Hypnosis

Professor Charcot (left) of Paris' Salptrire demonstrates hypnosis on a "hysterical"

patient, "Blanche" (Marie) Wittman, who is supported by Dr !oseph Babi"s#i
Hypnosis (from the $ree# hypnos, "sleep") is often thou%ht to be "a trance&li#e state that
resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose su%%estions are readily accepted by the
sub'ect"
()*
+he techni,ue is sometimes used for medical purposes to relie-e an.iety, or otherwise
impro-e or alter beha-iour /ts effecti-eness has been clinically demonstrated in many
areas, most notably in the area of acute pain relief /t is also used in popular sta%e acts in
which sub'ects are persuaded to perform bi0arre feats
1ther -ariations include so&called "mass&hypnosis," in which crowds are simultaneously
influenced, and autosu%%estion in which sub'ects persuade themsel-es 2owe-er, these
phenomena are unli#e those typically associated with the classical phenomena of
hypnosis
Contents
(hide*
) 2istory
3 Methods and effects
o 3) $eneral methods
o 33 $eneral effects
33) 4ocused attention
333 5u%%estibility
o 36 Depth of hypnosis
36) Pupillary refle.
6 7pplications
o 6) 2ypnotherapy
o 63 Medicine and dentistry
o 66 8ducation
o 69 2ypnodermatolo%y
o 6: 5ur%ery
o 6; 1ther uses
9 +heories
o 9) 5ocial constructionism
o 93 Dissociation
o 96 <europsycholo%y
o 99 Conditioned process
o 9: 2yper&su%%estibility
o 9; /nformation
o 9= 5ystems
: >esearch
o :) Clinical studies
o :3 Brain ima%in%
; ?ariations
o ;) 5elf&hypnosis
o ;3 Wa#in% hypnosis
o ;6 Mass application
o ;9 /ndirect application
o ;: Post&hypnotic su%%estion
= Potential dan%ers
o =) 8.treme reactions
o =3 4alse memory
@ Misconceptions
o @) Control
o @3 Anconscious state
o @6 Wea#&mindedness
o @9 1-eracti-e ima%ination
o @: /nstant /nduction
B 8ntertainment
o B) 5ta%e hypnosis
B)) +he hypnotist
B)3 +he sub'ect
o B3 2ypnosis in popular media
)C 5tandards
o )C) AD
o )C3 A57
o )C6 /ndia
o )C9 /srael
o )C: 7ustralia
)) 5ee also
)3 >eferences
)6 4urther readin%
)9 8.ternal lin#s
[edit] History
Main article: History of hypnosis
7lthou%h we can spea# of a "history of hypnosis" prior to the )Bth century, it should be
clear that the word itself is the in-ention of )Bth century 5cottish physician !ames Braid
/t is not clear if what is discussed as hypnosis prior to the )Bth century in histories of
hypnosis is actually what we mean today by "hypnosis" 8arly theories on hypnosis are
due to 7bbe 4aria, a $oan priest
Durin% the Middle 7%es and early modern period, hypnosis be%an to be better understood
by physicians such as 7-icenna
(3*
(/bn 5ina)
4ran0 Mesmer in the )=CC's belie-ed that there was a ma%netic fluid that surrounds the
body 2e e.perimented with ma%nets to influence this field and so cause healin% 2e later
found that the same effects could be created by wa-in% the hands in front of someone's
face 1ne of his students found that a person could be helped into a trance state by doin%
this 4ran0 Mesmer is apparently where the word mesmeri0e ori%inated
[edit] Methods and effects
[edit] General methods
2ypnotic susceptibility is the measurable responsi-eness that a person has to hypnosis
7bout )CE of people are somnambulistic which is what a sta%e hypnotist loo#s for
(6*(
page # needed *
+here is little e-idence lin#in% susceptibility to intelli%ence or personality traits,
but some research has lin#ed hypnosis to the amount of ima%ination in sub'ects >ecent
research su%%ests that hi%hly hypnoti0able people ha-e hi%h sensory and perceptual
%atin% abilities that allow them to bloc# some stimuli from awareness
(9*
+here is a common claim that no one can be hypnoti0ed a%ainst their will
(:*( page # needed *
[edit] General effects
[edit] Focused attention
+he 7merican 5ociety of Clinical 2ypnosis's web site says "2ypnosis is a state of inner
absorption, concentration and focused attention" Fou will ha-e more acute senses while
bein% hypnoti0ed
(;*
[edit] Suggestibility
/t often appears as if the hypnoti0ed participant accepts the authority of the hypnotist o-er
his or her own e.perience When as#ed after the conclusion of such a session, some
