Self Test - Sleep & Dreams -

1. Consciousness is defined as: 

 the process by which a sensation becomes a perception 
  different levels of awareness of one’s thoughts & feelings 
   cognitive reflection of the physical events one encounters 
    introspective thinking which results in mental experiences 

2. Answering this question correctly is an example of a(n) _____ since 
it requires concentration & your full attention. 

 unconscious process 
 automatic process 
 controlled process 
 introspective process 

3. Controlled processes is to automatic processes as _________ is 
to _________. 

 absolute threshold; JND 
 daydreaming; night dreaming 
 full awareness; little awareness 
 suprachiasmatic nucleus; basal ganglia 

4. Professor Smith is lecturing and notices a student in the back of the room 
who appears to be daydreaming. Professor Smith startles the student 
by asking, “Excuse me. Can I help you?” Given what we know 
about daydreaming, the student is most likely to be daydreaming about: 

 - a sexual fantasy. 
 - lying on the beach soaking up the sun. 
 - “I was just thinking about a paper I have to write in another course.” 
 - “I was just thinking what I would do if a won the Mega Lotto tonight." 

5. ________ refers to awareness that differs from normal consciousness. 

 Altered states 
 Controlled processes 
 Automatic processes 
 Cognitive unconscious 

6. The term ________ refers to mental and emotional processes of which we 
are unaware but that influence our conscious thoughts & behaviors. 

 coma 
 altered states 
 unconsciousness 
 implicit or nondeclarative memory 

7. Implicit memory is to ______ as unconscious is to ________. 

 primary; secondary 
 subjective; objective 
 motor and emotional memories; primary memories 
 motor and emotional memories; threatening memories 

8. What is the literal meaning of circadian? 

 “about a day” 
 “the mind’s day” 
 “the mind’s clock” 
 “time has no end” 

9. The sun is rising. The morning light is becoming brighter. What’s 
happening to your level of melatonin? 

 increases 
 decreases 
 stabilizing 
 melatonin is not affected by light levels 

10. REM brain waves have ______ frequency and _____ amplitude. 

 no; slow 
 slow; high 
 high; low 
 low; fast 

11. REM sleep is called paradoxical sleep because: 

 - the body does not need REM sleep, but does need regular sleep 
 - although asleep, the brain waves are identical to those recorded awake 
 - dreams often make no sense to the individual once they are awake 
 - REM sleep occurs immediately following Stage 1 sleep and immediately
   before Stage 2 sleep 

12. REM rebound is caused by: 

 narcolepsy 
 sleep deprivation 
 REM deprivation 
 delta wave synchrony 

13. Freud’s interpretation of dreams was based on the assumption that: 

 the content of dreams had to be considered symbolic 
 dream content reflected what worried us in our waking state 
 dream content was a continuation of the events in our daily lives 
 dreams were similar to the hallucinations experienced by schizophrenics 

14. What tends to happen to people as they age with regard to circadian preference? 

 People tend to become more like evening persons after reaching 50. 
 People tend to become more like morning persons after reaching 50. 
 People tend to become more like afternoon persons after reaching 50. 
 People's tendency for circadian preference remains unchanged until the late 70’s. 

15. The _____ theory suggests that sleep evolved because it prevented energy 
waste and minimized exposure to dangers. 
 
 repair 
 adaptive 
 Freudian 
 activation-synthesis 

16. The VPN (ventrolateral preoptic nucleus) acts as a: 

 master on-off switch for sleep 
 clue that makes it possible to tell if a sleeper is dreaming 
 censor that disguises sexual and aggressive wishes in dreams 
 light enhancer that combats feelings of depression during the winter months 

17. Depression typically beginning in fall and ending in the spring characterizes: 

 bipolar disorder 
 dysthymia disorder 
 seasonal affective disorder 
 seasonal depression syndromes 

18. According to the activation-synthesis theory: 

 there is no reason to interpret dreams 
 dreams are a continuation of our waking thoughts 
 dreams reflect unconscious desires and anxieties 
 it is necessary to dream for our psychological well-being 

19. After experiencing months of poor sleep, Ray is evaluated in a sleep laboratory. 
After his evaluation his doctor tells him that he is suffering from sleep apnea. 
This means that Ray has: 

 insomnia caused by anxiety 
 a condition in which he stops breathing while he sleeps 
 insomnia caused by the excessive use of sedatives during the day 
 a disorder in which he falls asleep uncontrollably during the day but not at night 

20. Irresistible attacks of sleepiness and muscle paralysis are symptoms of 
a sleep disorder called: 

 insomnia 
 narcolepsy 
 sleep apnea 
 night terrors 
 
 21. The suprachiasmatic nucleus instructs the __________ gland to release __________ .
 
 •  pineal; serotonin 
  •  pineal; melatonin 
   •  pituitary; melatonin 
    •  pituitary; serotonin    

22. ______________ does not have a role in determining when we sleep. 

•  Digestion 
 •  Serotonin 
  •  Body temperature 
   •  Light & dark information 
   
23. When our mental activity undergoes a change in quality or pattern, it's called a(n) 

•  hallucination. 
 •  waking consciousness. 
  •  altered state of consciousness. 
   •  transient state of consciousness. 
   
24. In which stage of sleep is a person who is very hard to awaken?

•  Stage One 
 •  Stage Two 
  •  Stage Three 
   •  Stage Four 
   
25. ________________ is not a characteristic of REM sleep.

•  Increased heart rate 
 •  Slower, deeper breathing 
  •  Increased body temperature 
   •  Paralysis of voluntary muscles
   
26. The theory that states that dreams are simply the brain's way of explaining random neural activity while sleeping is the

• Freudian dream theory. 
 •  extension of waking life theory. 
  •  the activation-synthesis hypothesis. 
   •  dreams for entering the spiritual world theory.
   
27. Which of the following is bad advice for someone suffering from insomnia? 

•  Do not study or work in bed. 
 •  Do not watch TV or read in bed. 
  •  Lie in bed until you fall asleep, even if it takes several hours. 
   •  Avoid coffee, tea, & other caffeine-containing products before bed. 
   
28. In _________ breathing stops for nearly half a minute or more.
 
 •  narcolepsy 
 •  night terrors 
  •  sleep apnea 
   •  sleepwalking 
   
29. Which of the following is not an example of a circadian rhythm? 

•  menstrual cycle 
 •  sleep-wake cycle 
  •  blood pressure changes 
   •  body temperature changes 
   
30. Sleepwalking
   
•  is partly hereditary. 
 •  occurs more frequently in girls than in boys. 
  •  occurs in about 50 percent of the population. 
   •  lasts well into late adulthood in most people.  

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                            Topics in Psychology
                               Robert C. Gates