Applied Psychology Paper: Unit Two
The content covered in Unit Two was captivating regarding its insight into sensation and human behaviors biological roots. However, the most compelling content was the wondrous obscurity and theories attached to concepts such as consciousness, perception, dreaming, subconsciousness, hypnosis, meditation, etc.; chapter five was great. There are many interesting topics to study and theorize upon, fortunately though, Unit Two also provides many applicable concepts in its rich text.
Of the many concepts, I will be exploring the submissions of distinctions made between levels of awareness, (Ch.5, pg.144-146), especially the outlined differences pertaining to higher-level consciousness, lower-level consciousness, and subconsciousness.
Higher-level consciousness requires one to be alert and actively focus on the task at hand. Critical thinking and problem-solving skills are also required as a part of one’s efforts, these are the executive functions that are exclusive to higher-level consciousness.
An example of this would be writing this paper: There was research spanning near one-hundred pages that first had to be completed, which was then followed by revisiting each page and narrowing down the concepts to a select few that are interesting, applicable and not too difficult to write about. After critically comparing the topics, the plan was then structured and typing began as research continued. Maintaining focus all the while as family members, pets and televisions project stimuli that fills the household.
Lower-level consciousness, on the other hand, is nearly synonymous with the feeling of being on “auto pilot” or “going through the motions” – the person is performing a task with little to no significant conscious effort that does not break concentration or focus directed towards something else. Although perhaps dangerous, I frequently find myself in this automatic process while driving home. The route is extremely familiar, and at a point the sense of focusing on the road becomes somewhat lost. I continue to turn smoothly, drive the appropriate speed and stay in my lane as anyone should expect from an alert driver, but I am actually in a state of lower-consciousness due to my familiarity and repetitive driving of the route.