participants claim to be %enuinely unable to recall the incident, while others say that they
had #nown the hypnotist was wron%, but, at the time, it had seemed easier 'ust to %o alon%
with his instructions (>ichard 4eynman describes this, in his memoir Surely You're
Joking Mr! "eyn#an$, as his own hypnotic e.perience)
(=*
[edit] Depth of hypnosis
[edit] Pupillary reflex
+he esoteric publication Hypnotis#, by Danish hypnotist Carl 5eptus, is an early
reference wor# that notes the absence of the pupillary refle. si%n 5eptus states
specifically that after sub'ects ha-e been as#ed to open their eyes durin% a deep trance,
li%ht shone into the eyes does not cause pupil contraction +he hypnotist may use
su%%estion to #eep the sub'ect in hypnosis, but must a-oid su%%estions relatin% to eyes,
-isual focus, li%ht, or the dilation or contraction of the pupils
(@*( page # needed *
[edit] pplications
[edit] Hypnotherapy
Main article: Hypnotherapy
2ypnotherapy is a term to describe the use of hypnosis in a therapeutic conte.t Many
hypnotherapists refer to their practice as "clinical wor#" 2ypnotherapy can either be
used as an addition to the wor# of licensed physicians or psycholo%ists, or it can be used
in a stand&alone en-ironment where the hypnotherapist in ,uestion usually owns his or
her own business +he ma'ority of these stand&alone certified hypnotherapists (C2ts in
the A5, Diploma 2yp or D2P in the AD) today earn a lar%e portion of their income
throu%h the cessation of smo#in% (often in a sin%le session) and the aid of wei%ht loss
(body sculptin%) and possibly anore.ia
( citation needed *
Psycholo%ists and psychiatrists use
hypnosis predominantly for the treatment of dissociati-e disorders, phobias, habit chan%e,
depression and post&traumatic syndromes
(B*( page # needed *
+here is no e-idence that
'incurable' diseases (such as cancer, diabetes, and arthritis) are curable with hypnosis, but
pain and other bodily symptoms related to the diseases are controllable
()C*())*()3*()6*
5ome
of the treatments practiced by hypnotherapists, in particular so&called re%ression, ha-e
been -iewed with s#epticism
()9*
+he 7merican Medical 7ssociation and the 7merican Psycholo%ical 7ssociation ha-e
both cautioned a%ainst the use of repressed memory therapy in dealin% with cases of
alle%ed childhood trauma, statin% that "it is impossible, without other corroborati-e
e-idence, to distin%uish a true memory from a false one",
():*
and so the procedure is
"frau%ht with problems of potential misapplication"
();*
[edit] Medicine and dentistry
[edit] !ducation
/n a lecture to the 7merican 5ociety of Clinical 2ypnosis (75C2) durin% their annual
conference at the 5tate Ani-ersity 1f <ew For#, Dr Milton 8ric#son tau%ht the process
of indirect hypnosis, while Dr >obert W 2abbic# spo#e of his research on the use of
hypnosis in enhancin% learnin%, and reducin% an.iety Dr 2abbic# e.plained the use of a
triad of su%%estionsG "(a) enhancin% confidence, while (b) stren%thenin% focussed interest
in the wor# and (c) impro-in% ener%y to do the studyin% necessary" +he results of his
controlled research pointed the way toward the need to apply hypnosis especially with
students who ha-e difficulty studyin% /n a more recent lecture, Dr 2abbic# spo#e in
Boston to 75C2 of the positi-e effects of usin% his su%%ested hypnosis triad with
students at the Bureau of 5tudy Council at 2ar-ard Ani-ersity
( citation needed *
[edit] Hypnodermatology
Main article: Hypnoder#atology
2ypnodermatolo%y is the practice of treatin% s#in diseases with hypnosis
[edit] Surgery
7 study done at the Mt 5inai 5chool of Medicine loo#ed at two %roups of patients facin%
sur%ery for breast cancer +he %roup that recei-ed hypnosis prior to sur%ery reported less
pain, nausea, and an.iety after sur%ery than did the control %roup +here was a cost
benefit as well, as the a-era%e hypnosis patient reduced the cost of treatment by an
a-era%e of H==3CC
()=*
/n 7pril 3CC@ a professional hypnotist, 7le. Ien#ei, successfully hypnotised himself
before ha-in% sur%ery on his hand and was in no pain throu%hout the @C minute
operation 2is blood pressure and heart rate were also monitored and remained normal,
