Hypnosis - a state of heightened
suggestibility characterised by
relaxation and intense focus
State explanations:
Neo-dissociation theory
Hilgard (1977) -
hypnosis is an altered
state of consciousness;
the hypnotic state is a
dissociation with the
high control levels
this division allows those
in the hypnotic state to
split parts of their
functioning into different
levels of mental activity
EG. hypnotic
analgesia - an
absence in
reports of pain
hidden observer - the monitor
of all the events during hypnosis
Evans & Orne (1971) found that in an
observation of behaviour when the
hypnotist left the room, the hypnotised
subjects continued to respond for
longer than the stimulators
hypnotised individuals
also show a stronger
'post-hypnotic' response
however, social-desirability bias
hypnosis allows people to
do unusual feats
however, Druckman & Bjork (1994)
reported that without hypnosis, highly
motivated people demonstrate strength,
learning, and perceptual abilities
comparable to hypnotised ones
Non State explanations:
Socio-cognitive theory of hypnosis
considers hypnosis as a social
response; its effects can be produced
without a hypnotic induction
Spanos (1986) believed that
attitudes, beliefs, imaginings,
attributions and expectancies all
shaped hypnotic phenomena
ESC
Expectation - hypnotised individual makes assumptions on the
expected behaviour dependent upon the hypnotists instructions
Strategy - hypnotised individual uses various
strategies to behave in the expected manner
Compliance - if strategies prove ineffective,
the individual will use compliance (faking)
supported by Valins (1966) - male PP's were required to rate images of
semi-nude women; PP's were given false feedback about their heart rate
whilst viewing the women; men excused their behaviour in a post-interview
Spanos (1986) - hypnotised subjects fail to
admit to pretending because they have
invested heavily in the role of being hypnotised
Susceptibility
if hypnosis is a social process, susceptible
subjects should be generally more compliant
however, Orne (1970) found that highly
susceptible patients were less compliant
than low susceptibility subjects
no measure of brain activity
successfully distinguishes
between hypnotised and non
hypnotised states, consistently
however it is possible
that we are looking at
the wrong measures or
the wrong part of the
brain for hypnotic
phenomena