Deck 4: Section 2: Consciousness and Its Variations

Question 1

Exposure to sunlight and other bright lights:

A)increases the production of melatonin.
B)suppresses the production of melatonin.
C)suppresses the level of hypocretins in the brain.
D)reduces the incidence of sleep spindles.

Answer 1

suppresses the production of melatonin.

Question 2

Attention is:

A)your immediate awareness of thoughts, sensations, memories, and the world around you.
B)the capacity to selectively focus senses and awareness on particular stimuli or aspects of the environment.
C)a technique that involves mentally repeating a mantra.
D)an altered state of consciousness defined by a heightened state of suggestibility.

Answer 2

the capacity to selectively focus senses and awareness on particular stimuli or aspects of the environment.

Question 3

Because attention is limited in capacity, we tend to:

A)focus on information that is most relevant to our immediate or long-term goals.
B)always hear our name mentioned at a party.
C)be easily hypnotized.
D)get overwhelmed by all the sights, sounds, and other sensations in the external environment.

Answer 3

focus on information that is most relevant to our immediate or long-term goals.

Question 4

_____ is the capacity to selectively focus senses and awareness on particular stimuli or aspects of the environment.

A)Consciousness
B)Attention
C)Awareness
D)Rehearsal

Question 5

This image depicts key components involved in regulating your internal biological clock. Which letter indicates the suprachiasmatic nucleus?

A)A
B)C
C)B
D)None of the answers is correct.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about the suprachiasmatic nucleus is FALSE?

A)The suprachiasmatic nucleus is your internal "biological clock."
B)The suprachiasmatic nucleus governs the timing of circadian rhythms, including the sleep/wake cycle and the mental alertness cycle.
C)The suprachiasmatic nucleus is a cluster of neurons located in the brain structure called the hypothalamus.
D)The suprachiasmatic nucleus secretes a naturally occurring compound called adenosine that increases mental alertness.

Question 7

Where is the suprachiasmatic nucleus located?

A)in the hypothalamus in the brain
B)in the retina of each eye
C)in the pineal gland
D)in the primary visual cortex at the back of the brain

Question 8

According to the information presented in the text, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Although nonhuman animals have numerous daily and seasonal circadian rhythms, humans only have circadian rhythms for the sleep/wake cycle and mental alertness.
B)Under normal conditions, each of our circadian rhythms operates on a set schedule that does not vary over the course of each day.
C)There are over 100 bodily processes that systematically vary over the course of each day.
D)Exposure to environmental time cues is not necessary for people to stay entrained to a precise 24-hour schedule of circadian rhythms.

Question 9

Keeping circadian rhythms synchronized and operating on a 24-hour schedule:

A)is normally impossible because of sleep spindles.
B)involves the detection of sunlight by special photoreceptors in the eye and the communication of this information to the brain.
C)occurs naturally when people are deprived of all time cues.
D)involves the release of the neurotransmitter hypocretin by the hypothalamus.

Question 10

As you are taking this test right now, you are aware of your thoughts, sensations, memories, and different aspects of the surrounding environment. Collectively, this awareness is referred to as:

A)dissociation.
B)consciousness.
C)hypnagogic perception.
D)delta brain wave activity.

Question 11

It was the famous American psychologist named _____ who described consciousness as being like a river or a stream.

A)William James
B)Ernest Hilgard
C)J) Allan Hobson
D)Sigmund Freud

Question 12

Consciousness allows us to:

A)sleep peacefully at night.
B)avoid unpleasant memories.
C)integrate past, present, and future behavior.
D)cope with recurring anxiety and stress.

Question 13

The pineal gland is located in the:

A)brain.
B)back side of the retina of each eye.
C)center of the suprachiasmatic nucleus.
D)the two optic nerves just past the point where they exit the retina.

Question 14

Castro is at a faculty party and is attentively listening to Dr. Chavez talk about her latest research on selective attention when he suddenly becomes aware of someone else mentioning his name on the other side of the room. This phenomenon experienced by Dr. Castro is known as:

A)inattentional blindness.
B)change blindness.
C)the cocktail party effect.
D)mindfulness.