indicatin% that he was not e.periencin% any pain 7n anaesthetist who remained on hand
belie-es Mr Ien#ei's body may ha-e released chemicals which bloc#ed pain
()@*()B*
[edit] "ther uses
Michael > <ash writes, in a !uly 3CC) article for Scientific %#erican titled "+he +ruth
and the 2ype of 2ypnosis", "usin% hypnosis, scientists ha-e temporarily created
hallucinations, compulsions, certain types of memory loss, false memories, and delusions
in the laboratory so that these phenomena can be studied in a controlled en-ironment
/n his boo# &he Hidden 'ersuaders ()B:=) ?ance Pac#ard describes research in-ol-in%
the beha-iour of housewi-es in supermar#ets in the )B:Cs Cameras were hidden to
measure a shopper's eye&blin# rate as she compared items /t was assumed that her eye&
blin# rate would increase as she performed mental calculations to determine which
product was the best -alue /n fact, the cameras recorded an eye&blin# rate which
indicated that the housewife was, accordin% to Pac#ard, usually in a hypnotic state while
shoppin% +his led manufacturers to produce new brands of laundry deter%ent in
competition with their own, e.istin% brands, where the primary differences were in the
product names, colours and shapes of desi%ns on the pac#a%es, which were desi%ned to
appeal to women at different times of their menstrual cycles +he effects of this research
can be noted today by -isitin% the laundry deter%ent section of any 7merican
supermar#et
(3)*( page # needed *
2ypnotism has also recei-ed publicity about its use in 4orensics, 5ports, 8ducation, and
physical therapy and rehabilitation
(33*
[edit] #heories
+hou%h -arious con'ectures are made about hypnosis, the field has recei-ed si%nificant
support from the science&oriented psycholo%y community due to research into hypnotic
phenomena conducted by practitioners and theorists (5ala )BBB) Both 2eap and Dryden
()BB)) and 7mbrose and <ewbold ()B@C) consider that the theoretical debates on
hypnotherapy ha-e been producti-e, and that hypnosis has benefited from the attentions
of those in-ol-ed in the contro-ersies, and con-ersely, that the de-elopments of
neurolin%uistic pro%rammin% and neo&8ric#sonian hypnosis has been characteri0ed by
%ullibility and fraudulence
[edit] Social constructionism
Social constructionis# and role(playing theory of hypnosis, disco-ered by !un Jhou in
the early )@th century,
(36*
su%%ests that indi-iduals are playin% a role and that really there
is no such thin% as hypnosis 7 relationship is built dependin% on how much rapport has
been established between the "hypnotist" and the sub'ect (see 2awthorne effect,
Py%malion effect, and placebo effect)
5ome psycholo%ists, such as >obert Ba#er and $raham Wa%staff, claim that what we call
hypnosis is actually a form of learned social beha-iour, a comple. hybrid of social
compliance, rela.ation, and su%%estibility that can account for many esoteric beha-ioral
manifestations
(39*( page # needed *
<icholas 5panos states, "hypnotic procedures influence beha-iour indirectly by alterin%
sub'ects' moti-ations, e.pectations and interpretations"
(3:*( page # needed *
[edit] Dissociation
Pierre !anet ori%inally de-eloped the idea of dissociation of consciousness as a result of
his wor# with hysterical patients 2e belie-ed that hypnosis was an e.ample of
dissociation, whereby areas of an indi-idual's beha-ioural control are split off from
ordinary awareness 2ypnosis would remo-e some control from the conscious mind, and
the indi-idual would respond with autonomic, refle.i-e beha-iour Weit0enhoffer
describes hypnosis -ia this theory as "dissociation of awareness from the ma'ority of
sensory and e-en strictly neural e-ents ta#in% place"
(3;*( page # needed *
[edit] $europsychology
7nna $osline says in a <ew5cientistcom articleG
"$ru0elier and his collea%ues studied brain acti-ity usin% an fM>/ while sub'ects
completed a standard co%niti-e e.ercise, called the 5troop tas#
+he team screened sub'ects before the study and chose )3 that were hi%hly susceptible to
hypnosis and )3 with low susceptibility +hey all completed the tas# in the fM>/ under
normal conditions and then a%ain under hypnosis
