Standard Area: States of Consciousness

Standard Area: States of Consciousness

Content Standards After concluding this unit, students understand:
1. Characteristics of sleep and theories that explain why we sleep
2. Theories used to explain and interpret dreams
3. Basic phenomena and uses of hypnosis
4. Categories of psychoactive drugs and their effects

Content Standards With Performance Standards and Suggested Performance Indicators
CONTENT STANDARD 1: Characteristics of sleep and theories that explain why we sleep
Students are able to (performance standards):
1.1 Describe the NREM-REM sleep cycle. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Drawing and labeling a graph that shows the sleep cycle throughout the night
• Charting the differences between NREM and REM sleep

1.2 Compare theories that explain why we sleep.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Comparing restorative theories with evolutionary theories
• Explaining the effects of sleep deprivation
• Evaluating evidence to support various theories

1.3 Assess types of sleep disorders.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Providing possible solutions for insomnia
• Listing the symptoms of narcolepsy and sleep apnea

CONTENT STANDARD 2: Theories used to explain and interpret dreams
Students are able to (performance standards):
2.1 Demonstrate an understanding of individual differences in dream content and recall. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Collecting and analyzing data about dream content and recall with an informal survey
• Exploring cross-cultural differences in the significance of dreams
2.2 Compare different theories about the use and meaning of dreams.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Comparing different theories about the significance of dreams (e.g., activation-synthesis or Freudian theory)
• Analyzing dream content using a Freudian framework

CONTENT STANDARD 3: Basic phenomena and uses of hypnosis
Students are able to (performance standards):
3.1 Describe several hypnotic phenomena. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Discussing why some people are better hypnotic subjects than others
• Explaining hypnotic induction, suggestibility, and amnesia
• Explaining the relationship of healing practices that use trance induction and altered states of consciousness to hypnosis
3.2 Explain possible uses of hypnosis in psychology.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Describing early uses of hypnosis to address psychological symptoms
• Evaluating the accuracy of memories recovered by hypnosis
• Identifying the uses of hypnosis in pain control and psychotherapy

CONTENT STANDARD 4: Categories of psychoactive drugs and their effects
Students are able to (performance standards):
4.1 Characterize the major categories of psychoactive drugs and their effects. Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Charting the names, sources, and uses of narcotic, depressant, stimulant, and hallucinogenic drugs
• Classifying drugs, such as tobacco, alcohol, and marijuana, with which students are most likely to have contact
• Discussing cultural and historical influences on making value judgments
4.2 Evaluate the effects of narcotic, depressant, stimulant, and hallucinogenic drugs.
Students may indicate this by (performance indicators):
• Identifying the potential for physiological and psychological dependence
• Describing the short-term behavioral, physiological, and cognitive effects
• Identifying the neurochemical mechanisms of drugs, such as nicotine or cocaine