Question 15

John is blind and is therefore unable to detect the light that normally sets the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). If he is like most totally blind people:

A)his sleep-wake, body temperature, and melatonin circadian rhythms can become desynchronized.
B)he will suffer from attacks of cataplexy, especially when he is emotionally aroused.
C)he will use sign language and tend to "sleep sign" during stage 4 NREM sleep when sleep talking typically happens.
D)his REM sleep will consist of very vivid visual dreams most of which will be lucid dreams.

Question 16

In response to bright morning light:

A)there is an increase in the number of K complexes generated by the brain.
B)the suprachiasmatic nucleus causes the pineal gland to decrease production of melatonin.
C)the pineal gland increases production of melatonin.
D)brief but harmless instances of hypermnesia can occur.

Question 17

This image depicts three of the key components involved in regulating your internal biological clock. Pick the alternative that correctly labels the structures in the drawing.

A)1 = pituitary gland, 2 = pineal gland, 3 = melatonin pathway
B)1 = hypothalamus, 2 = optic chiasm, 3 = beta neural pathway
C)1 = thalamus, 2 = circadian center, 3 = bipolar optic pathway
D)1 = pineal gland, 2 = suprachiasmatic nucleus, 3 = optic nerve

Question 18

In the absence of _____, our internal body clock drifts to its natural rhythm.

A)intrinsic time cues
B)external time cues
C)melatonin
D)the circadian rhythm

Question 19

If you are like most people, you experience daily fluctuations in many bodily processes, such as blood pressure, the secretion of hormones, and so on. These daily variations in biological and psychological processes are called:

A)circadian rhythms.
B)delta brain wave activity.
C)REM rebound effects.
D)free running conditions.

Question 20

Which of the following statements best explains why consciousness has been viewed as a ""stream"" or ""river""?

A)Even though the contents of consciousness are constantly changing, we subjectively experience consciousness as being continuous and unbroken.
B)Although we are aware of some of the contents of consciousness, consciousness can only be understood if you look below the "water line," at thought processes of which we are unaware.
C)Consciousness can only be understood by looking at the environmental forces that shape our conscious thoughts.
D)Consciousness can only be understood by using introspection.

Question 21

Your intrinsic circadian rhythm is _____ hours.

A)12.6
B)exactly 24
C)24.2
D)26.4

Question 22

The presence of sleep spindles and K complexes are the defining characteristics of:

A)narcolepsy.
B)stage 2 NREM sleep.
C)stage 3 and 4 NREM sleep.
D)REM sleep behavior disorder.

Question 23

Repetti is a sleep researcher who wishes to record the rhythmic electrical patterns of the brain. Which of the following methods is he most likely to use?

A)recording brain waves on an electroencephalograph
B)tracking changes in breathing, blood pressure, and body temperature
C)doing electrocardiography tests
D)monitoring blood levels of melatonin

Question 24

According to the information given in the In Focus box: What You Really Want to Know About Sleep, which of the following statements is FALSE?

A)Research has contradicted the notion that yawning is caused by too much carbon dioxide or too little oxygen in a person's blood.
B)Deaf people who use sign language sometimes "sleep sign" during sleep.
C)Contagious yawning may have evolved as an adaptive social cue, helping groups to signal and coordinate times of activity or rest.
D)Sleep paralysis is a rare phenomenon and is usually associated with sleep disorders such as narcolepsy.

Question 25

As you are reading this question, you are awake and alert. This means that your brain is generating _____ brain waves.

A)alpha
B)beta
C)theta
D)delta

Question 26

The graphic record of brain activity produced by an electroencephalograph is called a(n):

A)electroencephalogram or EEG.
B)electromyogram (EMG).
C)circadian rhythm.
D)electrooculogram (EOG).

Question 27

After turning out the light for the night, your head hits the pillow. Gradually your muscles relax and drowsiness occurs. This drowsy yet wakeful state is associated with _____ brain waves.