+hrou%hout the study, both %roups were consistent in their tas# results, achie-in% similar
scores re%ardless of their mental state Durin% their first tas# session, before hypnosis,
there were no si%nificant differences in brain acti-ity between the %roups
But under hypnosis, $ru0elier found that the hi%hly susceptible sub'ects showed
si%nificantly more brain acti-ity in the anterior cin%ulate %yrus than the wea#ly
susceptible sub'ects +his area of the brain has been shown to respond to errors and
e-aluate emotional outcomes
+he hi%hly susceptible %roup also showed much %reater brain acti-ity on the left side of
the prefrontal corte. than the wea#ly susceptible %roup +his is an area in-ol-ed with
hi%her le-el co%niti-e processin% and beha-iour"
(3=*
Conditioned process
/-an Pa-lo- belie-ed that hypnosis was a "partial sleep" 2e obser-ed that the -arious
de%rees of hypnosis did not si%nificantly differ physiolo%ically from the wa#in% state and
hypnosis depended on insi%nificant chan%es of en-ironmental stimuli Pa-lo- also
su%%ested that lower&brain&stem mechanisms were in-ol-ed in hypnotic conditionin%
(3@*(
page # needed *(3B*
[edit] Hyper%suggestibility
Currently a more popular "hyper&su%%estibility theory" states that the sub'ect focuses
attention by respondin% to the hypnotist's su%%estion 7s attention is focussed and
ma%nified, the hypnotist's words are %radually accepted, without the sub'ect conductin%
any conscious censorship of what is bein% said +his is not unli#e the athlete listenin% to
the coach's last pieces of ad-ice minutes before an important sport e-entK concentration
filters out all that is unimportant, and ma%nifies what is said about what really matters to
the sub'ect
(6C*
[edit] &nformation
7n approach loosely based on /nformation theory uses a brain&as&computer model /n
adapti-e systems, a system may use feedbac# to increase the si%nal&to&noise ratio, which
may con-er%e towards a steady state /ncreasin% the si%nal&to&noise ratio enables
messa%es to be more clearly recei-ed from a source +he hypnotist's ob'ect is to use
techni,ues to reduce the interference and increase the receptability of specific messa%es
(su%%estions)
(6)*
[edit] Systems
5ystems theory, in this conte.t, may be re%arded as an e.tension of !ames Braid's
ori%inal conceptuali0ation of hypnosis
(63*( page # needed *
as in-ol-in% a process of enhancin% or
depressin% the acti-ity of the ner-ous system 5ystems theory considers the ner-ous
system's or%ani0ation into interactin% subsystems 2ypnotic phenomena thus in-ol-e not
only increased or decreased acti-ity of particular subsystems, but also their interaction 7
central phenomenon in this re%ard is that of feedbac# loops, familiar to systems theory,
which su%%est a mechanism for creatin% the more e.treme hypnotic phenomena
(66*(69*
[edit] 'esearch
7 peer&re-iewed article on the Ani-ersity of Maryland Medical Center's web site saysG
"7lthou%h studies on hypnosis as a treatment for obesity are not conclusi-e, most
research su%%ests that hypnotherapy (when used in combination with co%niti-e
beha-ioral therapy, e.ercise, and a low&fat diet) may help o-erwei%ht or obese
indi-iduals lose wei%ht"
(6:*
[edit] Clinical studies
/n )BB;, the <ational /nstitutes of 2ealth technolo%y assessment panel 'ud%ed hypnosis
to be an effecti-e inter-ention for alle-iatin% pain from cancer and other chronic
conditions 7 lar%e number of clinical studies also indicate that hypnosis can reduce the
acute pain e.perienced by patients under%oin% burn&wound debridement, endurin% bone
marrow aspirations, and childbirth 7n analysis published in a recent issue the
)nternational Journal of *linical and +,peri#ental Hypnosis, for e.ample, found that
hypnotic su%%estions relie-ed the pain of =:E of B66 sub'ects participatin% in 3=
different e.periments
(3C*
[edit] (rain imaging
1ne controlled scientific e.periment postulates that hypnosis may alter our perception of
conscious e.perience in a way not possible when people are not "hypnoti0ed", at least in
"hi%hly hypnoti0able" people /n this e.periment, color perception was chan%ed by
hypnosis in "hi%hly hypnoti0able" people as determined by positron emission
