1. Hypnosis

2. Hypnosis & sleep
“Hypnosis" comes from the Greek word hypnos which means sleep
Is it sleep?
You don’t go through stages of sleep (1, 2, deep sleep, REM)
You experience alpha waves (deeply relaxed state)

3. What is Hypnosis ? Hypnosis is a procedure:
involving cognitive processes (like imagination)
subject is guided by a hypnotist
subject responds to suggestions for changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts, feelings, & behaviors

5. Defining Hypnosis
Psychologists hold a wide variety of opinions on how to define hypnosis and on how hypnosis works

6. Two Components of a Hypnotic Procedure
It is useful to think of a hypnotic procedure as consisting of two phases or components:
Hypnotic Induction
Hypnotic Suggestions

7. What is a Hypnotic Induction ?
First phase:
Subject is guided through suggestion to relax, concentrate, and/or to focus his or her attention on some particular thing

9. Hypnosis based on suggestibility
Do you feel a need to yawn? Second phase: Suggestibility is when someone coughs, yawns, laughs, or checks a cell phone, and then others do the same once they see someone doing these behaviors

10. Try it out!

11. What is a Hypnotic Suggestion ?
Subject is guided to undergo changes in experience
EXAMPLES:
Experience a motor movement
Subject is told he or she will not be able to do some particular thing and then is asked to perform the prohibited behavior
Experience changes in sensations, perceptions, thoughts or feelings.

13. Discovering Psychology http://www. learner
Discovering Psychology (Begin 11:53)

14. Discovering Psychology

15. Common Myths about Hypnosis
People in hypnosis lose control and can be made to say or do whatever the hypnotist wants
People may not be able to come out of hypnosis
Hypnosis only affects weak-willed or gullible people
Hypnosis reliably enhances the accuracy of memory
Hypnosis enables people to re-experience a past life
Hypnosis depends primarily on the skill of the hypnotist
NONE OF THESE ARE TRUE

17. Based on suggestibility…
20% high hypnotizable…what about you?

18. Creative Imagination Scale
The more you focus and “get into it” the better the experience will be! Test 1 Test 2

19. Test 1
In the first test, you were asked to imagine that one, two, and then three dictionaries were being piled on the palm of your hand. Compared to what you would have experienced if three dictionaries were actually on your hand, what you experienced was :
___________________________________________________
0% % % 75% 90+%
Not at all A little Between a Much the Almost
the same the same little & much the same exactly
the same the same

20. Test 2
In the second test, you were asked to picture yourself lying under the sun on a beach and becoming very relaxed. Compared to what you would have experienced if you were actually relaxing on a beach, what you experienced was:
___________________________________________________
0% % % 75% 90+%
Not at all A little Between a Much the Almost
the same the same little & much the same exactly
the same the same

21. Creative Imagination Scale Wilson & Barber
Scores based on your own analysis of how close the imagined experience came to what would have been felt if it had been real
Intro Psych Students in college: Means
1: 2.2 (arm heaviness)
2: 2.7 (relaxing on beach)

22. History of Hypnosis
Anton Mesmer, German physician…heard of “mesmerize?”
Invisible fluids act according to the laws of magnetism
“Animal magnetism”
Disease was a result of “obstacles”
Broken during trance states
First a magnet, then his hands alone
Invisible fluids found in our body & throughout nature impacted our health. Fluids acted according to the laws of magnetism
“Animal magnetism”
Disease was a result of “obstacles” in the fluid’s flow. Break obstacles by trance states where Dr. manipulates fluids using a magnet…over time he got rid of the magnet and used his hands

23. Therapeutic technique FREUD
Treat somatic symptoms
Hypnotic suggestions used to reverse symptoms to be reversed. (e.g.,: “Your arm is calm again and will no longer spasm.”)
Gave access to repressed memories
Free association replaces (more reliable)

24. TWO Theories:
#1: induce an altered state of consciousness (TRANCE theory)
#2: induction is a social cue that prompts the subject to engage in hypnotic behaviors

