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D P Fourie

Publications and source records attributed to D P Fourie.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Confirming false memories: social construction of "useful" meanings.

Data from a recent case study is presented to illustrate how false memories are socially constructed in the present and how they fulfill a function for the system in which such construction takes place. Based on the dubious assumption that hypnotic age-regression brings forth the historical "truth" about past events, hypnosis was misused as part of this construction, even while the outcome of the regression had to be distorted to provide confirmation of the particular memory.

Adult↗

"Indirect" suggestion in hypnosis: theoretical and experimental issues.

"Indirect" suggestion is conceptualized in two distinct ways in the literature. From an Ericksonian perspective "indirect" suggestions are theoretically approached as suggestions which can circumvent the censorship of consciousness to reach the "unconscious" where they can activate dormant potentials. In contrast, from a research perspective "indirect" suggestion is operationally defined as a technique. Based on Ericksonian theory, it was claimed that "indirect" suggestion was more effective than traditional, "direct" suggestion. However, this claim could not be empirically substantiated. In this paper it is shown that the theoretical claim is based on questionable assumptions about the existence of the "unconscious" as a reified entity and about the direct and lineal influence of certain suggestions on this entity. Also, it is argued that traditional research strategies which emphasize strict controls are unable to verify or unambiguously refute the Ericksonian claim because these strategies are biased toward "direct" suggestion. Finally, the paper provides a different, contextual perspective on "indirect" suggestion, thereby placing the theoretical and experimental issues in a different context of meaning.

Humans↗

Attribution of meaning: an ecosystemic perspective on hypnotherapy.

Although the concept of attribution of meaning has been used previously in theorizing about hypnosis, it was in the development of an ecosystemic conceptualization of hypnosis that it came to the fore as of major practical importance. The way clients and families think about themselves, about their problems, and about hypnosis has particular implications for hypnotherapy. In this paper a theoretical rationale for the development of the concept of attribution of meaning is provided. It is also shown, by means of case examples, how emphasis on the attributions made by clients can influence the manner in which particular hypnotherapeutic strategies are employed.

Adult↗

From Erickson to attribution: attaching meaning to hypnosis.

On the surface it seems that various Ericksonian theories of hypnotherapy differ considerably from each other; however, they can all be seen to be similar in three areas, namely, focus on the intrapsychic activities of the individual, focus on linear causality, and focus on objectivity of observation. These three foci are shown to embody certain conceptual and practical limitations. It is suggested that such limitations may be circumvented if Ericksonian techniques are applied from the perspective of attribution of meaning rather than from the point of view of reductionism, linearity, and objectivity.

Humans↗

Relationship aspects of hypnotic susceptibility.

If hypnosis is seen from an interpersonal point of view it could be hypothesized that aspects of the relationship existing between the hypnotist and the subject prior to hypnosis would probably be related to the subject's susceptibility to the hypnosis. A study was conducted to test this hypothesis. 19 volunteer subjects were individually tested for hypnotic susceptibility using the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scales, Form A. In each case this was preceded by a short tape-recorded non-directive interview. Four independent raters rated the interviews on 10 behavioral dimensions plus general "hypnotizability," using seven-point scales. Although the coefficients of interrater agreement were generally low, the signs of the correlations between mean ratings and Stanford scores were as predicted in all 11 cases. Three of the correlations were significant. From a principal components analysis on the intercorrelation matrix, three factors emerged of which one was labelled Hypnotic Susceptibility.

Adult↗