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Biomedical subjects

W C Coe

Publications and source records attributed to W C Coe.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Hypnosis: wherefore art thou?

The present paper focuses on the influences of social-political needs of various groups with interests in hypnosis (i.e., stage hypnotists, lay hypnotists, licensed practitioners, and researchers). While hypnosis is a specific topic of interest to groups with varying needs, it also serves as an example for other topics in psychology that may overlap the needs of other groups--especially practitioners and researchers. The identity given to hypnosis varies depending upon which particular group of persons is offering the identity, and the nature of the identity reflects each group's biases and needs. These various identities, however, are not always acceptable, in part or in whole, by the other groups, as the needs of one or more may be in conflict with those of others.

Awareness↗
PubMed1990

Physiological responsiveness during hypnosis.

4 physiological measures--electromyogram, respiration rate, heart rate, and skin conductance--were recorded for 11 high and 11 low hypnotizable Ss. It was hypothesized (a) that physiological responsiveness during hypnosis would vary depending on the nature of the task instructions, and (b) that high hypnotizable Ss would show more physiological responsiveness than low hypnotizable Ss. The first hypothesis was substantiated across all 4 measures. Only heart rate levels supported the second hypothesis. The results are discussed as they relate to the 2 hypotheses and to future research.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Directed forgetting and posthypnotic amnesia: information processing and social contexts.

In three experiments we compared posthypnotic amnesia (PHA) with directed forgetting (DF), evaluating subjects' hypnotic susceptibility, hypnotized or not. Experiment 1 suggested that the memory processes in PHA and DF were not the same. Low and high susceptibility subjects responded differently in the two contexts. Experiment 2 demonstrated a context effect for highly susceptible subjects: They showed the usual DF response outside hypnosis but not during hypnosis. Experiment 3 showed that high and low susceptibility subjects responded similarly to DF instructions outside hypnosis, eliminating the susceptibility as an important variable in the DF response. We concluded: (a) The interaction of context and susceptibility was the important determinant of unusual DF responses for high susceptibles, and (b) information processing concepts are too limited to explain PHA and perhaps DF. Theories that include interactions appear necessary for an accurate understanding of hypnotic phenomena and perhaps some phenomena usually focused on by cognitive psychology.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1989

Increasing contextual pressures to breach posthypnotic amnesia.

The study investigated conditions that produce strong social pressures on posthypnotically amnesic Ss to remember more before being given the cue to remove amnesia. Highly susceptible Ss who passed posthypnotic amnesia were classified as voluntary or involuntary (having high or low control over recall). Test Ss were serially subjected to 3 pressure situations before being given the cue to lift amnesia: (a) instructions to be honest, (b) lie detection, and (c) a replay of a video of the session. Control Ss sat for the same amount of time and were only asked if they could remember anything else while the experimental Ss received the pressure recalls. All but 1 S breached in the experimental condition. Only the voluntary Ss breached in the control condition. Results are discussed as they relate to breaching amnesia and the voluntary dimension.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1989

More on volitional experiences and breaching posthypnotic amnesia.

3 experimental conditions using a mock lie detector were employed to investigate further the type of manipulations that lead posthynotically amnesic Ss to breach their amnesia before the reversibility cue is given. 1 condition told Ss they were telling the truth, another that they were lying, and another only that the physiological apparatus could tell whether they were telling the truth. Ss in the "lie" condition breached more than Ss in the other 2 conditions, which did not differ. Ss who rated their recall as in their control (voluntary) were more likely to report more material after breaching manipulations than Ss who reported their recall as not in their control (involuntary). The results are discussed as they relate to breaching conditions and the voluntary/involuntary dimension.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Volitional experiences associated with breaching posthypnotic amnesia.

Highly responsive hypnotic subjects classified as having control over remembering (voluntaries) or not having control over remembering (involuntaries) during posthypnotic amnesia were compared during posthypnotic recall. Subjects rerated their voluntariness after the experiment. Two contextual conditions were employed (2 X 2 design): a lie detector condition meant to create pressure to breach amnesia and a relax control condition. In contrast to earlier findings, the recall data showed that both voluntary and involuntary subjects breached under the lie detector condition compared with their counterparts in the relax condition; however, the degree of breaching was not great in any condition. The results are discussed as they relate to studies attempting to breach posthypnotic amnesia and characteristics of the voluntary-involuntary dimension.

Amnesia↗
PubMed1977

Hypnosis from the standpoint of a contextualist.

We set out to formulate a theory that makes counterexpectational conduct expectational. Our contextualist position has led us to the dramaturgical perspective. This perspective guided our examination of the hypnotic performance, and we noted that both the hypnotist and the subject are actors, both enmeshed in a dramatic plot, both striving to enhance their credibility. The dramatistic concepts of actor and spectator helped us make sense of the contradictory self-reports in Hilgard's analgesia studies. We underscore the proposition (long overlooked) that the counterfactual statements in the hypnotist's induction are cues to the subject that a dramatistic plot is in the making. The subject may respond to the cues as an invitation to join in the miniature drama. If he accepts the invitation, he will employ whatever skills he possesses in order to enhance his credibility in enacting the role of hypnotized person. This proposition emphasizes the need for analyzing the implied social communications contained in any interaction.

Analgesia↗
PubMed1975

Clinical and sign prediction: the draw-a-person and female homosexuality.

The validity of predicting female homosexuality from empirical signs from the Draw-A-Person (DAP) was compared to the validity of psychologists' "blind" predictions from the same DAP protocols. Four specific DAP signs significantly predicted homosexual drawings from those of heterosexual controls; patterns derived from these signs were even better predictors. Two of four clinicians predicted sexual orientation greater than chance; one predicted as well as the optimal sign pattern. In view of the expected shrinkage involved in cross-validating the empirical signs and patterns, clinical prediction probably would equal or surpass the accuracy of statistical prediction. Individual differences in clinical prediction and the process of clinical prediction were discussed.

Adolescent↗