Deck 1: A Framework for Mind and Brain

Question 1

Briefly describe the cortical core and the role it plays in cognition.

Answer 1

A generally-held belief, supported by mounting evidence, is that the cortical core supports human consciousness: the mighty thalamus located deep in the heart of the brain connects to nearly every region in the cortex and together the two thalami and the cortex form the cortical core, the central machinery of the brain. The two thalami are nestled into the center of the brain and form a massive influence over the cortex and the brain in general. The thalamo-cortical core, made up of the thalami and the cortex, can almost be thought of as a single massive hub that provides the lightning fast connectivity needed for waking cognition and the modulatory influences required for shifting the brain through the stages of sleep and the states of consciousness. Together they form the target for anesthesia and, when damaged, the basis for sustained unconsciousness and vegetative states.

Question 2

According to the theater analogy for the Global Workspace Theory developed by Baars:

A) The entire theater represents unconscious processes
B) The spotlight on the stage represents voluntary attention
C) The spotlight on the stage represents working memory
D) None of the above

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Explain how the three Global States are reflected in shifting levels of awareness and wakefulness.

Answer 3

For healthy individuals, our typical conscious state includes a balance of full wakefulness and awareness. As we move through the three global states of waking, sleeping, and dreaming, our level of awareness contents of our consciousness) is coupled with our level of wakefulness. As we begin to feel sleepy, then, both the levels of awareness and wakefulness drop until we reach deep sleep where we are neither aware nor awake.

Question 4

Which of the following is the best example of 'levels of analysis' when studying the brain?

A) A neuron in primary visual cortex, a region in primary visual cortex, the occipital lobe, and the entire human brain
B) The frontal lobe, the temporal lobe, the occipital lobe, and the parietal lobe
C) A man's brain, a woman's brain, a child's brain, and an ape brain
D) All of the above

Question 5

Cognitive neuroscience is the study of

A) The mind and brain
B) The brain and emotions
C) The mind and development
D) The brain and social behaviors.

Question 6

The Cortical Core is:

A) Believed to support human consciousness
B) Made up of the cortex and the two thalami
C) A massive hub of connectivity in the brain
D) All of the above

Question 7

The three Global States are:

A) Consciousness, unconsciousness, and comatose
B) Waking, sleeping and dreaming
C) Emotional, cognitive, and analytical
D) Newborn, child, and adult