ConsciousnessConsciousness

Psychology 3906Psychology 3906

Oh oh…Oh oh…

Ok, we are getting into territory Ok, we are getting into territory that I get a little worried aboutthat I get a little worried about

What the heck is consciousness?What the heck is consciousness? Automatic processingAutomatic processing Sleep cycleSleep cycle Self awarenessSelf awareness Some of these things are harder Some of these things are harder to measure than othersto measure than others

Let’s start with sleepLet’s start with sleep

Why do we sleep?Why do we sleep?• Well lots of regenerative things Well lots of regenerative things happen thenhappen then

• Plus, the planet and the rotating Plus, the planet and the rotating and the sun and what have you….and the sun and what have you….

And things that have evolved in And things that have evolved in constant darkness to not sleepconstant darkness to not sleep

Here is a better questionHere is a better question

Why are we awake?Why are we awake? Many animals hibernateMany animals hibernate Just come out to reproduce, Just come out to reproduce, load up on foodload up on food

Probably depends on your Probably depends on your ecology, predator, prey etc….ecology, predator, prey etc….

Voluntary actionVoluntary action

Probably most of our behaviour Probably most of our behaviour is mediated by unconscious is mediated by unconscious cognitioncognition

What, unconscious cognition?What, unconscious cognition? Sure, like say riding a bikeSure, like say riding a bike Playing a video game, etc.Playing a video game, etc. Some of these things have the Some of these things have the characteristic of being characteristic of being cognitively impenetrablecognitively impenetrable

Learning and consciousnessLearning and consciousness

Much learning takes place Much learning takes place without awarenesswithout awareness

Classical conditioningClassical conditioning Priming and other implicit Priming and other implicit memory type tasksmemory type tasks• Served by different brain regionsServed by different brain regions

Language learning, well for the Language learning, well for the first languagefirst language

AwarenessAwareness

OK, now it gets a little OK, now it gets a little etherealethereal

The unity of consciousness and The unity of consciousness and the binding problemthe binding problem

Aristotle and the ‘common sense’Aristotle and the ‘common sense’ Wrong again AriWrong again Ari Visual dominance is the key with Visual dominance is the key with the humansthe humans

Where did it come fromWhere did it come from

Povinelli and CantPovinelli and Cant Swinging through the trees and Swinging through the trees and the mirror testthe mirror test

Guess who fails the test, Guess who fails the test, gorillasgorillas

They don’t swing through treesThey don’t swing through trees Other apes doOther apes do

Hold on…Hold on…

Did we evolve in the trees?Did we evolve in the trees? Umm noUmm no Aha, exaptationAha, exaptation The unity of the selfThe unity of the self Self deceptionSelf deception The self serving biasThe self serving bias Might be sensible to deceive Might be sensible to deceive yourself now and thenyourself now and then

Self deception is the best kind!Self deception is the best kind!

I will love you foreverI will love you forever I will be faithful to you I will be faithful to you foreverforever

I will pay you back the ten I will pay you back the ten bucks I owe youbucks I owe you

Much more convincing when you Much more convincing when you believe it yourself…believe it yourself…