tomo%raphy (P8+) scans (Dosslyn et al, 3CCC)
7nother research e.ample, employin% e-ent&related functional M>/ (fM>/) and
electroencephalo%raphy (88$) coherence measures, compared certain specific neural
acti-ity "durin% 5troop tas# performance between participants of low and hi%h hypnotic
susceptibility, at baseline and after hypnotic induction" 7ccordin% to its authors, "the
fM>/ data re-ealed that conflict&related 7CC acti-ity interacted with hypnosis and
hypnotic susceptibility, in that hi%hly susceptible participants displayed increased
conflict&related neural acti-ity in the hypnosis condition compared to baseline, as well as
with respect to sub'ects with low susceptibility" (8%ner et al, 3CC:)
Michael <ash said in a 5cientific 7merican articleG "/n )BB@ 2enry 50echtman of
McMaster Ani-ersity in 1ntario and his co&wor#ers used P8+ to ima%e the brain acti-ity
of hypnoti0ed sub'ects who were in-ited to ima%ine a scenario and who then e.perienced
a hallucination By monitorin% re%ional blood flow in areas acti-ated durin% both
hearin% and auditory hallucination but not durin% simple ima%inin%, the in-esti%ators
sou%ht to determine where in the brain a hallucinated sound is mista#enly "ta%%ed" as
authentic and ori%inatin% in the outside world 50echtman and his collea%ues ima%ed the
brain acti-ity of ei%ht -ery hypnoti0able sub'ects who had been prescreened for their
ability to hallucinate under hypnosis +he tests showed that a re%ion of the brain called
the ri%ht anterior cin%ulate corte. was 'ust as acti-e while the -olunteers were
hallucinatin% as it was while they were actually hearin% the stimulus /n contrast, that
brain area was not acti-e while the sub'ects were ima%inin% that they heard the
stimulus"
(3C*
[edit] )ariations
[edit] Self%hypnosis
Main article: %utosuggestion
5elf&hypnosis (or autosu%%estion) L is hypnosis in which a person hypnoti0es himself or
herself without the assistance of another person to ser-e as the hypnotist L is a staple of
hypnotherapy&related self&help pro%rams /t is most often used to help the self&hypnotist
stay on a diet, o-ercome smo#in% or some other addiction, or to %enerally boost the
hypnoti0ed person's self&esteem /t is rarely used for the more comple. or contro-ersial
uses of hypnosis, which re,uire the hypnotist to monitor the hypnoti0ed person's
reactions and responses and respond accordin%ly Most people who practice self&hypnosis
re,uire a focus in order to become fully hypnoti0edK there are many computer pro%rams
on the mar#et that can ostensibly help in this area, thou%h few, if any, ha-e been
scientifically pro-en to aid self&hypnosis
5ome people use de-ices #nown as mind machines to help them %o into self&hypnosis
more readily 7 mind machine consists of %lasses with different colored flashin% I8Ds
on the inside, and headphones +he I8Ds stimulate the -isual channel, while the
headphones stimulate the audio channel with similar or sli%htly different fre,uencies
desi%ned to produce a certain mental state +he use of binaural beats in the audio is
commonK it is said to produce hypnosis more readily
5elf&hypnosis is a s#ill that can be impro-ed as time %oes by People use techni,ues such
as ima%inin% wal#in% down )C steps, feelin% deeper rela.ed as they ima%ine slowly
wal#in% down each step, one at a time /t is a %ood idea to initially see# the s#ills of a
practicin% hypnotherapist in order to understand what it feels li#e to be in a hypnotic
trance +his %reatly helps, as the indi-idual can aim to replicate this state 7lternati-ely, a
person may wish to use hypnosis recordin%s instead
[edit] *a+ing hypnosis
+his phenomenon, as e.pounded by Mel-in Powers in )B::, in-ol-es alterin% the
beha-ior of a sub'ect by su%%estion without inducin% a trance >elated to the placebo
effect, a sub'ect becomes subconsciously con-inced that what they are bein% told is
ine-itable reality, for e.ample that the air in the room will cause them to swallow +hey
can be con-inced that a completely beni%n substance is actually a dru% that will induce
whate-er effect is su%%ested /n order to wor#, the sub'ect must completely trust the
