Consciousness Chapter 5 section 1 Consciousness Awareness of

Consciousness Chapter 5 section 1

Consciousness § Awareness of things inside and outside ourselves. § Examples?

Construct § Something that cannot be seen, touched or measured directly. – Intelligence – Dreams – Thoughts – Feelings

Three meanings of consciousness § § § Sensory Awareness Direct Inner Awareness Sense of Self

Sensory Awareness § We use our senses – See, taste, smell, touch, hear § Selective attention – Focusing on a particular stimulus

Direct Inner Awareness § Imagination § You can imagine the smells, feelings, tastes, etc. § You don’t use your senses directly but you are conscious of them § Aware of things inside yourself § (Demonstration p. 105)

Sense of Self § We are aware of ourselves and our existence.

Levels of Consciousness § § § Pre-Conscious Unconscious Non-conscious

Pre-Conscious § Ideas that are not in our awareness right now but we can recall them. – What did you eat for lunch? – What was your last class? – When is your birthday? – What is your phone number?

Unconscious § This information is unavailable to awareness under most circumstances. – Use defense mechanisms to push ideas out of our consciousness. – Protect ourselves from feeling badly.

Non-conscious § Basic biological functions – – – Pupils dilating Hair growing Blood flowing

Altered States of Consciousness § Person’s sense of self or sense of the world changes. – Sleep – Hypnosis – Meditation – Drugs – biofeedback