Advancing Research and Practice:The Revised APA Division 30 Definition of Hypnosis

Abstract

This article describes the history, rationale, and guidelines for developing a new definition of hypnosis by the Society of Psychological Hypnosis, Division 30 of the American Psychological Association. The definition was developed with the aim of being concise, heuristic, and allowing for alternative theories of the mechanisms (to be determined in empirical scientific study). The definition of hypnosis is presented as well as definitions of the following related terms: hypnotic induction, hypnotizability, and hypnotherapy. The implications for advancing research and practice are discussed. The definitions are presented within the article.

A Defining Moment: Commentary on the Revised APA Division 30 Definition of Hypnosis

“…The Hypnosis Definition Committee (HDC) was given two goals: (1) to propose "a concise description that identifies the object of interest and its characteristics" (Elkins, Barabasz, Council, & Spiegel, 2015, p. 5) and (2) the definition should allow different theories to postulate their own explanatory models. The new definition presented by Elkins, Barabasz, Council, and Spiegel (2015) achieved both goals, and it is the best definition I have come across. Proposing a theoretically neutral, well-accepted definition has been recognized as an exceptionally difficult task; it has even been called an impossible one (Yapko, 2005).…”

The Elephant, the Blind Men, and Hypnosis

“…This leads me to my principal object of praise for the current definition of hypnosis offered by the Society of Psychological Hypnosis, Division 30 of the American Psychological Association (Elkins, Barabasz, Council, & Spiegel, 2015). The four principal authors of the definition and the members of the executive committee who unanimously approved it should all be congratulated for having taken another step away WICKRAMASEKERA II from acting like the blind men of the Buddha's story.…”

Grounding Hypnosis in Science: The “New” APA Division 30 Definition of Hypnosis as a Step Backward

“…Accordingly, the definition clearly prioritizes brevity above an explicit connection with the considerable research base on hypnosis (Elkins et al, 2015). Notably, the purportedly new definition bears a striking resemblance to the definition of hypnosis that H. Spiegel and D. Spiegel (1987) (who also participated in crafting the new definition) proposed: "essentially a psychophysiological state of aroused, attentive, receptive focal concentration with a corresponding diminution in peripheral awareness" (p. 34).…”