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Sixty-six subjects were tested on a new scale for evaluating "hypnotic-like" experiences (The Creative Imagination Scale), which includes ten standardized test-suggestions (e.g. suggestions for arm heaviness, finger anesthesia, time distortion, and age regression). The subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups (Think-With Instructions, trance induction, and Control), with 22 subjects to each group. The new Cognitive-Behavioral Theory predicted that subjects exposed to preliminary instructions designed to demonstrate how to think and imagine along with the suggested themes (Think-With Instructions) would be more responsive to test-suggestions for anesthesia, time distortion, age regression, and so on, than subjects exposed to a trance-induction procedure. On the other hand, the traditional Trance State Theory predicted that a trance induction would be more effective than Think-With Instructions in enhancing responses to such suggestions. Subjects exposed to the Think-With Instructions obtained significantly higher scores on the test-suggestions than those exposed either to the traditional trance-induction procedure or to the control treatment. Scores of subjects who received the trance-induction procedure were not significantly different from those of the subjects who received the control treatment. The results thus supported the new Cognitive-Behavioral Theory and contradicted the traditional Trance State Theory of hypnosis. Two recent experiments, by De Stefano and by Katz, confirmed the above experimental results and offered further support for the Cognitive-Behavioral Theory. In both recent experiments, subjects randomly assigned to a "Think-With Instructions" treatment were more responsive to test-suggestions than those randomly assigned to a traditional trance-induction treatment.
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Eye movements (with closed lids) were studied in a group of highly hypnotizable experimental subjects experienced in self-hypnosis, and compared with a random sample of control subjects that had never been hypnotized and were low in waking suggestibility. Approximately half the experimental subjects rolled their eyes upwards to a greater extent when hypnosis was induced than during eye closure while awake. In some subjects eye flutter occurred during hypnosis, but not in the awake condition. During passive hypnosis the mean rates of rapid eye movements were lower, but those of slow eye movements were higher than during the resting awake condition of the same subjects or the random control subjects. The mean rates of horizontal eye movements during suggestions about begin in a train and watching passing telephone poles were higher for the experimental subjects in the hypnosis and 'imagination' sessions than that of the random control group in the imagination session. A proportion of the experimental subjects made more lateral eye movements during hypnosis than during the imagination session, but an equal proportion did not differ between the two conditions. The mean rates and durations of horizontal eye movements during dreaming about a tennis match were greater during hypnosis ('hypnotic' dream), than during the awake condition a few minutes later ('natural' dream), or the awake condition in the imagination session ('imagination' dream) of the same subjects or random controls. The performance and subjective involvement of the experimental subjects during the Barber suggestibility scale, 'nystagmus' suggestions and 'dreaming' did not differ significantly between the two hypnosis sessions, but in most cases were significantly greater during hypnosis than during the imagination session of the same group or the random control group.
A historical outline is given of the search for an explanation of the still elusive nature of hysteria and hypnosis, their mutual relationship, and that which they bear to psychopathology. Charcot regarded hypnosis as an artificially induced hysterical neurosis, and it was he who first introduced Freud to these two states. Freud was the first to see in hypnosis an experimental instrument for understanding psychopathological mechanisms. His subsequent conceptualization of psychoanalysis derived from these two phenomena at this decisive period. In 1895 Freud attempted to achieve a psychophysiological synthesis of the mental apparatus in his "Project for a Scientific Psychology," but then decided not to publish it. Whether or not recent advance in neurophysiology are sufficiently important bo bring about this synthesis remains an open question. In recent years some psychoanalysts have become interested in hypnosis, which one of them described as a focus for psychophysiological and psychoanalytic investigations. Any theory of the psychical apparatus which does not account for such an obvious psychical phenomenon must necessarily be incomplete. Since Charcot, hysteria presents hardly any new openings for experimental work. It is suggested that the solution of psyche-soma interaction might be sought in the study of hypnosis. It is postulated that hypnosis is a "fourth organismic state," not as yet objectifiable (in contradistinction to the waking state, sleep, and dreaming): a kind of natural or inborn mechanism which acts as one of the regulators of man's relationships with the environment. The author discusses briefly the aims and methodology of future interdisciplinary research on hypnosis, and the study of the transition from one state of consciousness to another, and their potential application to a wide range of subjects, namely, wherever man's relations with the environment are involved.
