AP PSYCHOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -There are also many common experiences that create altered states of consciousness (ASC), such as sleeping or daydreaming, sleep deprivation, euphoria or panic. Dream state, hypnosis, and meditation are also considered as ASC. ASC is a relative state of mental functioning.

Detailed explanation-2: -Dreaming may be defined as a mental state, an altered state of consciousness, which occurs during sleep. Dreams usually involve fictive events that are organized in a story-like manner, characterized by a range of internally generated sensory, perceptual, and emotional experiences (Desseilles et al.

Detailed explanation-3: -The experience of transcendental consciousness, during meditation practice, is described as a state of inner wakefulness with no object of thought or perception, and is a step in the sequence of development of higher states.

Detailed explanation-4: -The different states of consciousness consist of four mental states, i.e., cancalata (random thinking), ekagrata (non-meditative focusing), dharna (focused meditation), and dhyana (meditation) as defined in yoga texts.

Detailed explanation-5: -Meditation alters consciousness in such a way that these higher brain regions (e.g., the frontal cortex) can inhibit or exert control over incoming sensory impulses, allowing us, for example, to ignore pain or noises in our environment.