第38章 (第2/3页)
g consciousness includes perceptions, thoughts, feelings, images, and
desires at a given moment, but consciousness can be formally defined as consisting of three
levels:
1. Basic level consciousness is an awareness of the inner and outer world–
86
CHAPTER 6: MIND, CONSCIOUSNESS, AND ALTERED STATES
awareness that one is perceiving and reacting to perceptual
information
2. Second level consciousness is the reflection on that of which one is aware
and includes the manipulation of symbolic knowledge free from the
constraints of real objects and present events
3. Top level consciousness is self-awareness–awareness that one is
conscious and capable of reflection
F. Accessibility to Consciousness
1. Non-conscious processes are bodily activities that rarely impinge on
consciousness, such as digestion, regulation of blood pressure, and
breathing
2. Preconscious memories are memories that become accessible to
consciousness only after something has called attention to them
3. Unattended information refers to environmental stimuli that are not the
focus of attention, but that may be processed unconsciously. If these
stimuli become relevant, such as when you hear your name at a
cocktail party, it may become the subject of consciousness.
4. The Unconscious, most fully elaborated by Freud, refers to mental
processes that are not and cannot be conscious. Freud believed that
the unconscious was filled with forbidden, traumatic thoughts, while
contemporary researchers examine the more benign aspects of the
unconscious.
G. Studying the Contents of Consciousness
1. Two primary methods are used to study consciousness:
a) Think-aloud protocols ask individual to report their thoughts
aloud as they perform an experimental task
b) Experience-sampling methods ask individuals to report their
thoughts and feelings when signaled to do so, often by
electronic pagers
II.The Functions of Consciousness
A. The Uses of Consciousness
1. To understand the functions of consciousness, the forces that control
behavior must be understood
2. Early human ancestors believed in animistic explanations of behavior,
that spiritual forces guided all forms of life
3. Contemporary researchers have replaced the role of spirits with the
concepts of consciousness and mind
B. Aiding Survival
1. Consciousness probably evolved because it helped individuals make
sense of and navigate in the environment. Consciousness aids
adaptation to the environment in three ways:
87
PSYCHOLOGY AND LIFE
a) Consciousness performs a restrictive function and tunes out
much information that is irrelevant to
（本章未完，请点击下一页继续阅读）