• Stocker Kurt Richard

• Stocker Kurt Richard

Psychological consciousness studies involve research on levels and states of consciousness. Psychologically researched levels of consciousness are the conscious, preconscious, unconscious/subconscious, and nonconscious levels of mental processing. Psychological research on states of consciousness – which is the main focus of this course – takes waking consciousness as the most common state (ordinary state of consciousness, OSC), using it as a baseline against which altered states of consciousness (ASCs) are compared. Some of the most prominently researched ASCs in psychology will be introduced in this course and include sleeping/dreaming, hypnosis, meditation, sensory deprivation (floating tank), absorption, as well as ASCs induced by psychoactive drugs (classic psychedelics, dissociative anesthetics, empathogens). Furthermore, it will also be shown how a growing number of clinical studies investigate the therapeutic potential of being temporarily in an ASC.

Reading requirement before course starts: 

Bernstein, Douglas A. (2015). Psychology: Foundations and Frontiers – Ch. 9: Consciousness. Boston: Cengage Learning.

(A PDF of this chapter together with an information sheet that states which parts of this chapter should be read/studied before the course starts will be available on Moodle at the start of the semester.)

Writing a paper: each course participant can freely choose a consciousness-studies topic that falls within the thematic range of this course by writing a paper about it (home assignment, 2500 to 3000 words).

Writing a paper: each course participant can freely choose a consciousness-studies topic that falls within the thematic range of this course by writing a paper about it (home assignment, 2500 to 3000 words).

Writing a paper: each course participant can freely choose a consciousness-studies topic that falls within the thematic range of this course by writing a paper about it (home assignment, 2500 to 3000 words).

Writing a paper: each course participant can freely choose a consciousness-studies topic that falls within the thematic range of this course by writing a paper about it (home assignment, 2500 to 3000 words).