Consciousness and Self-Regulation

1 The Human Brain and Conscious Activity 1.- 2 Imagery and Thinking: Covert Functioning of the Motor System.- I. Bodily Systems Implicated in Thought.- II. Neuromuscular Circuit Models of Thought.- III. Methodological Criteria.- IV. Empirical Studies.- A. Problem Solving.- B. Imagination.- C. Silent Reading.- D. Speech Perception.- E. Learning.- F. Nocturnal Dreams.- V. The Curare Strategy.- VI. Stimulation, Surgical, and Clinical Strategies.- VII. Conclusions and Interpretation 83.- References.- 3 Regulation of the Stream of Consciousness: Toward a Theory of Ongoing Thought.- I. The Stream of Consciousness as a Psychological Problem: Arts and Sciences.- II. Psychoanalytic Approaches and the Notion of Regression.- III. Toward a Formulation of Ongoing Thought 105.- A. Overview and Outline.- IV. Optimal Levels of Stimulation: A Cognitive-Affective View.- V. Some Research Prospects 128 References.- 4 Self-Deception, Self-Confrontation, and Consciousness.- I. Introduction.- II. Criteria Necessary and Sufficient for Ascribing Self- Deception.- III. Empirical Investigations of Self-Confrontation.- A. Psychophysiological and Psychological Correlates.- B. Vocal Masking Experiments.- C. The Aversiveness of Self-Confrontation.- D. Social Psychological Effects of Self- Confrontation.- E. Self-Confrontation and States of Awareness.- F. Individual Differences in Reactions to Self- Confrontation.- G. A Theoretical Integration of Studies of Self- Confrontation.- IV. The Experimental Investigation of Self-Deception.- A. Studies of Nonrecognition of the Self.- B. The Demonstration of the Existence of Self- Deception.- C. The Ascription of Self-Deception.- V. Self-Deception, Functional Brain Asymmetry, and Consciousness.- A. Motives and Individual Differences in Self- Deception.- B. Mechanisms Underlying Self-Deception: The Hemisphericity Hypothesis.- C. Overview 189.- References.- 5 Visceroception, Awareness, and Behavior.- I. Visceroception and Psychophysics.- II. The Visceroceptive Threshold.- III. Visceral Discrimination.- IV. Visceral Perception.- V. Conclusions: The Possible Roles of Visceroception 209.- References.- 6 Stimulus-Bound Behavior and Biological Self- Regulation: Feeding, Obesity, and External Control.- I. Cues for Eating.- II. Individual Differences in Attention and Responsiveness to External Cues.- III. Generalizability of the Obesity-Externality Findings.- A. Degree of Overweight.- B. Age and Socioeconomic Status.- C. Age of Onset.- IV. Regulation and External Responsiveness.- A. Manipulation of Visual Salience.- B. Manipulation of Taste.- C. After Weight Loss.- V. The Internal-External Distinction 230.- References.- 7 Operant Conditioning of Autonomic Responses: One Perspective on the Curare Experiments.- I. Introduction and Background.- A. The Mechanism of Operant Conditioning.- B. Plasticity of Visceral Responding.- II. Some Experiments on Learning in the Curarized Rat.- A. Operant Conditioning in the Curarized State.- B. Classical Conditioning in the Curarized State 268.- III. The Case against Learning.- A. Procedural Similarities.- B. Similarity of Cardiovascular State.- C. Failure to Identify Variables Critical to Learning.- D. Fragility of Classical Heart-Rate Conditioning under Curare.- E. Sources of Error.- IV. Status of the Original Experiments.- V. Implications.- A. The Mechanism of Operant Conditioning.- B. Plasticity of Visceral Responding.- VI. Conclusion 310.- Appendix 312.- References.- 8 Acquired Control of Peripheral Vascular Responses.- I. Introduction: Scope and Issues.- II. Anatomy and Function of the Peripheral Vasomotor System.- A. Basic Anatomy and Physiology.- B. Psychophysiologically Relevant Influences.- C. Summary.- III. Classical Conditioning of Vasomotor Responses.- A. Is Vasomotor Classical Conditioning Possible?.- B. How Is Vasomotor Classical Conditioning Achieved?.- C. What is the Role of the Thermoregulatory State in Vascular Classical Conditioning?.- D. Conclusion.- IV. Instrumental Control of Vasomotor Responses.- A. Is Instrumental Vasomotor Learning Possible?.- B. Significant Variables in Instrumental Vasomotor Learning.- C. Conclusion.- V. Discussion 353.- References.- 9 On the Nature of Alpha Feedback Training 359.- I. Introduction.- II. Studies Suggesting Alpha Feedback Training May Influence Subjective Experience.- A. Subjective Identification of Alpha Production.- B. Meditation and Alpha Waves.- III. The Basic Alpha Feedback Experiments.- A. Some Encouraging Alpha Feedback Results.- IV. Essential Refinements of Alpha Feedback Methods.- A. Control of Subject, Methodological, and Situational Factors.- B. Replication of Alpha Feedback Results with Refined Methodology.- C. The Effects of Alpha Feedback on Subjective Experience.- D. Alpha Density during Light Feedback versus Resting in Darkness.- V. The Significance of the Visuomotor System for Alpha Feedback Training.- A. Alpha Feedback in Total Darkness versus Dim Ambient Light.- B. “Looking” and Alpha Density 374.- VI. Alpha and Arousal/Activation.- A. High Levels of Arousal—Fear.- B. Low Levels of Arousal—Drowsiness 384.- VII. Is Direct Awareness of Alpha Wave Production Possible? 387.- VIII. The Effects of Cognitive Activity on Alpha Dynamics.- A. Previously Reported General Effects of Tasks on Alpha Density.- B. Individual Differences in Alpha Response to a Task.- IX. Overview and Prospects 396.- References.- 10 Passive Meditation: Subjective, Clinical, and Electrographic Comparison with Biofeedback.- I. Overview of This Chapter.- II. Biofeedback.- III. Passive Meditation.- IV. Electrographic Studies.- V. Overview of Clinical Indications.- VI. Summary 424.- References.- Author Index 429.