Download Term 1: Psychology of Consciousness and Attention and more Quizzes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 consciousness DEFINITION 1 the subjective awareness of internal and external events TERM 2 attention DEFINITION 2 the internal processes used to set priorities for mental functioning TERM 3 dichotic listening DEFINITION 3 different auditory messages are presented separately and simultaneously to each ear. The subject's task is to repeat aloud one message while ignoring the other. TERM 4 cocktail party effect DEFINITION 4 the ability to focus on one auditory message and ignore others; also refers to the tendency to notice when your name suddenly appears in a message that you've been actively ignoring TERM 5 automaticity DEFINITION 5 fast and effortless processing that requires little or no focused attention TERM 6 visual neglect DEFINITION 6 a complex disorder of attention characterized by a tendency to ignore things that appear on one side of the body (usually left side). TERM 7 attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder DEFINITION 7 a psychological disorder marked by difficulties in concentrating or in sustaining attention for extended periods. TERM 8 circadian rhythms DEFINITION 8 biological activities that rise and fall in accordance with a 24 hour cycle TERM 9 biological clocks DEFINITION 9 brain structures that schedule rhythmic variations in bodily functions by triggering them at the appropriate times. TERM 10 alpha waves DEFINITION 10 the pattern of brain activity observed in someone who is in a relaxed state. TERM 21 nightmares DEFINITION 21 frightening and anxiety-arousing dreams that occur primarily during the REM stage of sleep. TERM 22 night terrors DEFINITION 22 terrifying experiences, which occur mainly in children, in which the sleeper awakens suddenly in an extreme state of panic. TERM 23 sleepwalking DEFINITION 23 the sleeper arises during sleep and wanders about TERM 24 psychoactive drugs DEFINITION 24 drugs that affect behavior and mental processes through alterations of conscious awareness TERM 25 tolerance DEFINITION 25 an adaptation made by the body to compensate for the continued use of a drug, such that increasing amounts of the drug are needed to produce the same physical and behavioral effects. TERM 26 drug dependency DEFINITION 26 a condition in which one experiences a physical or psychological need for continued use for a drug. TERM 27 withdrawal DEFINITION 27 physical reactions such as sweating, vomiting, changes in heart rate, or tremors, that occur when a person stops taking certain drugs after continued use. TERM 28 depressants DEFINITION 28 a class of drugs that slow or depress the ongoing activity of the central nervous system. TERM 29 stimulants DEFINITION 29 a class of drugs that increase central nervous system activity, enhancing neural transmission. TERM 30 opiates DEFINITION 30 a class of drugs that reduce anxiety, lower sensitivity to pain, and elevate mood; often act to depress nervous system activity. TERM 31 hallucinogens DEFINITION 31 a class of drugs that tends to disrupt normal mental and emotional functioning, including distorting perception and altering reality. TERM 32 hypnosis DEFINITION 32 a form of social interaction that produces a heightened state of suggestibility in a willing participant. TERM 33 hypnotic hypermnesia DEFINITION 33 the supposed enhancement in memory that occurs under hypnosis; there is little if any evidence to support the existence of this effect. TERM 34 hypnotic dissociation DEFINITION 34 a hypnotically induced splitting of consciousness during which multiple forms of awareness exist. TERM 35 meditation DEFINITION 35 a technique for self-induced manipulation of awareness, often used for the purpose of relaxation and self-reflection.
