Final answer:
Consciousness involves our awareness of internal experiences like thoughts and emotions, as well as external events. It is a key concept in Psychology, underpinning our interactions and self-perception.
Step-by-step explanation:
Consciousness refers to our awareness of internal and external stimuli. Our consciousness is active not only during wakefulness, with high levels of sensory awareness and thought, but also in various other states such as sleep, daydreaming, intoxication, and during the use of anesthesia. These fluctuations in awareness play a crucial role in how we interact with our surroundings and understand our internal states.
Psychology, particularly the fields of social psychology and personality psychology, examines awareness. It explores how our biological rhythms influence our daily consciousness and our interpersonal relationships and how we understand ourselves and others. Sociological imagination also helps us comprehend how individual behaviors interact with the wider culture and social structures.
Moreover, Psychology addresses concepts such as the ego, defense mechanisms, and unconscious influences on behavior. Therefore, understanding our own level of consciousness in relation to both our internal self and external interactions is a multi-layered process that is fundamental to the study of Psychology.