Investigating Altered States of Consciousness

Investigating Altered States of Consciousness

“The question of what consciousness is, is one that has intrigued

psychologists.” (Hayes, N & Orrell, H, 2000, page 116.)

‘The term altered states of consciousness refers to significant change

in what is considered a normal waking awareness’ (Crisp, T, 2003,

Altered states of consciousness,

http://www.homepages.tesco.net/~waves/asoc.htm)

An altered state of consciousness takes many forms such sleep, dreams,

hypnosis, coma and the effects of psychoactive drugs. Learning about

these altered states of consciousness helps us learn why we have these

different altered states and how and why we benefit from it. Altered

states of awareness can be caused by drugs and are also associated

with clinical conditions like schizophrenia.

Freud ‘viewed the unconscious mind “as the repository for repressed

memories. He suggested that the preconscious could become conscious if

we switched our awareness to it” (Malim, T & Birch, A, 1998,

Introduction to psychology, Palgrave, page 205.)

Cognitive psychologists however hold a different view they ‘draw their

conclusions from the level of mental processes during altered states

of consciousness’ (Malim, T & Birch, A, 1998, Introduction to

psychology, Palgrave, page 205.)

Hilgard (1997) noted that we may use problem solving abilities that

are not always available to our conscious minds., you may have found

that an answer sometimes pops into your head yet you have no idea how

you computed it (Malim, T & Birch, A, 1998, Introduction to

psychology, Palgrave, page 205.)

Sleep is the main altered state of consciousness as we spend a third

or our ...

... middle of paper ...

...of consciousness or unconsciousness, these are

all very important in our everyday lives.

REFERENCES:

Cardwell, M et al, 1996, Psychology for A Level, Collins Educational

Mcliveen, R & Gross, R, 1996, Biopsychology, Hodder & Stoughton.

Malim, T & Birch, A, 1998, Introduction to psychology, Palgrave, page

205.

Hayes, N & Orrell, H, 2000, Psychology an Introduction, 3rd edition.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cache:ee7_eDFIkP8J:www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2003/07/01/20030701fea01.html+sleep+deprivation+studies+randy+gardner&hl=en&start=5&ie=UTF-8

http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cache:yukhLgzkoOcJ:www.psychol.ucl.ac.uk/david.shanks/C530/Lect5.html+famous+sleep+deprivation+studies&hl=en&start=6&ie=UTF-8Dr.

David Shanks

http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2003/07/01/20030701fea01.html,

Amuchie, M, 2003.