Hypnosis - UCSD Cognitive Science
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Transcript Hypnosis - UCSD Cognitive Science
Hypnosis
C. Alexander Simpkins PhD
Annellen M. Simpkins PhD
What is Hypnosis?
People have been asking this question since
the time of the Greeks
The only thing everyone agrees on is that one
definition of hypnosis has not been agreed on
The phenomena of hypnosis are subject to
many variables that influence how they are
responded to and expressed.
But thanks to more methods of examining
hypnosis, including imaging the brain, we are
learning more all the time!
Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815)
Viennese physician
Vital energy like magnetism that could be made to
act on the human body.
It could be influenced by the practitioner to bring
about cures of disease, both mental and physical
He came into conflict with the medical
establishment because of his claims.
Today we are revisiting magnetism without mysticism
through treatment of conditions by magnetism
This slowed the initial progress of experimentation
James Braid (1795-1860)
One of earliest researchers who altered the
course that Mesmer had initiated
Medical doctor who gave hypnosis the name
He believed Mesmer had made errors in how he conducted
his experiments with patients
Used careful observation of individual subjects to demystify
hypnosis and categorize its effects
For example, experiment with sharpening senses
Hypnotized person, blindfolded, could locate someone in
crowd with sense of smell
Developed the theory of hypnosis as focused
attention, still an important view
Jean Martin Charcot (1835-1893)
Some consider him the founder of neurology
as distinct discipline
Created the Salpetriere School of Hypnosis
Scientific approach
Used narrow subject pool: female patients
with hysterical symptoms
Defined hypnosis as hysteria
But did reveal a link between mental states
and exhibited symptoms
Also gained acceptance by scientific
community
Freud studied with Charcot and translated his
writings
Charcot Examining a Brain
The Nancy School
Liebeault (1823-1904)
Provided free medical hypnosis to thousands of
people suffering from physical and mental
conditions
Bernheim (1840-1919)
Studied with Liebeault and developed the view
that hypnosis is suggestion
Suggestion is influence exerted by a suggested idea on
the mind i.e. the ability to respond to an idea
Freud studied with Liebeault and Bernheim and
translated Bernheim’s book, Hypnosis and Suggestion in
Psychotherapy
Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
Russian physiologist
Studied hypnosis extensively
Believed in the power of the word as a signal
to bring about a response
Hypnosis became foundational in Russian
psychology
He did careful neurological measurements
Defined hypnosis as scattered sleep: excitation
and inhibition
First International Statistics of
Susceptbility
Largest hypnosis study performed in
1892
8705 subjects
15 countries
Each kept track of success in inductions
Measuring many aspects of susceptibility
1892 Study Findings
Susceptibility Findings: 75% susceptible
25% Deep, 50%Moderate 25% Mildly
No differences among different races or countries
No sex differences
Children more susceptible
More intelligent more susceptible
More imaginative more susceptible
This research dispelled myth that hypnosis is for
the weak-minded
By 1888 there were more than 1172 books
written on hypnosis and hundreds of studies
Other Important Labs
Clark Hull (1884-1952)
Lab at Yale
Research applied John Stuart Mill’s method of
difference comparing hypnotized and nonhypnotized
Tested hypnotic phenomena
Used normal subjects
Adapted the technology of his day inventively for
experiments
Measuring postural sway from suggestion with a simple
sensor connected to the shoulder that reacted to
movement and record it on paper
Stanford Lab
Ernest Hilgard (1904-2001) and Josephine Hilgard
Researched using college students
Did careful, scientific work
Extensive work on many hypnotic phenomena
Found pain responses were there but subjects didn’t feel pain
Developed Stanford Susceptibility Scale
Did much to promote respect for hypnosis
Firmly believed that through the study of hypnosis we could
come to better understand such cognitive processes as
attention, memory, learning, etc
Ernest & Josephine Hilgard
Milton H. Erickson (1904-1980)
Dedicated to hypnosis his whole life
Known for his clinical work but also a skilled
researcher
Developed naturalistic methods to study hypnosis
unobtrusively as well as studying it in the lab
Early fruit study
Concluded hypnosis takes place in the mind of the
subject and the less the hypnotist interferes, the
stronger the effects
Developed the indirect method of hypnosis
Milton H. Erickson MD
Theories of Hypnosis
Many theories
Each has some merit
Think of them as models that can be useful
Only problem when a theory is a “nothing
but” theory
House analogy
Theories of Hypnosis
Fixation of Attention
On one idea with monotony
Partial Sleep
Scattered inhibition and excitation
Suggestibility
Response to the idea
Ideodynamic processes
Neo-Dissociation
Reduction of executive control by consciousness
Social-Role Theory
Role playing
Expectancies
Altered State of Consciousness
Trance or alteration of consciousness
Unconscious functioning
Literalness because not thinking about them--just thinking them
Experimental Hypnosis
To capture it well, must respect the phenomena
being studied
Research needs to use the same procedures for all
subjects
As a result, may be using crude procedures
People respond differently
Fails to take enough time to induce a good trance
People vary
May not distinguish between induction and
utilization
Clinical Hypnosis
Distinguishes induction and utilization
Take time to learn how to go into trance
Then use it for change
Direct vs Indirect
Pain relief
Vast research on applications for purposes
Obstetrics, anxiety, pain control, depression, fears,
habit control, moods to name a few
Research Project to Test Indirect
Compared Hypnosis using Ericksonian
Therapy (ET) & Brief Dynamic Therapy (BDT)
Simpkins & Simpkins, 2008
Comparison study of two very different
approaches to brief therapy
ET: no direct discussion of problem
BDT: Discussion and analysis of problem
Research Continued
2 Groups: ET & BDT
4 Tests: for 4 dimensions
1-CPSAS - Social/interpersonal
2-HSCL- Internal/experiential
3-TC - Target complaint
4-GI - Global improvement
Results
Both methods equally effective for changing the
target complaint
Implications of Results
Not always necessary to address a problem
directly in order to resolve it
Indirect hypnosis activate inner processes for
specific as well as nonspecific changes
Clinical Hypnosis involves
Relationship
Although takes place in the mind of the
subject, it is best activated through a trusting
relationship
Don’t usually follow advice from someone you
mistrust
In self-hypnosis, learn to trust one’s own
inner self
When people have problems, sometimes mistrust
self
sometimes for good reason
Learn through self-hypnosis to know when to trust
and how to develop inner capacities
Learning to Experience
Hypnosis
Open attitude
Curiosity
Allowing responsiveness
May be subtle
Like flickers between boxcars of a passing train
Utilizing the natural abilities you have and
building on them
Relax and enjoy!