A)alpha
B)beta
C)theta
D)delta

Question 28

REM sleep is also called _____ sleep.

A)active
B)NREM
C)quiet
D)hypnagogic

Question 29

Dan drinks a cup or two of strong coffee in the morning to help him wake up and get rid of his sleepiness. According to the In Focus box: What You Really Want to Know About Sleep, the common stimulant drug in coffee, caffeine, blocks receptors for a naturally occurring compound in the body called _____, thus promoting wakefulness.

A)hypocretin
B)adenosine
C)oxycodone
D)dopamine

Question 30

Active sleep is to _____ as quiet sleep is to _____.

A)REM sleep; NREM sleep
B)parasomnia; dyssomnia
C)NREM sleep; REM sleep
D)dyssomnia; parasomnia

Question 31

Sleeping by herself, LaShawn was gently drifting off to sleep when she was jolted awake by the vivid sensation that someone had just touched her arm. After sitting up and reassuring herself that no one was in the room, she lay back down and tried to put the experience out of her mind. LaShawn had experienced _____, which is most likely to occur _____.

A)a night terror or sleep terror; in stage 4 NREM sleep
B)a K complex; during Stage 2 NREM sleep
C)a hypnagogic hallucination; as a person is first going to sleep
D)REM rebound; during REM sleep

Question 32

REM sleep is also called _____ sleep.

A)paradoxical
B)NREM
C)quiet
D)hypnagogic

Question 33

REM is an acronym that stands for:

A)rapid ear movement.
B)rapid eye movement.
C)restless eye movement.
D)random eye motion.

Question 34

Which of the following seems to be involved in causing sleepiness?

A)high blood levels of adenosine
B)low blood levels of adenosine
C)low blood levels of melatonin
D)high blood levels of dopamine

Question 35

During the 1920s, German psychiatrist Hans Berger advanced the scientific study of sleep when he:

A)invented the first MRI scanning device.
B)discovered a procedure to monitor blood levels of melatonin.
C)invented the electroencephalograph.
D)discovered REM sleep in humans.

Question 36

According to the In Focus box: What You Really Want to Know About Sleep, yawning is:

A)caused by too much carbon dioxide in a person's blood.
B)typically followed by an increase in a person's activity level.
C)caused by too little oxygen in a person's blood.
D)not contagious.

Question 37

Sleep paralysis:

A)is the most common cause of insomnia.
B)usually precedes an episode of sleepwalking.
C)usually lasts for a few minutes.
D)is experienced only when people are falling asleep.

Question 38

Which of the following best describes a myoclonic jerk?

A)the person who usually sits in the front row of the class and asks all the questions
B)the small twitches and movements typical during REM sleep when the person is dreaming
C)a spontaneous muscle contraction that causes a hypnotized person to suddenly and unexpectedly come out of hypnosis
D)an involuntary muscle spasm that jolts the person awake as he is going to sleep

Question 39

According to the information discussed in the In Focus box: "What You Really Want to Know About Sleep", which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)A naturally occurring compound called adenosine seems to be involved in producing sleepiness.
B)Sleep paralysis is a rare, progressive condition that can eventually lead to a permanent coma if left untreated.
C)Sleep researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to have extended, meaningful conversations with people who are chronic sleeptalkers.
D)Yawning is caused by having too little oxygen or too much carbon dioxide in the blood.

Question 40

According to the In Focus box: What You Really Want to Know About Sleep, which of the following is FALSE?

A)Yawning is typically followed by an increase in activity level.
B)Blind people frequently use sign language to "sleep sign" during sleep.
C)In a relatively common phenomenon called sleep paralysis, the paralysis of REM sleep carries over to the waking state for a short period of time.
D)Research has shown that increases in adenosine levels promote feelings of sleepiness.

Question 41

This image depicts the sleep cycles over the course of a typical night. In which stage are K-complexes and sleep spindles most likely to occur?

