Hypnosis, relaxation, and motor retardation.

Abstract

Thirty undergraduates scoring 4 or better on the Barber Suggestibility Scale were equally divided into three groups: (a) alert hypnotic induction, (6) relaxation hypnotic induction, and (c) relaxation control. Reaction time (RT) of the alert group was significantly faster than that for the other two groups, which did not differ from one another. A significant increase in RT over trials was manifested by the latter two groups. Results are discussed in relation to the altered state of consciousness concept of hypnosis.

Hypnosis and Attention: A Review

“…This led Ham and Edmonston (1971) to further conclude the subjects must interrupt a relaxed state in order to perform active tasks, whereas subjects who are alert have no such need for a change in state. Therefore:…”

“…Several researchers (Eysenck , 1941;Ham andEdmonston, 1971, Parker and have found that the type of tasks performed also may be an important factor in the way a hypnotized subject performs and attends. Individual differences in susceptibility to hypnosis may also be a contributing factor in performance and related to differences in attentive behavior which may in tum be a factor that results in these susceptibility differences (Rosenhan and London, 1963;London, Conant, and Davison, 1965).…”

“…Eysenck only used one subject; even though the subject was extremely susceptible to hypnosis, his responses may have been idiosyncratic. Ham and Edmonston (1971) compared the effects of three types of instructions (relaxation control, relaxation induction, and alert induction) on reaction time. Faster reaction times were found in the alert induction group when compared to the other two, which did not differ significantly from each other.…”

Can Facilitation Imagery Alter the Effects of Semantic Priming?

“…This type of induction is typically used when subjects are focused on the environment around them, open-eyed, and physically active (Wark 2006) as it would be necessary to perform attentively in a reaction time lexical decision task. Compared to a traditional relaxation hypnotic induction and general relaxation instructions, an active-alert induction has been shown to result in significantly lower reaction times as measured by the release of a key switch in response to a signal light being turned on (Ham and Edmonston 1971). Active-alert hypnosis, as compared to traditional hypnosis, has been found to be associated with higher subjective ratings of the experience in terms of being pleasant (Bányai and Hilgard 1976) and subject reports of more feelings of selfcontrol and alertness (Wark 2006).…”

The effects of posthypnotic performance-enhancing instructions on cognitive-motor performance

“…Those studies that have been done indicate that traditional hypnotic inductions, with suggestions of relaxation and fatigue, inhibit performance (Ham & Edmonston, 1971;Rader, 1972). The use of motivational instructions and/or alert inductions may, in some instances, however, eliminate these inhibiting effects.…”