consciousness
our awareness of ourselves and our environment
circadian rhythm
the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle
REM sleep
alpha waves
the relatively slow brain waves of a relaxed, awake state.
sleep
hallucinations
false sensory experiences, such as seeing something in the absence of an external visual stimulus.
delta waves
the large, slow brain waves associated with deep sleep
insomnia
recurring problems in falling or staying asleep
narcolepsy
a sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times
sleep apnea
a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings
night terrors
a sleep disorder characterized by high arousal and an appearance of being terrified; unlike nightmares, night terrors occur during Stage 4 sleep, within two or three hours of falling asleep, and are seldom remembered
dream
a sequence of images, emotions, and thoughts passing through a sleeping person's mind. Dreams are notable for their hallucinatory imagery, discontinuities, and incongruities, and for the dreamer's delusional acceptance of the content and later difficultie
manifest content
latent content
REM rebound
hypnosis
a social interaction in which one person (the hypnotist) suggests to another (the subject) that certain perceptions, feelings, thoughts, or behaviors will spontaneously occur.
posthypnotic suggestion
dissociation
psychoactive drug
tolerance
the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug, requiring the user to take larger and larger doses before experiencing the drug's effect
withdrawal
the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug
physical dependence
a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasant withdrawal symptoms when the drug is discontinued.
psychological dependence
a psychological need to use a drug, such as to relieve negative emotions.
addiction
depressants
drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions.
barbiturates
drugs that depress the activity of the central nervous system, reducing anxiety but impairing memory and judgment
opiates
opium and its derivatives, such as morphine and heroin; they depress neural activity, temporarily lessening pain and anxiety.
stimulants
drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.
amphetamines
methamphetamine
a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels
Ecstasy (MDMA)
hallucinogens
psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input
LSD
A powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid (lysergic acid diethylamide).
THC
the major active ingredient in marijuana; triggers a variety of effects, including mild hallucinations
selective attention
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inattentional blindness
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change blindness
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posthypnotic suggestion
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