A)stage 1 NREM
B)stage 2 NREM
C)REM sleep
D)stage 4 NREM

Question 42

This image depicts the sleep cycles over the course of a typical night. In which stage does the brain become much more active, and heart rate, blood pressure, and respirations shift up and down, sometimes extremely?

A)stage 1 NREM
B)stage 2 NREM
C)REM sleep
D)stage 4 NREM

Question 43

During stage 4 NREM:

A)the sleeper can easily awaken and become alert almost immediately.
B)the sleeper's heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing rate drop to their lowest levels.
C)the sleeper is essentially paralyzed and incapable of movement.
D)sleep spindles occur.

Question 44

On an average, each complete cycle through the stages of NREM sleep and REM sleep lasts about:

A)20 minutes.
B)1 hour.
C)90 minutes.
D)8 hours.

Question 45

Dreaming usually takes place during _____ sleep and is typically accompanied by _____.

A)NREM; voluntary muscle movements, including thrashing and sleepwalking
B)NREM; deep minimal brain activity
C)REM; voluntary muscle movements, talking, and sleepwalking
D)REM; physiological arousal and rapid movement of the eyes

Question 46

As you are lying in bed, your mind begins to drift and you become increasingly drowsy. During this short, transitional stage of sleep you disengage from the routine sounds in your environment. This sleep stage is called:

A)REM sleep.
B)stage 1 NREM.
C)stage 2 NREM.
D)paradoxical sleep.

Question 47

By the time children are five years old:

A)about 50 percent of sleep time is spent in REM sleep and 50 percent is spent in quiet sleep that is very similar to NREM stages 1 and 2.
B)their sleep pattern is characterized by 60-minute sleep cycles, producing up to 13 cycles per day.
C)the typical 90-minute sleep cycles of alternating REM and NREM are established.
D)they will begin to experience their first dreams and nightmares.

Question 48

Observing a subject who is in REM sleep, a sleep researcher can conclude that all of the following are true of the subject EXCEPT:

A)the subject is dreaming.
B)the subject's brain becomes very active.
C)voluntary muscle activity is suppressed in the subject.
D)the subject's heart rate and blood pressure reach their lowest levels.

Question 49

Lazaro goes to bed at 10 P.M. and quickly falls asleep. He sleeps soundly until 6 A.M. the next morning. During the first four hours of sleep, Lazaro will most likely experience:

A)long episodes of REM sleep.
B)stages 3 and 4 NREM sleep.
C)the complete absence of dreaming.
D)very light sleep consisting almost entirely of stages 1 and 2 NREM.

Question 50

Danita goes to bed at 10 P.M. and quickly falls asleep. She sleeps soundly until 6 A.M. the next morning. Between 4 A.M. and 6 A.M. Danita will most likely experience:

A)long episodes of REM sleep.
B)hypnagogic hallucinations.
C)the complete absence of NREM sleep.
D)long episodes of stages 3 and 4 NREM sleep.

Question 51

Sleepwalking typically occurs during:

A)REM sleep.
B)hypnagogic hallucinations.
C)stage 4 NREM.
D)stage 1 NREM.

Question 52

Carlotta is a research assistant in the college sleep lab. As she monitored the EEG recording of a sleeping subject in the lab, she noted the presence of theta brain waves, sleep spindles, and K complexes. Carlotta concludes that the subject is experiencing:

A)REM sleep.
B)stage 4 NREM.
C)a hypnagogic hallucination.
D)stage 2 NREM.

Question 53

On average, a newborn infant sleeps about 16 hours per day. How much of this sleep time is spent in REM sleep?

A)more than 75 percent of the sleep time
B)less than 20 percent of the sleep time
C)about 50 percent of the sleep time
D)all of a newborn's sleep time

Question 54

During a typical night's sleep, a person typically experiences about _____ of NREM and REM sleep.

A)1 cycle
B)2 cycles
C)5 cycles
D)8 cycles

Question 55

The cycles of NREM sleep and REM sleep begin:

A)during fetal development.
B)almost immediately after birth.
C)about six months after birth.
D)when an infant is about one year old.

