Deck 5: States of Consciousness

Question 1

Doctors can be more confident that patients diagnosed in a persistent vegetative state are likely to feel no pain if they show no brain activity on PET scans in the

A)midbrain area.
B)front cortical regions.
C)thalamus.
D)somatosensory cortex.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

A person with a damaged brain stem who is fully aware but almost totally unresponsive is exhibiting which disorder of consciousness?

A)a coma
B)a persistent vegetative state
C)locked-in syndrome
D)depersonalization

Answer 2

C

Question 3

In one study, normal individuals and patients in a persistent vegetative state were administered a mildly painful stimulus. Only the normal individuals in this study showed activity in which area of the brain on the PET scan?

A)midbrain
B)thalamus
C)somatosensory cortex
D)frontal cortical regions

Answer 3

D

Question 4

In one PET scan study, normal individuals and patients in a persistent vegetative state were administered a mildly painful stimulus. The findings of this study revealed that

A)the normal individuals consciously reported feeling pain, while the vegetative patients did not.
B)only the normal individuals showed brain activity in the midbrain, thalamus, and somatosensory cortex, while the vegetative patients showed none of this activity on the PET scans.
C)both normal and vegetative patients showed activity in their frontal cortical regions on the PET scans.
D)all of these occurred.

Question 5

Which brain region likely must be functional in order for someone to have a conscious experience of pain?

A)frontal cortical region
B)midbrain
C)thalamus
D)somatosensory cortex

Question 6

Regarding the subjective experience of consciousness, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)We can learn a lot about humans and other animals through objective studies.
B)We cannot answer questions about what is going on in the minds of other humans or animals by using our own subjective perspective.
C)Our subjective experience offers no insight into how our brain gives rise to consciousness or why we are conscious in the first place.
D)The difficulty of knowing other minds is why introspection replaced behaviorism early in psychology's history.

Question 7

To be conscious means

A)that one is awake.
B)that one is aware.
C)that one is completely alert.
D)none of these.

Question 8

What do a group of street musicians smoking a joint and singing for spare change and a college student drifting into a pleasant daydream while sitting at the back of the classroom have in common? Both are

A)experiencing lucid dreaming.
B)experiencing altered states of consciousness.
C)undergoing condensation of their mental processes.
D)exhibiting histrionic personalities.

Question 9

What does a hiker entering a fully conscious state of mindfulness meditation at the Grand Canyon, an aspiring actor in New York being hypnotized to help reduce her stage fright, and man drinking three cups of cappuccino have in common? They are all

A)experiencing altered states of consciousness.
B)likely to experience varying degrees of sane hallucinations.
C)experiencing somnambulism.
D)going through condensation of their mental processes.

Question 10

When a person is in a state of clear, organized alertness and perceives times, places, and events as real and can respond to external stimuli, he or she is said to be

A)in waking consciousness.
B)experiencing a state similar to non-REM.
C)experiencing sensory overload.
D)in an altered state of consciousness.

Question 11

Because the mind and consciousness are basically subjective phenomena, the key challenge of understanding the brain and behavior involves the use of __________ studies.

A)intuitive
B)subjective
C)objective
D)parapsychology

Question 12

Which of the following consists of all the sensations, perceptions, memories, and feelings you are aware of at any instant?

A)alertness
B)personality
C)consciousness
D)intelligence

Question 13

In one PET scan study, normal individuals and patients in a persistent vegetative state were administered a mildly painful stimulus. Findings from this study included which of the following?

A)Normal individuals consciously reported feeling pain, while vegetative patients did not.
B)PET scans revealed brain activity in the midbrain, thalamus, and somatosensory cortex of both normal individuals and vegetative patients.
C)Only the normal individuals in this study showed activity in frontal cortical regions, while the patients in a vegetative state did not.
D)All of these were findings of this study.

Question 14

Eric is a hiker who is experiencing a profound moment at the Grand Canyon. When he first looked over the rim, he was "blown away" by deep feelings of insignificance and awe. In that instant, he was also fully aware that he was experiencing a deeply moving moment based on

A)the manifest content of his awareness.
B)the experiences of the hidden observer within his mind.
C)his introspective experience.
D)his objective experience.

Question 15

A long-term lack of consciousness and responsiveness is most accurately referred to as

A)disorientation.
B)a disorder of consciousness.
C)an altered state of consciousness.
D)depersonalization.