Ss were monitored for respiratory rate, pulse rate, blood pressure, skin resistance, EEG activity, and muscle activity. They were monitored during the alert state, meditation (TM or simple word type), hypnosis (relaxation and task types), and relaxation. Ss gave a verbal comparative evaluation of each state. The results showed significantly better relaxation responses for the relaxation states (relaxation, relaxation-hypnosis, meditation) than for the alert state. There were no significant differences between the relaxation states except for the measure "muscle activity" in which meditation was significantly better than the other relaxation states. Overall, there were significant differences between task-hypnosis and relaxation-hypnosis. No significant differences were found between TM and simple word meditation. For the subjective measures, relaxation-hypnosis and meditation were significantly better than relaxation, but no significant differences were found between meditation and relaxation-hypnosis.
Recent research findings are used to illustrate the areas of uncertainty and controversy in the understanding of hypnosis. Despite similarities, hypnosis is presented as more than and different from relaxation, suggestibility, and the placebo response. An overview of the clinical use of hypnosis includes the three main methods of application, namely: relaxation or mild hypnosis, symptom removal, and hypnotherapy. A few brief case reports are included. As a means of narrowing the gap between laboratory research and clinical experience, the author recommends the assessment of hypnotizability in all patients treated with hypnosis.
The principal stages in the history of hypnosis are reviewed, from the forerunners of Mesmer to the founder of "animal magnetism" himself, to Braid, and the entire hypnological movement of the nineteenth century. The work of Freud and the then and later relationships between hypnosis and psychoanalysis are discussed. A personal interpretation is offered for the phenomenon of the ups and downs of the popularity of hypnosis and reasons given for why its application should never decline again. After a brief review of modern theories of hypnosis and hypnotic techniques, the importance of the subject, over and above its uses in medical treatment, is emphasized, for hypnosis can be used as an invaluable tool for investigating the extraordinary reconstructional and creative possibilities inherent in the outer reaches of the human psyche.
Forehead skin temperature, heart rate and palmar skin resistance were recorded during passive hypnosis and compared with corresponding data obtained during the resting awake condition in a group of highly hypnotizable subjects experienced in self-hypnosis. Similar physiological measures were also monitored during experimental periods when subjects were experiencing suggested environmental conditions of cold and heat in hypnosis as compared with imagining the stress conditions. The data from these subjects were also compared with those obtained from a randomly selected group of people who were low in waking suggestibility and had never been hypnotized. The results indicate that the differences in mean physiological parameters were greatest between the two subject groups, although some noteable differences were also apparent between hypnosis and the awake condition within the experimental group.
A quantitative investigation of the EEG during hypnosis was made by analyzing the analogue power frequency spectrum of one group of subjects in the awake and hypnotized conditions, and another group (random sample) in the awake condition. Individuals of the first group were thoroughly experienced in self-hypnosis and highly hypnotizable, whereas those of the second group had never been hypnotized and were low in waking suggestibility. There were no statistically significant differences in mean power of the whole EEG spectrum between the awake and hypnotized conditions of the experimental group, although a trend toward increased theta (4 to 8 Hz) density during hypnosis was apparent. This group, however, exhibited significantly more theta activity during both the hypnotized and the awake conditions than the random sample of controls in the awake condition, irrespective of whether the eyes were closed or open. We suggest that this increased theta density in the EEG is related to frequent experience of self-hypnosis, high hypnotizability, or both.