Question 56

In combination, stage 3 NREM and stage 4 NREM:

A)occur mostly during the second half of the night.
B)are called paradoxical sleep.
C)are comprised mostly of beta brain wave activity.
D)are referred to as slow-wave sleep.

Question 57

This image depicts the sleep cycles over the course of a typical night. In which stage are hypnagogic hallucinations most likely to occur?

A)stage 1 NREM
B)stage 2 NREM
C)REM sleep
D)stage 4 NREM

Question 58

This image depicts the sleep cycles over the course of a typical night. In which stage is sleepwalking most likely to occur?

A)stage 1 NREM
B)stage 2 NREM
C)REM sleep
D)stage 4 NREM

Question 59

As you are being monitored by sleep researchers, almost all of your brain activity comprises delta brain waves. This is a clear sign that you are in:

A)stage 4 NREM.
B)REM sleep.
C)stage 2 NREM.
D)stage 1 NREM.

Question 60

This image depicts the sleep cycles over the course of a typical night. In which stage do delta brain waves exceed 50 percent of total brain activity?

A)stage 1 NREM
B)stage 2 NREM
C)REM sleep
D)stage 4 NREM

Question 61

PET and fMRI scans have revealed that the brain's activity during REM sleep is:

A)very similar to its activity during both wakefulness and NREM slow-wave sleep.
B)at its lowest level of activity during the night's sleep.
C)distinctly different from its activity during either wakefulness or NREM slow-wave sleep.
D)greatly increased in both the frontal lobes and the primary visual cortex.

Question 62

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding dreams?

A)People usually have four or five dreaming episodes each night.
B)The first REM episode of the night is the shortest, lasting only about 10 minutes.
C)Early morning dreams, which can last for 40 minutes or longer, are the dreams most likely to be remembered.
D)All of these statements are true regarding dreams.

Question 63

According to research presented in Focus on Neuroscience: The Dreaming Brain, REM sleep involves decreased activity in the:

A)hippocampus.
B)occipital lobes.
C)frontal lobes.
D)brain stem.

Question 64

An unfolding sequence of perceptions, thoughts, and emotions during sleep (usually REM), that is experienced as a series of real-life events is a description of:

A)sleep mentation.
B)a dream.
C)a hypnagogic hallucination.
D)hypnosis.

Question 65

Because of the effects of depriving research subjects of either REM sleep or stages 3 and 4 NREM deep sleep, it seems clear that:

A)we need to experience the full range of NREM sleep stages and REM sleep.
B)neither REM sleep nor NREM sleep are necessary components of sleep.
C)REM sleep is a necessary component of sleep but deep sleep is not.
D)deep sleep is a necessary component of sleep but REM sleep is not.

Question 66

Ted went without sleep for two nights in order to study for a final exam. Ted can expect to experience:

A)virtually no effect on his mental abilities and reaction time.
B)very brief episodes of sleep called microsleeps that occur during wakefulness.
C)REM sleep behavior disorder.
D)intense hypnagogic hallucinations.

Question 67

Researchers at State University's sleep research lab deprived some volunteers of sleep for 35 hours while others slept normally. This was followed by fMRI scans of participants' brains while they observed a series of images (pleasant, disturbing, and neutral). If the results are similar to those reported in Focus on Neuroscience: The Sleep-Deprived Emotional Brain, the researchers are likely to find that:

A)there will be no difference in brain activity between the groups regardless of the type of image seen.
B)the sleep-deprived brain is much more prone to strong emotional reactions, especially in response to negative stimuli.
C)compared to the adequately rested participants, the sleep-deprived participants will have reduced activity in a brain area called the amygdala.
D)compared to the adequately rested participants, the sleep-deprived participants will have reduced activity in a brain area called the amygdala, but only to aversive stimuli.

Question 68

Carma is 60 years old. Compared to when she was a child, Carma's:

A)pattern of sleep is very similar.
B)total sleep time has increased.
C)spends more time in REM sleep.
D)total sleep time is less.