Question 16

Your mental awareness of sensations and perceptions of external events as well as your self-awareness of internal events including thoughts, memories, and feelings about experiences and the self are collectively referred to as your

A)mindfulness.
B)personality.
C)consciousness.
D)objective experiences.

Question 17

Regarding research using PET scans and fMRI with patients in a persistent vegetative state, which of the following statements is\are TRUE?

A)Investigations using fMRI with patients in a persistent vegetative state showed varying degrees of frontal cortical activity in some of the patients.
B)Some patients in a persistent vegetative state have shown a frontal cortex response to hearing their own names.
C)When normal individuals and patients in a persistent vegetative state were administered a mildly painful stimulus, PET scans revealed brain activity in the midbrain, thalamus, and somatosensory cortex of both the normal and vegetative subjects.
D)All of these statements are true.

Question 18

We cannot know the subjective experience of

A)lower animals, like bats or cats.
B)primates other than humans.
C)other humans.
D)any of these organisms.

Question 19

We spend most of our lives in a state of consciousness that is organized, meaningful, and clear and is referred to as

A)a state of ASCs.
B)waking consciousness.
C)an altered state of consciousness.
D)microsleeps.

Question 20

Which of the following brain imaging methods promise to improve the diagnosis of disorders of consciousness, while also shedding light on consciousness itself?

A)ablation and microelectrode
B)CT scan and ESB
C)PET and fMRI
D)ECT and TMS

Question 21

Regarding altered states of consciousness (ASCs), which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Everyone experiences at least some of the altered states of consciousness on a daily basis.
B)Some altered states of consciousness are related to fatigue, delirium, hypnosis, drugs, and euphoria.
C)Most people do not know when they are experiencing an altered state of consciousness.
D)During ASCs, there are distinct shifts in memories, time sense, feelings of self-control, and suggestibility.

Question 22

Which of the following was an early practitioner of hypnosis, who referred to this altered state as "animal magnetism"?

A)William James
B)Wolfgang Köhler
C)Franz Mesmer
D)Stanford Babinski

Question 23

Long-distance running, listening to music, sleep, and daydreaming are just some of the everyday ways to produce

A)preconsciousness.
B)altered states of consciousness.
C)sensory enhancement.
D)simulated information processing.

Question 24

Which of the following is LEAST often used by stage hypnotists?

A)actual induction of hypnosis
B)audience response to the antics on stage bringing out the "ham" in many people
C)subjects being responsive because they don't want to "spoil the act"
D)tricks and deception

Question 25

Interest in hypnosis stems from the work of which of the following, who believed he could cure diseases with magnets?

A)James Braid
B)Franz Mesmer
C)Sigmund Freud
D)G. Stanley Hall

Question 26

By suspending a person between two chairs, a stage hypnotist demonstrates his or her

A)willingness to use deception to entertain.
B)use of the basic relaxation response.
C)ability to use hypnosis to suspend reality testing.
D)ability to induce unusual feats of strength.

Question 27

Regarding hypnosis, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Hypnosis was introduced by the Austrian physician Karl Zener.
B)Hypnosis is characterized by brain wave patterns similar to sleep.
C)Hypnosis is an altered state characterized by narrowed attention and increased openness to suggestion.
D)Hypnosis is a sleep state in which the subjects are partially aware of their actions and able to perform many activities not normally carried out during sleep.

Question 28

The chief characteristic of hypnosis is

A)heightened arousal.
B)increased suggestibility.
C)enhanced creativity.
D)increased clairvoyance.

Question 29

One thing that cocaine, "highway hypnosis," high fever, and meditation all have in common is that they produce

A)hypnagogic images.
B)relaxation.
C)euphoria.
D)ASCs.

Question 30

Regarding the history of hypnosis, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Interest in hypnosis began in the 1700s with Franz Mesmer, whose name gave us the term mesmerize , which later came to mean "to hypnotize."
B)Mesmer believed that he could cure disease with magnets with his theory being referred to as "animal magnetism."
C)The term hypnosis was later coined by the English surgeon James Braid and is the Greek word for sleep.
D)Current research shows that the EEG patterns recorded during hypnosis are deep sleep patterns consisting of delta waves.

Question 31

Hypnosis is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT

A)brain waves that resemble sleep.
B)narrowed attention.
C)an increased openness to suggestion.
D)relaxation.

