousness is the thoughts, images, sensations, and emotions that flow through the mind. Many states of consciousness, some very different from everyday modes, can be experienced. Sleep, one mode of consciousness, is composed each night of several cyclical 90-minute cycles of stages, each with a characteristic brain wave pattern. Dreams occur during the REM (rapid eye movement) stage. Although we clearly need REM sleep, the function of dreaming has not yet been established. Daydreaming, which occurs about every 90 minutes while we are awake, may be the result of the same underlying process that produces nighttime sleep cycles.

1. Define consciousness, and describe its characteristics.

2. Describe the various stages of sleep.

3. Discuss the possible explanations for sleep and dreaming.

4. Describe the various sleep disorders discussed in the text, and suggest how each is usually treated.

5. Describe daydreams and discuss the functions they may serve.

CONCEPT II: Induced States of Consciousness

7. Discuss the effects of depressant drugs, and alcohol, in particular, on behavior.

8. Describe the effects and action of the stimulant drugs.

9. Identify the most commonly used hallucinogenic drugs and explain how they affect behavior.

10. Discuss the influence of psychoactive drugs on learning, memory, and creativity.

11. Describe the process of meditation and the physiological benefits it produces.

12. Describe hypnosis and discuss how it is used.

 13. Compare dissociation theory to cognitive role enactment theory, and describe the research supporting these theories.