source of the su%%estion or be subconsciously con-inced by a calm authoritati-e tone
(
citation needed *
[edit] Mass application
/nfluencin% crowds throu%h common lon%in%s and yearnin%s by a dema%o%ue is called
mass hypnosis $enerally, mass hypnosis is applied to reli%ious sessions Many forms of
music and dance can be used to create reli%ious trance

[edit] &ndirect application
/n addition to direct application of hypnosis (that is, treatment of conditions by means of
hypnosis), there is also indirect application, wherein hypnosis is used to facilitate another
procedure 5ome people seem more able to display "enhanced functionin%", such as the
suppression of pain, while utili0in% hypnosis
[edit] Post%hypnotic suggestion
Main article: 'ost(hypnotic suggestion
>obin Waterfield writes, in his 3CC3 boo# Hidden -epths: &he Story of Hypnosis, "a
person can act, some time later, on a su%%estion seeded durin% the hypnotic session Post&
hypnotic su%%estions can last for a lon% time 7 hypnotherapist told one of his patients,
who was also a friendG 'When / touch you on the fin%er you will immediately be
hypnoti0ed' 4ourteen years later, at a dinner party, he touched him deliberately on the
fin%er and his head fell bac# a%ainst the chair"
(6=*
[edit] Potential dangers
Pratt et al, write, in their )B@@ boo# % *linical Hypnosis 'ri#er, "7 hypnoti0ed patient
will respond to a su%%estion literally 7 su%%estion that re,uires conscious interpretation
can ha-e undesirable effects" +hey %i-e the followin% report ta#en from 2artland, )B=),
p6=G "7 patient who was terrified to %o into the street because of the traffic was once
told by a hypnotist that when she left his room, she would no lon%er bother about the
traffic and would be able to cross the road without the sli%htest fear 5he obeyed his
instructions so literally that she ended up in a hospital"
+hey also mentionG
4rom Dleinhau0 and Beran, )B@9G
/n one case, a woman had e.perienced )C years of fati%ue, irritability, and periods of childish
beha-iour durin% which her perceptions were distorted +he source of the problem was traced
bac# to a sta%e performance )C years earlier, when she was re%ressed to a traumatic period of her
life
4rom Dleinhau0 and 8li, )B@=G
/n one case, a dentist usin% hypnorela.ation with a patient complied with her re,uest to pro-ide
direction su%%estions to stop smo#in% +he patient's underlyin% psycholo%ical conflicts, which the
dentist was not ,ualified to assess, led to the de-elopment of an an.ietyMdepressi-e reaction
4rom Macho-ec, )B@=G
7 woman under%oin% psychotherapy facilitated by hypnosis attempted to use the procedures she
had learned to relie-e her husband's dental pain Durin% the deepenin% techni,ue of arm
le-itation, her husband's fin%ertips 'stuc#' to his head, and a therapist had to inter-ene to end the
trance state"
(6B*
[edit] !xtreme reactions
5ub'ects ha-e been #nown to cry or suffer a mental brea#down after e.tended periods of
bein% in a trance li#e state of mind
( citation needed *
[edit] False memory
4alse memory obtained -ia hypnosis has fi%ured prominently in many in-esti%ations and
court cases, includin% cases of alle%ed se.ual abuse +here is no scientific way to pro-e
that any of these recollections are completely accurate
+he 7merican Medical 7ssociation and the 7merican Psycholo%ical 7ssociation ha-e
both cautioned a%ainst the use of repressed memory therapy in dealin% with cases of
alle%ed childhood trauma, statin% that "it is impossible, without other corroborati-e
e-idence, to distin%uish a true memory from a false one",
():*
and so the procedure is
"frau%ht with problems of potential misapplication"
();*
[edit] Misconceptions
[edit] Control
5ome belie-e that hypnosis is a form of mind control andMor brainwashin% that can
control a person's beha-ior and 'ud%ment and therefore could potentially cause them
harm +hese beliefs are not %enerally based on scientific e-idence, as there is no scientific
consensus on whether mind control e-en e.ists But there are people interested in
research and fundin% to help wor# on controllin% others and perfectin% mind control