Question 32

Psychologists identify marked changes in both the quality and pattern of mental functioning as

A)preconsciousness.
B)simulated information processing.
C)altered states of consciousness.
D)sensory enhancement.

Question 33

Regarding altered states of consciousness (ASCs), which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)During an altered state of consciousness, there are distinct shifts in our memories, time sense, emotions, and suggestibility.
B)Very few people have ever experienced more than one type of ASC.
C)Most people do realize when they are experiencing an altered state of consciousness.
D)Heightened self-awareness is an important feature of many ASCs.

Question 34

Mesmer's strange "treatments" are related to hypnosis because they actually relied on

A)animal magnetism.
B)a deep sleep or trance-like state of consciousness.
C)the power of suggestion.
D)intentional fraud and deception.

Question 35

During an altered state of consciousness (ASC), a person may experience distinct shifts in which of the following?

A)perceptions and emotions
B)memories and time sense
C)feelings of self-control and suggestibility
D)all of these

Question 36

The EEG brain wave patterns of a person who is hypnotized

A)consist of Stage 2 sleep waves with numerous sleep spindles.
B)resemble those of a person in a very deep sleep.
C)resemble those of a person pretending to be hypnotized.
D)are different from any of these patterns.

Question 37

What do Buddhists engaging in meditation practices, Turkish whirling dervishes, and New Zealand Maori priests performing nightlong rituals to communicate with the mythical period the Aborigines call "Dreamtime" all have in common?

A)They are used as a rite of passage for the young men in each culture.
B)They are all meant to cleanse the mind and body and bring about altered awareness and personal revelation.
C)They are all considered illegal practices in most Western cultures.
D)They have all of these in common.

Question 38

The term hypnosis was coined by an English surgeon named

A)James Braid.
B)Franz Mesmer.
C)Sigmund Freud.
D)G. Stanley Hall.

Question 39

Suspending a person between two chairs with no support in between

A)is an impossible feat.
B)can only be done if the person is hypnotized.
C)can only be done by a person who is utilizing meditation.
D)can be done by anyone.

Question 40

An important feature of many altered states of consciousness (ASCs)is

A)a clarity of waking consciousness.
B)heightened self-awareness.
C)cataplexy.
D)amnesia for the period of time that one is in this state.

Question 41

Autosuggestion can alter

A)sensations and perceptions.
B)thoughts and feelings.
C)behaviors.
D)all of these.

Question 42

In describing his hypnotic session, Jarrod said that he felt like he was floating, like his feet were about to leave the floor, and that his arms were so light it was like balloons were pulling them toward the ceiling without Jarrod having to do anything to raise his own arms. Jarrod is describing

A)hypnotic autosusceptibility.
B)hypnotic psychokinesis.
C)the basic suggestion effect.
D)the relaxation response.

Question 43

According to Hilgard, the hidden observer is

A)a detached part of the hypnotized person's awareness that silently observes events.
B)the person's alter ego that is expressed in dream symbols.
C)a person who becomes hypnotized from just observing the process rather than actively participating in the process.
D)the person that helps the "stage hypnotist" by pretending to be hypnotized.

Question 44

If you interviewed subjects after a hypnotic session on the nature of their experience, subjects who had experienced the basic suggestion effect would describe their experiences and actions as

A)coerced.
B)contrived.
C)automatic.
D)deliberate.

Question 45

According to Ernest Hilgard, hypnosis may cause

A)severe psychosis.
B)a loss of control of one's behavior.
C)withdrawal symptoms for a repressed emotion.
D)dissociation state or a "split in awareness."

Question 46

Which of the following proposed the best-known state theory of hypnosis and argued that hypnosis caused a dissociative state or "split" in awareness?

A)Franz Mesmer
B)James Braid
C)Ernest Hilgard
D)Martin Orne

Question 47

All the different methods used in which procedure involve having people to focus attention on what is being said, to relax and feel tired, to "let go" and accept suggestions, and to use their imaginations?

A)sensory deprivation
B)brainwashing
C)hypnosis
D)receptive meditation

Question 48

You tie a short length of string to a small ring and hold this ring at eye level, about a foot from your face. By focusing on the ring, you are able to make the ring swing back and forth. You are surprised by this movement. You most likely have experienced

A)autosuggestion.
B)mindfulness.
C)a physical phenomenon involving the gravitational pull of the earth.
D)a fraudulent gadget used by stage hypnotists.

