Consciousness in hypnosis

Narrators and comparators: the architecture of agentive self-awareness

“…For example, bizarre behaviours performed in response to hypnotic suggestion are often accompanied by elaborate rationalizations and confabulation on the part of the agent (Kihlstrom 2007). Finally, the narrative approach derives support from a number of laboratory studies with normal subjects, in which it has been shown that agentive judgments can be modulated by priming and various contextual parameters (Aarts et al 2005;Metcalfe and Greene in 2007;Wegner and Wheatley 1999;Wegner et al 2004).…”

Hypnosis and belief: A review of hypnotic delusions

“…This subjective conviction in the reality of what is suggested distinguishes hypnosis from mere compliance and role-playing (Hilgard, 1965;Kihlstrom, 2007Kihlstrom, , 2008Kihlstrom & Hoyt, 1988;Orne, 1959). As this subjective conviction is in conflict with external reality, hypnotised participants have been described as temporarily deluded (Kihlstrom, 2007;Kihlstrom & Hoyt, 1988;Sutcliffe, 1958Sutcliffe, , 1961.…”

“…Hypnosis can cause compelling alterations in belief (Kihlstrom, 1985(Kihlstrom, , 2007(Kihlstrom, , 2008Kihlstrom & Hoyt, 1988). Specific suggestions can cause participants to experience distortions in perception and memory and also to believe temporarily in the external and physical reality of these experiences (Bryant & Mallard, 2003Bryant & McConkey, 1989a, 1989bHilgard, 1965;Szechtman, Woody, Bowers, & Nahmias, 1998;Woody & Szechtman, 2000.…”

“…Some participants, for example, remain unable to distinguish hypnotically-suggested hallucinations from real stimuli (Bryant & Mallard, 2003) and maintain the reality of their experiences despite considerable social pressure (Bryant & McConkey, 1989a;McConkey, 1990McConkey, , 1991McConkey, , 2008. This subjective conviction in the reality of what is suggested distinguishes hypnosis from mere compliance and role-playing (Hilgard, 1965;Kihlstrom, 2007Kihlstrom, , 2008Kihlstrom & Hoyt, 1988;Orne, 1959). As this subjective conviction is in conflict with external reality, hypnotised participants have been described as temporarily deluded (Kihlstrom, 2007;Kihlstrom & Hoyt, 1988;Sutcliffe, 1958Sutcliffe, , 1961.…”

The hidden observer: a straw horse, undeservedly flogged

“…In response, many -about 50% -of hypnotizable subjects give 'covert' pain reports comparable to those collected under normal waking conditions (Knox, Morgan and Hilgard, 1974;Hilgard, Morgan and Macdonald, 1975;Hilgard, Hilgard, Macdonald, Morgan and Johnson, 1978). For Hilgard, the hidden observer was only one example of dissociation in hypnosis: the stimulus is represented in the cognitive system, but in a manner not normally accessible to phenomenal awareness (Kihlstrom, 1984(Kihlstrom, , 1992(Kihlstrom, , 1998(Kihlstrom, , 2005a. Although Hilgard's observations of covert pain reports in analgesia have been repeated by other investigators and have been extended to deafness, dreams, anosmia and negative hallucination (Spanos and Hewitt, 1980;Laurence and Perry, 1981;Nogrady, McConkey, Laurence and Perry, 1983;Spanos, Gwynn and Stam, 1983;Zamansky and Bartis, 1985;Mare, Lynn, Kvaal, Segal and Sivec, 1994), interpretation of the phenomenon has been more controversial.…”