McGraw-Hill OnlineMcGraw-Hill Higher EducationLearning Center
Student Center | Instructor Center | Information Center | Home
Internet Primer
Study Skills Primer
Statistics Primer
Career Opportunities
Grade Summit
PowerWeb
Author Audio Introductions
Learning Objectives
Chapter Outline
Multiple Choice
Fill in the Blanks
Short Answers
Glossary
Internet Exercises
Interactive Activities
Crossword Puzzle
Frequently Asked Questions
Around the Globe
Rethink Answers
Web Links
Feedback
Help Center


Understanding Psychology Book Cover Image
Understanding Psychology, 6/e
Robert S. Feldman, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

States of Consciousness


activation-synthesis theory  Hobson's theory that the brain produces random electrical energy during REM sleep that stimulates memories lodged in various portions of the brain
addictive drugs  Drugs that produce a biological or psychological dependence in the user; withdrawal from them leads to a craving for the drug that in some cases can be nearly irresistible
circadian rhythms  Biological processes that occur repeatedly on approximately a twenty-four-hour cyclecircadian_rhythms (154.0K)
consciousness  The awareness of the sensations, thoughts, and feelings being experienced at a given momentconsciousness (124.0K)
daydreams  Fantasies that people construct while awake
depressants  Drugs that slow down the nervous system
dreams-for-survival theory  The theory that dreams permit information that is critical for our daily survival to be reconsidered and reprocessed during sleep
hallucinogen  A drug that is capable of producing hallucinations, or changes in the perceptual processhallucinogen (143.0K)
hypnosis  A trancelike state of heightened susceptibility to the suggestions of othershypnosis (110.0K)
latent content of dreams  According to Freud, the "disguised" or real meanings of dreams, hidden by more obvious subjects
manifest content of dreams  According to Freud, the overt story line of dreams
meditation  A learned technique for refocusing attention that brings about an altered state of consciousnessmeditation (138.0K)
narcotics  Drugs that increase relaxation and relieve pain and anxiety
psychoactive drugs  Drugs that influence a person's emotions, perceptions, and behaviorpsychoactive_drugs (123.0K)
rapid eye movement (REM) sleep  Sleep occupying 20 percent of an adult's sleeping time, characterized by increase heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate; erections; eye movements; and the experience of dreaming
stage 1 sleep  The state of transition between wakefulness and sleep, characterized by relatively rapid, low-voltage brain waves
stage 2 sleep  A sleep deeper than that of stage 1, characterized by a slower, more regular wave pattern, along with momentary interruptions of "sleep spindles"
stage 3 sleep  A sleep characterized by slow brain waves, with greater peaks and valleys in the wave pattern
stage 4 sleep  The deepest stage of sleep, during which we are least responsive to outside stimulation
stimulants  Drugs that affect the central nervous system by causing a rise in heart rate, blood pressure, and muscular tension
unconscious wish fulfillment theory  Sigmund Freud's theory that dreams represent unconscious wishes that dreamers desire to fulfill