Question 69

A couple of times during the night, you awaken slightly. Each time you awaken, you're aware of vague mental images that reflect a conversation you and your boss had about resolving a problem at work. These bland, thoughtlike ruminations about real events that occur during NREM sleep are best described as:

A)sleep thinking.
B)hypnagogic hallucinations.
C)dreams.
D)somnambulism.

Question 70

Which of the following people said that dreams are the "disguised fulfillment of repressed wishes" and provide "the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious mind"?

A)Harvard researcher J. Allan Hobson, author of The Dreaming Brain
B)Stanford University researcher Ernest R. Hilgard, author of Divided Consciousness
C)William James, author of Principles of Psychology
D)Sigmund Freud, author of The Interpretation of Dreams

Question 71

Fred volunteered for a sleep deprivation study. After he is deprived of sleep for two nights:

A)he is very likely to experience episodes of cataplexy.
B)he will feel refreshed and alert once he gets his "second wind."
C)it is very probable that he will experience disruptions in mood, mental abilities, reaction time, perceptual skills, and complex motor skills.
D)it is very probable that he will develop one of the most common dyssomnias, transient insomnia.

Question 72

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A)Although they can seem like they last a long time, dreams actually happen in just a few seconds.
B)Dreams can occasionally occur during NREM sleep.
C)Sex or sexual behaviors are the most common elements of dream stories for both males and females.
D)Many people have only one or two dreams per month.

Question 73

The Austrian physician and founder of psychoanalysis, who proposed that dream images are disguised and symbolic expressions of unconscious wishes and urges, was:

A)J) Allan Hobson.
B)Robert McCarley.
C)Sigmund Freud.
D)Ernest Hilgard.

Question 74

For several nights in a row a sleep researcher wakes you up whenever you show signs of entering REM sleep. On the first night that you are allowed to sleep uninterrupted, you will most likely experience:

A)microsleeps.
B)a dramatic increase in stages 3 and 4 NREM sleep.
C)REM rebound.
D)very little REM sleep.

Question 75

The percentage of a night's sleep devoted to REM sleep

A)increases during childhood and adolescence.
B)increases during middle and late adulthood.
C)decreases during childhood and adolescence.
D)peaks in early adulthood.

Question 76

Freud believed that dream images of sticks, swords, and other elongated objects were representations of _____, and that dream images of cupboards, boxes, and ovens symbolized _____.

A)the penis; the vagina
B)the vagina; the penis
C)common household objects; the birth process
D)apprehension; happiness

Question 77

According to Focus on Neuroscience: The Sleep-Deprived Emotional Brain, which of the following is TRUE?

A)People often react with greater emotionality when they're not getting adequate sleep.
B)When people are consistently operating on too little sleep their emotional reactions are considerably reduced.
C)A brain area called the amygdala has significantly reduced activity in sleep-deprived people compared to adequately rested people.
D)Research has clearly shown that watching unpleasant, disturbing images causes people to feel much more sleep-deprived and tired than when they watch neutral images.

Question 78

Researchers at State University conducted some carefully controlled sleep restriction studies. Their results are likely to demonstrate that:

A)research participants will easily adapt to the four-hour-per-night sleep schedule by the end of the first week and will show no cognitive or physical impairments over the course of the experiments.
B)there will be some beneficial effects in terms of memory consolidation, reaction time, and immune system functioning in the majority of participants.
C)immune system functioning, concentration, vigilance, reaction time, memory skills, and ability to gauge risk will be diminished in most participants.
D)there is no evidence to support the notion that REM and NREM sleep deprivation result in REM and NREM rebound effects.

Question 79

The activation of the _____ brain areas reflects the dreams emotional qualities.

A)prefrontal cortex
B)limbic system
C)language
D)left hemisphere

Question 80

Which of the following statements about nightmares is FALSE?

A)A nightmare is basically a pleasant dream that occurs during the deep sleep of stage 4 NREM.
B)Nightmares are more common in children.
C)Nightmares usually have the general theme of being helpless in the face of being aggressively attacked or pursued.
D)Nightmares often produce spontaneous awakenings.