25. Theory #1: Trance theory
Ernest Hilgard
Under hypnosis, part of the mind enters an altered state of consciousness…consciousness divided
“Hidden Observer” (remains aware )
Other part of the mind open to hypnotic suggestions

26. Evidence?
The Hidden Observer Experiments: Ice bath

27. Evidence? Ice bath experiments #1: Hypnotized part: Feels no pain
Report pain as ‘1’ on scale of
#2: Hidden observer
Pushes the button (reports feeling pain)
A: Points to “Pain scale”
B: Ice immersed in ice bath

28. A Sociocognitive take on Trance theory
The hidden observer is created and enacted by the subject in response to the hypnotic instructions given by the experimenter. (Spanos & Burgess, 1994)
Nicolas Spanos

29. Social-Cognitive Theory
Normal Consciousness
They are awake (not a special “trance”)
SOCIAL: Playing a ROLE…”a good subject”
“I want to be a ‘good subject.’”
“I don’t want to embarrass myself.”
COGNITIVE: Subjects interpret behavior during hypnosis as involuntary
“Hypnosis ritual” creates expectations in subjects. They behave the way they THINK they are supposed to

30. Evidence? Spanos’ research
2 groups of students were given a lecture as to what to expect during hypnosis
1: told spontaneous arm rigidity common
2: were told nothing about arm rigidity
During Hypnosis:
1: showed spontaneous arm rigidity
2: not one arm became rigid
Conclusion: What you expect, is what you get!

31. Evidence? Can resist hypnotic suggestions
Just as responsive to suggestions as when wide awake & exercising on an exercise bike as when hypnotized
Can produce all phenomena associated with hypnosis (hallucinations & insensitivity to pain) with no hypnosis

32. Evidence? Voluntary behavior

33. Use today? Entertainment Pain control
Improve sleep…PRIMARY benefit is RELAXATION

35. Some Clinical Problems Thought to Be Responsive to Hypnosis
Acute and Chronic Pain
Phobias
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Eating Disorders
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Obesity
Performance Anxiety

36. Therapeutic uses of hypnosis
Can be effective as a part of treatment
for depression & anxiety
Controversy:
1990’s used to find repressed memories of abuse
1991 Roseann Barr
Innocent people wrongly accused
Now better understood that memory is HIGHLY suggestible…hard to tell what is real or fabrication

37. Hypnotherapy: repressed memory
One Case 1969 crime, George Franklin convicted of murdering Susan Nason based on “eyewitness testimony” of daughter Eileen Franklin; sentenced to life (1990) Exonerated 1996

39. Memory? Eyewitness testimony:
No effect OR it can distort recall (“false memories”)
May inflate confidence in memory
Not admissible in court

40. Relaxation: PRIMARY benefit
Autogenic Training
Similar to self-hypnosis
Mind has power over the body
Use that power to produce a relaxation response
ACTIVE thinking:
YOU actively REPEAT certain thoughts in your mind

41. Physical sensations associated with relaxation response:
Heaviness in limbs
Warmth in limbs
Slower heart beat
Slower and deeper rhythm of breathing, AND
Coolness on forehead

42. Autogenic training FOCUS on each sensation Repeat them
IMAGINE them occurring in your body
YOUR BODY makes them real

43. Self-hypnosis: autogenic training
Posture check: sit comfortably
2. FOCUS on breathing, deep & controlled
INHALE: through nostrils
EXHALE: through mouth
Take 5 deep, slow breaths (4 counts in/10 out)
3. Eyes closed

44. “Waking” Up Say to yourself:
“When I count to three I will wake up, and when I wake up I will feel great. I will feel terrific. I will feel better than I have ever felt before. “
Then count to yourself…one, two, three
Let’s practice!

46. Reflection Was autogenic training effective for you? Explain.
Did you like this experience? Explain.
Would you try this technique again? Explain.