1. Monday, 7 January 2013

2. Lesson 1 Normal Waking Consciousness
Exam Question
Use the following information to answer Questions 2 and 3.
Roy was in a room learning words for a play in which he was to perform. While he was learning
the words, a clock was ticking noisily in the room. However, Roy was able to focus and
concentrate on learning his words without being distracted by the sound of the clock.
Question 2
In terms of levels of awareness, Roy’s ability to focus on learning the words of the play is best
explained as
A. a controlled process that involves mental effort.
B. an automatic process that involves mental effort.
C. an automatic process that involves minimal awareness.
D. a controlled process that involves minimal awareness.
Question 3
During the time when he was learning the words of the play, it would be expected that Roy’s
thalamus
A. processed all the sensory information and was not highly activated.
B. processed all the sensory information and was highly activated.
C. directed his attention simultaneously towards learning the words and the sound of the clock
ticking.
D. directed his attention towards learning the words while simultaneously filtering out the
sound of the clock
ticking.
2012 VCAA Exam
Monday, 7 January 2013

3. Lesson 1 Normal Waking Consciousness
Exam Question
Use the following information to answer Questions 2 and 3.
Roy was in a room learning words for a play in which he was to perform. While he was learning
the words, a clock was ticking noisily in the room. However, Roy was able to focus and
concentrate on learning his words without being distracted by the sound of the clock.
Question 2
In terms of levels of awareness, Roy’s ability to focus on learning the words of the play is best
explained as
A. a controlled process that involves mental effort.
B. an automatic process that involves mental effort.
C. an automatic process that involves minimal awareness.
D. a controlled process that involves minimal awareness.
Question 3
During the time when he was learning the words of the play, it would be expected that Roy’s
thalamus
A. processed all the sensory information and was not highly activated.
B. processed all the sensory information and was highly activated.
C. directed his attention simultaneously towards learning the words and the sound of the clock
ticking.
D. directed his attention towards learning the words while simultaneously filtering out the
sound of the clock ticking.
2012 VCAA Exam
Monday, 7 January 2013

4. Altered States of Consciousness
Any state we experience that is different to a normal state of
consciousness.
This can be judged on the characteristics that we determine
our normal state of consciousness:
* Level of Awareness
* Content Limitations
* Controlled and automatic processes
* Perceptual and cognitive distortions
* Emotional awareness
* Self-control
* Time Orientation
Monday, 7 January 2013

5. Consciousness Activity
Get out a pen and paper and start writing down all the
thoughts that come in to your mind
Keep writing until told to stop
Don’t read over what you have written or worry about
spelling and/or grammar - just keep writing
Don’t talk to those around you
Monday, 7 January 2013

6. Monday, 7 January 2013

7. Distortions in Cognition. Where there any changes in
thought content? Disorganised thought, fantasy etc?
Monday, 7 January 2013

8. Distortions in Cognition. Where there any changes in
thought content? Disorganised thought, fantasy etc?
Changes in emotional feeling? Do you feel a
change in how you feel dependent on what you were
writing about?
Monday, 7 January 2013

9. Distortions in Cognition. Where there any changes in
thought content? Disorganised thought, fantasy etc?
Changes in emotional feeling? Do you feel a
change in how you feel dependent on what you were
writing about?
Disturbed sense of
time? How long do you
think we were writing for?
Monday, 7 January 2013

10. Distortions in Cognition. Where there any changes in
thought content? Disorganised thought, fantasy etc?
Changes in emotional feeling? Do you feel a
change in how you feel dependent on what you were
writing about?
Disturbed sense of
time? How long do you
think we were writing for?
Distortions of Perception? Did you
notice any changes in perception? Were you
more or less aware of the outside world?
Monday, 7 January 2013

11. So why are the following ASC?
Sleep/dreaming/daydreaming
• thought patterns are disorganised
• distorted perception of time
• lack of control of movements
• sensations and perceptions are dulled
From drug use
• thought processes are disorganised Hypnosis
• sensations or perceptions are dulled or heightened • distorted perception of time
• memory impaired • sensations or perceptions are
• more/less/inappropriate emotional reactions dulled (for example, pain)
• distorted perception of time • loss of awareness of self
• lack of self control • can increase self control (for
example, quitting smoking)
• more suggestible, so less inhibited
Monday, 7 January 2013

12. Monday, 7 January 2013

13. Self-control – Did he have difficulty
maintaining self control, coordinating
and controlling movements?
Monday, 7 January 2013

14. Distortions in Cognition. Do you think his
thoughts were disorganised, will he remember this in
the morning?
Self-control – Did he have difficulty
maintaining self control, coordinating
and controlling movements?
Monday, 7 January 2013

15. Distortions in Cognition. Do you think his
thoughts were disorganised, will he remember this in
the morning?
Changes in emotional feeling? What do
you think his emotional state would be like?
Self-control – Did he have difficulty
maintaining self control, coordinating
and controlling movements?
Monday, 7 January 2013

16. Distortions in Cognition. Do you think his
thoughts were disorganised, will he remember this in
the morning?
Changes in emotional feeling? What do
you think his emotional state would be like?
Disturbed sense of
time? Do you think he
would know how long he
Self-control – Did he have difficulty
had been drinking? Or
maintaining self control, coordinating
how long he was in the
and controlling movements?
shop?
Monday, 7 January 2013

17. Distortions in Cognition. Do you think his
thoughts were disorganised, will he remember this in
the morning?
Changes in emotional feeling? What do
you think his emotional state would be like?
Disturbed sense of
time? Do you think he
would know how long he
Self-control – Did he have difficulty
had been drinking? Or
maintaining self control, coordinating
how long he was in the
and controlling movements?
shop?
Distortions of Perception? Would
this guy notice be experiencing any
changes in perception?
Monday, 7 January 2013

18. Monday, 7 January 2013

19. What else would you do to learn the difference between
NWC and ASC?
Monday, 7 January 2013

20. Watch the first five minutes of The Simpsons Season 14 Episode 2: ‘How I spent my Strummer
Vacation’.
http://www.watchcartoononline.com/the-simpsons-season-14-episode-2-how-i-spent-my-
strummer-vacation
1 Make a list of the various ways Homer tried to alter his state of consciousness. Categorise
these altered states of consciousness as drug-induced or non drug- induced.
2 List the various effects that Homer experienced while in an altered state of consciousness.
Categorise these changes in terms of:
> perception—sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch
> thinking—including problem solving, reasoning and understanding
> memory
> emotions
> behaviours—including self-control, coordination, balance and speech
> perception of time—e.g. understanding the amount of time that has passed
Activity 2
Create a mind map comparing normal waking consciousness and altered states of consciousness
on each of the following characteristics:
• level of awareness
• content limitations
• controlled and automatic processes
• perceptual and cognitive distortions
• emotional awareness
• self-control
• time orientation
Table 3.2 p64 of Oxford Text will assist you with the material required to complete this activity.
Monday, 7 January 2013