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Theories of Hypnosis
- Hypnosis - a state of heightened
suggestibility characterised by
relaxation and intense focus
- State explanations:
Neo-dissociation theory
- Hilgard (1977) -
hypnosis is an altered
state of consciousness;
the hypnotic state is a
dissociation with the
high control levels
- this division allows those
in the hypnotic state to
split parts of their
functioning into different
levels of mental activity
- EG. hypnotic
analgesia - an
absence in
reports of pain
- EG. hypnotic
analgesia - an
absence in
reports of pain
- this division allows those
in the hypnotic state to
split parts of their
functioning into different
levels of mental activity
- hidden observer - the monitor
of all the events during hypnosis
- Evans & Orne (1971) found that in an
observation of behaviour when the
hypnotist left the room, the hypnotised
subjects continued to respond for
longer than the stimulators
- hypnotised individuals
also show a stronger
'post-hypnotic' response
- however, social-desirability bias
- hypnotised individuals
also show a stronger
'post-hypnotic' response
- hypnosis allows people to
do unusual feats
- however, Druckman & Bjork (1994)
reported that without hypnosis, highly
motivated people demonstrate strength,
learning, and perceptual abilities
comparable to hypnotised ones
- however, Druckman & Bjork (1994)
reported that without hypnosis, highly
motivated people demonstrate strength,
learning, and perceptual abilities
comparable to hypnotised ones
- Hilgard (1977) -
hypnosis is an altered
state of consciousness;
the hypnotic state is a
dissociation with the
high control levels
- Non State explanations:
Socio-cognitive theory of hypnosis
- considers hypnosis as a social
response; its effects can be produced
without a hypnotic induction
- Spanos (1986) believed that
attitudes, beliefs, imaginings,
attributions and expectancies all
shaped hypnotic phenomena
- ESC
- Expectation - hypnotised individual makes assumptions on the
expected behaviour dependent upon the hypnotists instructions
- Strategy - hypnotised individual uses various
strategies to behave in the expected manner
- Compliance - if strategies prove ineffective,
the individual will use compliance (faking)
- supported by Valins (1966) - male PP's were required to rate images of
semi-nude women; PP's were given false feedback about their heart rate
whilst viewing the women; men excused their behaviour in a post-interview
- Spanos (1986) - hypnotised subjects fail to
admit to pretending because they have
invested heavily in the role of being hypnotised
- Spanos (1986) - hypnotised subjects fail to
admit to pretending because they have
invested heavily in the role of being hypnotised
- Expectation - hypnotised individual makes assumptions on the
expected behaviour dependent upon the hypnotists instructions
- Susceptibility
- if hypnosis is a social process, susceptible
subjects should be generally more compliant
- however, Orne (1970) found that highly
susceptible patients were less compliant
than low susceptibility subjects
- however, Orne (1970) found that highly
susceptible patients were less compliant
than low susceptibility subjects
- if hypnosis is a social process, susceptible
subjects should be generally more compliant
- no measure of brain activity
successfully distinguishes
between hypnotised and non
hypnotised states, consistently
- however it is possible
that we are looking at
the wrong measures or
the wrong part of the
brain for hypnotic
phenomena
- however it is possible
that we are looking at
the wrong measures or
the wrong part of the
brain for hypnotic
phenomena
- considers hypnosis as a social
response; its effects can be produced
without a hypnotic induction
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