techni,ues +hese techni,ues can be researched with the scientific method and reasonin%
s#ills
(9C*(9)*
[edit] ,nconscious state
4rom the mental standpoint, a hypnotic sub'ect is rela.ed yet alert and always aware at
some le-el 5ome choose to thin# of this as a state of mind called "trance"
(93*
[edit] *ea+%mindedness
Due to the popular but incorrect notion of hypnosis as mind control, some people belie-e
that the ability to e.perience hypnosis is related to stren%th and soundness of mind
2owe-er, scientists note that personality traits such as %ullibility or submissi-eness or
factors such as low intelli%ence are not related to hypnoti0e&ability >esearch studies
su%%est that none of intelli%ence, %ender, or personality traits (refG below o-eracti-e
ima%ination) affect responsi-eness to hypnosis and that hypnoti0e&ability may in fact be
hereditary or %enetic in nature
(3C*
[edit] "-eracti-e imagination
7nother misconception in popular culture is that hypnosis is often the product of -i-id
ima%inations and that hypnotic phenomena are merely ima%ined in the mind 2owe-er,
research indicates many ima%inati-e people do not fare well as %ood hypnotic sub'ects
4urthermore, studies usin% P8+ scans ha-e shown that hypnoti0ed sub'ects su%%ested to
ha-e auditory hallucinations demonstrated re%ional blood flow in the same areas of the
brain as real hearin%, whereas sub'ects merely ima%inin% hearin% noise did not
(3C*
[edit] &nstant &nduction
/t is a misconception that induction into hypnosis is time&consumin% and re,uires
complete rela.ation 2ypnosis throu%h len%thy rela.ation or -isual e.periences is the
most common form of induction, but instant inductions (3&)C seconds) is a method for
induction or re&induction amon% sta%e hypnotists, as well as clinical hypnotists see#in% to
mana%e trauma or o-ercome an.iety and resistance 7uthors !ohn Cerbone and >ichard
<on%ard refer to this phenomena as 5peed&+rance, notin% it is possible to hypnoti0e a
sub'ect in 'ust a few seconds by causin% confusion, loss of e,uilibrium, misdirection,
shoc#, or eye fi.ation 2owe-er, the duration of time it ta#es to induce hypnosis does not
always ta#e into consideration the depth of trance that is secured
[edit] !ntertainment
[edit] Stage hypnosis
[edit] #he hypnotist
Due to the sta%e hypnotist's showmanship and their perpetuatin% the illusion of
possessin% mysterious abilities, hypnosis is often seen as caused by the hypnotist's power
+he real power of hypnosis comes from the trust the hypnotist can instil in his sub'ects
+hey ha-e to willin%ly %rant him the ability to ta#e o-er their critical thin#in% and direct
their bodies 5ome people are -ery trustin%, or e-en loo#in% for an e.cuse to abdicate
their responsibilities and are able to be hypnoti0ed within seconds, while others ta#e more
time to counter their fears
(96*
[edit] #he sub.ect
/n a sta%e hypnosis situation the hypnotist chooses his participants carefully 4irst he
%i-es the entire audience a few e.ercises to perform and plants ideas in their minds, such
asG
only intelli%ent people can be hypnoti0ed
only those wantin% to ha-e fun will play alon%
+hese su%%estions are desi%ned to o-ercome the natural fear of trustin% a stran%er with
the %reater fear of bein% seen as unintelli%ent, unsociable, and 'oyless by the rest of the
audience
1ut of the crowd he will spot people who appear trustin%, e.tro-erted and willin% to put
on a show 1ften these people are loo#in% for an e.cuse to do somethin% they otherwise
would not do sober +he hypnotist starts them off by ha-in% them ima%ine ordinary
situations that they ha-e li#ely encountered, li#e bein% cold or hot, hun%ry or thirsty then
%radually builds to %i-in% them a su%%estion that is totally out of character, such as sin%
li#e 8l-is
+he desire to be the center of attention, ha-in% an e.cuse to -iolate their own inner fear
suppressors and the pressure to please, plus the e.pectation of the audience wantin% them
to pro-ide some entertainment is usually enou%h to persuade an e.tro-ert to do almost
anythin% /n other words the participants are persuaded to 'play alon%'
+his %i-es the impression that the hypnotist has total control o-er them
(99*( page # needed *
