Final answer:
Option (A), Daydreaming is the effortless alteration in consciousness used to temporarily escape reality, unlike dreaming, meditation, hypnosis, and anesthesia which involve different states of awareness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alteration in consciousness that occurs seemingly without effort, typically when we want to momentarily escape reality, is called daydreaming. Daydreaming is an altered state of awareness where we may lose track of our surroundings and engage in fantasy.
It is distinct from other forms of altered consciousness such as dreaming, which occurs during sleep; meditation, which involves deliberate focus and increased awareness of the moment; hypnosis, where there is a focused attention and a potential change in behavior through suggestion; and anesthesia, which is a medically induced state of unconsciousness.