Psychology: AP Psychology: States of Consciousness and Sleep Stages Worksheet

Question 1

Define consciousness in psychological terms and give one example of a normal waking conscious experience.

Accepted Answer

Consciousness is a person's awareness of themselves and their environment. An example is noticing that you feel hungry while listening to a teacher explain a lesson.

Question 2

A student says they always feel sleepy around 11:00 p.m. and wake up naturally around 7:00 a.m. Explain how circadian rhythm relates to this pattern.

Accepted Answer

Circadian rhythm is the body's roughly 24-hour biological cycle. It helps regulate sleepiness and alertness, so the student's regular sleep and wake pattern is influenced by this internal clock.

Question 3

Identify the brain wave pattern most commonly associated with relaxed wakefulness before sleep, and describe what the person may be experiencing.

Accepted Answer

Alpha waves are most commonly associated with relaxed wakefulness. The person may feel calm, drowsy, and relaxed while still being awake.

Question 4

A sleep lab recording shows very slow, high-amplitude delta waves. Which sleep stage is most likely occurring, and why is this stage important?

Accepted Answer

The person is most likely in NREM-3 sleep, also called slow-wave sleep. This stage is important for physical restoration, growth hormone release, and feeling rested.

Question 5

Compare REM sleep and NREM-3 sleep by describing one key feature of each.

Accepted Answer

REM sleep includes rapid eye movement, vivid dreaming, and temporary muscle paralysis. NREM-3 sleep includes slow delta waves and is the deepest stage of sleep.

Question 6

A person is awakened during REM sleep and reports a vivid, storylike dream. Explain why this result fits what psychologists know about REM sleep.

Accepted Answer

This result fits REM sleep because vivid, emotional, and storylike dreams are most commonly reported when people are awakened during REM. REM sleep is also associated with increased brain activity.

Question 7

During a typical night, how does the amount of REM sleep change across sleep cycles?

Accepted Answer

The amount of REM sleep generally increases as the night goes on. Later sleep cycles usually contain longer REM periods than earlier cycles.

Question 8

Explain the difference between insomnia and sleep apnea.

Accepted Answer

Insomnia involves difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting restful sleep. Sleep apnea involves repeated pauses in breathing during sleep, often causing brief awakenings and daytime sleepiness.

Question 9

A person suddenly collapses into sleep during the day and may experience sudden muscle weakness during strong emotions. Identify the sleep disorder and explain the symptoms.

Accepted Answer

The sleep disorder is narcolepsy. It can involve sudden sleep attacks and cataplexy, which is sudden muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions.

Question 10

Describe the activation-synthesis theory of dreaming.

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory states that dreams occur when the brain tries to make sense of random neural activity during sleep. According to this theory, the brain creates a story from signals that may not have a specific meaning.

Question 11

A traveler flies across several time zones and feels tired during the day but awake at night. Explain this experience using the concept of circadian disruption.

Accepted Answer

The traveler is experiencing jet lag because their circadian rhythm is not aligned with the new local time. Their internal body clock still follows the previous time zone, causing sleepiness and alertness at the wrong times.

Question 12

Explain how hypnosis can be understood as an altered state of consciousness, and give one example of how it might be used.

Accepted Answer

Hypnosis can be understood as an altered state of consciousness because attention becomes highly focused and suggestibility may increase. It might be used to help manage pain, reduce anxiety, or support behavior change when used responsibly.

Psychology: AP Psychology: States of Consciousness and Sleep Stages

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