Research Strategies in Evaluating the Coercive Power of Hypnosis

Levitt, Eugene E.

doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.1977.tb38163.x

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 10 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Although this issue has been the subject of considerable discussion and debate (Conn, 1972;Kline, 1972;Watkins, 1972), properly controlled experiments designed to investigate such possibilities are difficult to carry out for a number of reasons, some of which are obvious and some of which are not so obvious (Levitt, 1977). For instance, if I were to administer a trance induction to a hundred subjects, hand them each a loaded gun, and then order them all to shoot themselves as a test of the coercive power of the trance state being suggested, what conclusions could be drawn if some of the subjects should happen to comply?…”

Section: Administering Trance Suggestionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applied Hypnosis and Hyperempiria

Gibbons¹

1979

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

All righ ts reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher To Patsy and Kathleen ForewordProfessionals who are well-trained in hypnotherapeutic procedures are able to utilize a variety of suggestions-suggestions for age regression, cessation of smoking, weight control, relaxation, reduction of pain, etc. In fact, the art of "hypnosis" can be conceptualized as the art of administering suggestions in an effective and useful way. In the teaching of hypnosuggestive methods, the need has long been apparent for a manual that could provide examples of suggestions that would be serviceable in applied settings. Now we are fortunate to have this text by Don E. Gibbons, which offers many different kinds of suggestions that can serve as models for both the novice and the experienced practitioner. Students who are training in this area can use the text to learn how to formulate their own suggestions in professional settings. Experienced hypnotherapists will also find the text helpful in expanding their repertoire. In addition to presenting useful models of suggestions, Dr. Gibbons's text also meets the need for a clearly written manual that explains hypnosis in accordance with the results of modem research. During the past 25 years, more research has been conducted on hypnosis than in all the preceding years since Mesmer. These investigations have led to a view of hypnosis which differs markedly from the traditional view of the passive subject who is hypnotized by and is subservient to the dominant hypnotist. From such a modem viewpoint, one sees good hypnotic subjects as actively doing, as actively becoming involved in the situation, and as actively thinking with and imagining those things that are suggested. vii viii FOREWORD Responsiveness in a hypnotic situation is much more closely related to the subjects' readiness to accept suggestions and to their capabilities of responding to the specific suggestions they are given rather than to the special characteristics of the hypnotist or of the hypnotic induction procedure. The main tasks of the hypnotist are to remove the subjects' misconceptions and negative attitudes, to elicit their maximum cooperation, and to release and guide their capabilities for imagining and fantasizing. The use of a formal hypnotic induction procedure is only one of many possible methods for eliciting the subjects' capabilities. Other methods for evoking maximal responsiveness include, for example, asking the subjects straightforwardly to think of and imagine those things that will be suggested, or implementing one of the various hyperempiric procedures developed by Dr. Gibbons, which are worded in terms of mind expansion and heightened awareness, and which are in harmony with our present-day culture.Dr. Gibbons appropriately notes in the text that base-level or "normal" responsiveness to test suggestio...

show abstract

Section: Administering Trance Suggestionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applied Hypnosis and Hyperempiria

Gibbons¹

1979

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In conceptualizing hypnosis the emphasis should be placed on the experiential alterations that occur, since what hypnotized individuals do behaviourally is unimportant except for the fact that their behaviour seems to reflect changes in subjective experience (Sheehan & McConkey, 1982). In this respect, it is useful to note that hypnosis is not an effective means of changing behaviour or of inducing individuals to behave in a way that they are not otherwise motivated and prepared to do (Levitt, 1977;Orne, 1972). Consideration of the finding that hypnosis is effective for some individuals in terms of altering experience but is not particularly effective in directly altering behaviour suggests that the impact of hypnosis as a therapeutic tool may depend on whether the disorder involves experiences that are not under an individual's volitional control or the disorder is one of behavioural self-control (Gruenewald, 1982;Perry, Gelfand, & Marcovitch, 1979;Wadden & Anderton, 1982).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical hypnosis: Differential impact on volitional and nonvolitional disorders.

McConkey¹

1984

Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A conceptualization of hypnosis is presented that differentiates the effects of the hypnotic experience from the effects of the hypnotic context. Within this framework, the clinical impact of hypnotic techniques on disorders which are usually not under volitional control (e.g., pain and asthma) as well as on those which are essentially problems of self-control (e.g., smoking and obesity) is examined. Findings generally indicate that whereas the hypnotic experience is responsible for therapeutic gain in the former type of disorder, it is the hypnotic context that affords such gain in the latter type

show abstract