We have investigated prospectively the efficacy of two nonpharmacologic relaxation techniques in the therapy of anxiety. A simple, meditational relaxation technique (MT) that elicits the changes of decreased sympathetic nervous system activity was compared to a self-hypnosis technique (HT) in which relaxation, with or without altered perceptions, was suggested. 32 patients with anxiety neurosis were divided into 2 groups on the basis of their responsivity to hypnosis: moderate-high and low responsivity. The MT or HT was then randomly assigned separately to each member of the two responsivity groups. Thus, 4 treatment groups were studied: moderate-high responsivity MT; low responsivity MT; moderate-high responsivity HT; and low responsivity HT. The low responsivity HT group, by definition largely incapable of achieving the altered perceptions essential to hypnosis, was designed as the control group. Patients were instructed to practice the assigned technique daily for 8 weeks. Change in anxiety was determined by three types of evaluation: psychiatric assessment; physiologic testing; and self-assessment. There was essentially no difference between the two techniques in therapeutic efficacy according to these evaluations. Psychiatric assessment revealed overall improvement in 34% of the patients and the self-rating assessment indicated improvement in 63% of the population. Patients who had moderate-high hypnotic responsivity, independent of the technique used, significantly improved on psychiatric assessment (p = 0.05) and decreased average systolic blood pressure from 126.1 to 122.5 mm Hg over the 8-week period (p = 0.048). The responsivity scores at the higher end of the hypnotic responsivity spectrum were proportionately correlated to greater decreases in systolic blood pressure (p = 0.075) and to improvement by psychiatric assessment (p = 0.003). There was, however, no consistent relation between hypnotic responsivity and the other assessments made, such as diastolic blood pressure, oxygen consumption, heart rate and the self-rating questionnaires. The meditational and self-hypnosis techniques employed in this investigation are simple to use and effective in the therapy of anxiety.
In Italy, the attitude displayed by psychosomatists towards hypnosis and A.T. is decidedly favourable, since they are considered as forms of short-term psychotherapy, this being primarily indicated in the management of psychosomatosis. While some reservations may be expressed with regard to the employment of hypnosis solely for the suppression of psychosomatic symptoms before their full significance is assessed, support may be given for the insertion of hypnosis in a wider psychotherapeutical context that is psychodynamically oriented. Psychogenesis may have different degrees of depth and not all forms of psychosomatosis are open to hypnotic attack, or even to short-term psychotherapy. Psychological therapy is only effective in cases where it releases the patient for his neurotic, infantile way of life and allows him to mature in a suitable manner. A result of this kind can hardly be reached in a short period of time. Hypnosis is, on the other hand, strongly indicated in a number of situations; these are listed.
Hypnosis is defined as that branch of science which studies the application of controlled suggestion and hypnosis in stomatology. Its indications and usefulness at various stages of dental practice are examined. Emphasis is laid on the basic psychological and physiological advantages, and contraindications, including the impossibility of using hypnosis as a routine application, are discussed. A number of deontological problems connected with hypnosis are dealt with and the practical aspects discussed.
Plasma corticosterone has been correlated with the susceptibility to animal hypnosis in male rabbits. Subjects (Ss) were considered susceptible when mean hypnosis duration was above 30 sec or when initial duration (duration of trial 1) was greater than 0. A positive significant correlation was found between mean and initial duration. A significant difference was found between corticosterone levels in susceptible and unsusceptible Ss: higher values were associated with susceptible SS and with SS with initial duration greater than 0. These results indicate a higher susceptibility to animal hypnosis in rabbits with a more active adrenocortical system.
For the past twenty years hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis have been utilized as valid tools for the successful management of severe protracted pain. Control often has been achieved in cases where other modalities of pain management had been inadequate. Hypnosis properly applied can bring some degree of improvement to 90 percent of patients. More remarkable degree of pain relief is achievable in the 25 percent of patients who have high hypnotic "talent," and with very limited expenditure of time and effort. The author discusses basic theories of pain, pain-control pain-control and hypnosis, and he clarifies the effects of physiological, biochemical, and psychological variables which can affect the procedures and the results. Presentation of a clinical case with quoted excerpts of verbalization serves to illustrate the most important points.