Final answer:
The term for changes in awareness accompanied by change in baseline cognition is altered states of consciousness. These include a range of experiences from sleep to hypnosis and can involve complex cognitive processes that operate both within and outside our conscious awareness. Biological rhythms, praxis, and gnosis are key components of how these states of consciousness are managed and understood psychologically.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for changes in awareness accompanied by changes in baseline cognition refers to altered states of consciousness. These are experiences that are significantly different from the normal subjective experience of the world and oneself. This may occur naturally, as in the transition from wakefulness to sleep, or be induced by external factors like meditation, hypnosis, or substances such as drugs and alcohol. Mental processes underpinning human consciousness, such as praxis and gnosis, are affected during these changes, as are cognitive abilities which can be examined by a mental status exam.
Biological rhythms play a fundamental role in regulating our daily states of consciousness, while cognitive activity, although complex, can operate both within and outside of our awareness. For instance, one can perform activities such as driving a car on 'autopilot' while daydreaming, illustrating that not all cognition requires active conscious thought. Moreover, conditions like Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) exemplify how cognitive function can alter, often signaling the transition between normal aging and more severe neurocognitive disorders like dementia.