Question 49

The tendency of hypnotized subjects to carry out suggested actions as if they were involuntary is called the

A)involuntary trance.
B)basic suggestion effect.
C)relaxation response.
D)subliminal suggestion effect.

Question 50

Hilgard refers to the part of hypnotized subjects' consciousness that reports pain but remains in the background as the

A)reality observer.
B)phantom observer.
C)hidden observer.
D)alter ego.

Question 51

Nonstate theorists believe that hypnosis involves a blend of

A)light sleep and waking consciousness.
B)heightened intuition and cognitive disassociation.
C)imagination, obedience, and role-playing.
D)receptive meditation and sensory restriction.

Question 52

Many theorists believe that all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis because

A)a deeply hypnotized person may relax "reality testing" so that normal "willpower," or self-control, is reduced.
B)little or no hypnosis is needed to do a good stage hypnosis act.
C)hypnosis can relieve pain.
D)a person must cooperate to become hypnotized, and so the hypnotist actually acts as a guide to the hypnotized person.

Question 53

During therapy, Sierra is asked to relax and feel tired, to focus on what the therapist is saying and to accept the suggestions, and to use her imagination. Sierra begins to have mild feelings of floating and even a separation from her body. Sierra is

A)experiencing sensory deprivation.
B)practicing concentrative meditation.
C)being hypnotized.
D)entering REM sleep.

Question 54

A detached part of the hypnotized person's awareness that silently observes events is known as the

A)actualized self.
B)phantom observer.
C)hidden observer.
D)alter ego.

Question 55

Which of the following sets of instructions would be the most likely to be given to the subject during a hypnotic induction?

A)Just let go, relax, focus on my voice, and imagine yourself in the situations described.
B)Tense and then relax your muscles, concentrate on what is troubling you then wipe it from your mind, choose a simple word and repeat it over and over.
C)Tense and then relax your muscles, imagine yourself in an anxiety-provoking situation, switch it off, and repeat until you feel no anxiety at all.
D)Reduce all sensory input gradually, even my voice, until you experience vivid sensory hallucinations, and concentrate on them exclusively.

Question 56

Hypnotized subjects who were told to plunge one hand into a painful bath of ice water, and were told to feel no pain,

A)awoke from their hypnosis immediately.
B)wrote "it hurts" with their free hand.
C)did not acknowledge feeling any pain verbally or in writing.
D)became hysterical.

Question 57

Which theorists believe that hypnosis involves a blend of conformity, relaxation, imagination, obedience, and role-playing?

A)state theorists
B)nonstate theorists
C)psychodynamic theorists
D)Gestalt theorists

Question 58

Barry held a ring attached to a string at eye level and concentrated on the ring. He is surprised that the ring begins to move and that he appears to be making it move using only mental force. Barry has shown all of the following EXCEPT

A)autosuggestion.
B)introspective awareness.
C)tiny micromovements of the hand.
D)involuntary actions resulting from self-hypnosis.

Question 59

You have agreed to be hypnotized. You can expect the hypnotist to encourage you to do all of the following EXCEPT

A)accept suggestions easily.
B)relax and feel tired.
C)use vivid imagination.
D)alternate tense and release your muscles.

Question 60

Ernest Hilgard's view of hypnosis as a "split" in awareness is referred to as which theory of hypnosis?

A)a state theory
B)a nonstate theory
C)a neurocognitive theory
D)an autosuggestion hypothesis

Question 61

Which of the following actions will a hypnotized person probably NOT act out?

A)harm someone
B)smell ammonia and act like it is a wonderful perfume
C)dance to imaginary music
D)act like a young child

Question 62

Which of the following is most likely to occur as a consequence of hypnosis?

A)increasing physical strength to superhuman levels
B)helping a person to quit smoking
C)altering sensory experiences
D)increasing the accuracy of memory for testimony in U.S. courts

Question 63

Which of the following is a mental exercise that focuses attention, interrupts the flow of thoughts and worries, and reduces physical tension and anxiety?

A)hypnopompic imagery.
B)sensory adaptation.
C)lucid dreaming.
D)meditation.

Question 64

Which of the following refers to how easily a person can become hypnotized and is measured by giving a series of suggestions and counting the number of times a person responds?

A)ASC index
B)stimulus suggestibility level
C)hypnotic relaxation response
D)hypnotic susceptibility

Question 65

Which of the following is a mental exercise for producing relaxation or heightened nonjudgmental awareness?

A)REM rebound
B)imagery rehearsal
C)meditation
D)depersonalization

Question 66

Whether a person can be hypnotized or not depends mainly on

A)the skill of the hypnotist.
B)the willingness of the person to be hypnotized.
C)the intelligence level of the person to be hypnotized.
D)how well the person and hypnotist can fake the "hypnosis."

Question 67

Which of the following actions will a hypnotized person probably NOT act out?

A)cluck like a chicken
B)smell ammonia and act like it is a wonderful perfume
C)take off his or her clothes in front of an audience
D)sing a popular song in front of an audience

Question 68

Hypnosis has been shown to alter

A)One's color vision and hearing sensitivity.
B)One's time sense.
C)One's perception of illusions.
D)all of these.

Question 69

Regarding how a person would act under hypnosis, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Most people will do anything they are asked to do under hypnosis, including violent acts against others.
B)Most people will not act out hypnotic suggestions that they consider immoral or repulsive.
C)Most people are unaware of what is going on and, therefore, lack control of their behavior.
D)Most people can be hypnotized against their wills or without conscious knowledge that it is happening.

Question 70

Hypnosis has been shown to be effective

A)in helping a person to stop overeating.
B)in decreasing the number of false memories experienced by eyewitnesses.
C)in reducing phantom limb pain.
D)for all of these.

Question 71

The main function of meditative exercises is to

A)increase energy and creativity.
B)focus attention and interrupt the typical flow of thoughts.
C)solve problems and relieve worries.
D)sharpen normal consciousness.

Question 72

Regarding hypnosis and its uses, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Hypnosis may enhance memory but frequently increases the number of false memories as well.
B)Hypnosis to relieve pain can be especially useful when chemical painkillers are ineffective, as in the case of phantom limb pain.
C)Hypnosis has been shown to be more effective in modifying specific behaviors, such as smoking and overeating, than in changing one's subjective experiences.
D)Hypnotic suggestions can alter a person's color vision, hearing sensitivity, and time sense.

Question 73

You are asked to close your eyes and told that your left arm is becoming more and more rigid and that it will not bend. If you cannot bend your arm during the next ten seconds, you have shown

A)hypnopompic imaging.
B)hypnotic susceptibility.
C)a feature of concentrative meditation.
D)transient narcolepsy.

Question 74

The ability to be hypnotized can be measured by testing a person's

A)brain-wave patterns.
B)responsiveness to suggestion.
C)critical thinking ability.
D)ASC index.

Question 75

Concerning hypnosis, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)People generally remain in control of their behavior while under hypnosis.
B)People are usually aware of what is going on around them while under hypnosis.
C)Most people will act out the hypnotic suggestion to disrobe or to harm someone.
D)You must cooperate to become hypnotized.

Question 76

People who are highly responsive to hypnosis are usually

A)highly intelligent.
B)very introverted and logical.
C)very extroverted and friendly.
D)imaginative and prone to fantasy.

Question 77

The test used to assess hypnotic susceptibility is referred to as the

A)Braid Test of Hypnotic Susceptibility.
B)Mesmer International Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility.
C)Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale.
D)Raven Progressive Hypnotic Scale.

Question 78

Regarding the effects of hypnosis, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Hypnosis has no more effect on physical strength than instructions that encourage a person to make his or her best effort.
B)No state has barred persons from testifying in court if they were hypnotized to improve their memory of the crime they witnessed.
C)When a person is told not to remember something heard during hypnosis, a brief memory loss does seem to occur, although this may be only a deliberate attempt to avoid thinking about specific ideas.
D)Given the proper instructions under hypnosis, a person can be made to smell a small bottle of ammonia and respond as if it were a wonderful perfume.

Question 79

Which of the following CANNOT be obtained through hypnosis?

A)brief memory loss
B)pain relief
C)superhuman strength
D)sensory changes

Question 80

Which of the following has been widely used throughout history as a means of altering consciousness through deep relaxation?

A)progressive muscle relaxation
B)meditation
C)combinations of hot baths and cold showers
D)hypnosis