[edit] Hypnosis in popular media
Main article: Hypnosis in popular culture
2ypnosis and hypnotherapy are common themes in literature, films and tele-ision
4re,uently hypnotists are shown in a ne%ati-e or sinister li%ht
(9:*
/n +he Manchurian
Candidate and +he Curse of the !ade 5corpion, for e.ample, characters are compelled to
commit crimes while under a hypnotic trance Many popular fi%ures in the media, such as
Dr Phil and +yra Ban#s, ha-e denounced hypnotism sayin% it is "crude" and "not
belie-able"
( citation needed *
+hese remar#s ha-e been i%nored for the most part by the
ma'ority
( citation needed *
, because many belie-ed that they were 'ust tryin% to cause
contro-ersy for publicity
( citation needed *

[edit] Standards
#his article needs additional citations for -erification/
Please help impro-e this article by addin% reliable references Ansourced material may be challen%ed and
remo-ed (%ugust .//0)
[edit] ,0
/n 3CC3 AD Department for 8ducation and 5#ills de-eloped +he <ational 1ccupational
5tandards for hypnotherapy based on <ational Nualifications 4ramewor# of +he
Nualifications and Curriculum 7uthority and started conferrin% optional certificates and
diplomas in international le-el throu%h <ational 7wardin% Bodies by assessin% learnin%
outcomes of trainin% Maccreditin% prior e.periential learnin%
[edit] ,/S//
+he Anited 5tates Department of Iabor, -irectory of 1ccupational &itles (D1+
C=B):=C)C) supplies the followin% definitionG
Hypnotherapist O /nduces hypnotic state in client to increase moti-ation or alter beha-ior pattern
throu%h hypnosis Consults with client to determine the nature of problem Prepares client to
enter hypnotic states by e.plainin% how hypnosis wor#s and what client will e.perience +ests
sub'ect to determine de%rees of physical and emotional su%%estibility /nduces hypnotic state in
client usin% indi-iduali0ed methods and techni,ues of hypnosis based on interpretation of test
results and analysis of client's problem May train client in self&hypnosis conditionin%
[edit] &ndia
+he Ministry of 2ealth P 4amily Welfare, $o-ernment of /ndia, -ide its letter
no>)9C):M3:MB;&AP2(>) (Pt) dated 3: <o-ember 3CC6, has -ery cate%orically stated
that hypnotherapy is a reco%ni0ed mode of therapy in /ndia to be practiced by only
appropriately trained Personnel
Mahara'a 5aya'irao Ani-ersity (M5Ani-ersity & 9 star) at ?adodara is conductin% one
year Post $raduate Diploma Course in Clinical 7pplied 2ypnosis (P$DC72) from
3CCC (httpGMMwwwmsubarodaacinMdepartmentinfophpQffacRcodeS6PfdeptRcodeS9)
?arious /ndian uni-ersities ha-e included clinical hypnosis as a syllabus sub'ect in their
%raduate, post&%raduate, pre&doctoral courses of psycholo%y, 'ournalism, nursin% and
yo%a
[edit] &srael
7 law
(9;*
in effect since )B@9 limits the practice of hypnosis solely to licensed
psycholo%ists, dentists and physicians
[edit] ustralia
Professional hypnotherapy and use of the occupational titles hypnotherapist or clinical
hypnotherapist is not %o-ernment&re%ulated in 7ustralia
/n )BB;, as a result of a three&year research pro'ect led by Iindsay B Feates, the
7ustralian 2ypnotherapists' 7ssociation ()* (founded in )B9B), the oldest hypnotism&
oriented professional or%ani0ation in 7ustralia, instituted a peer&%roup accreditation
system for full&time 7ustralian professional hypnotherapists, the first of its #ind in the
world
(9=*
+he system was further re-ised in )BBB
(9@*
+he 7ustralian 2ypnotherapists
7ssociation is a member of the Psychotherapy and Counsellin% 4ederation of 7ustralia
(P7C47) which represents many counsellin% and psychotherapy associations in
7ustralia as well as many other professions
2owe-er, many clinical hypnotherapists and 2ypnotherapy 7ssociations do not wish to
be represented by P7C47 simply because the or%ani0ation is ob-iously not specifically
de-oted to representin% the interests of hypnotherapy and hypnotherapists
7ustralian hypnotismMhypnotherapy or%ani0ations (includin% the 7ustralian
2ypnotherapists 7ssociation) are see#in% %o-ernment re%ulation similar to other mental
health professions 2owe-er, the -arious tiers of 7ustralian %o-ernment ha-e shown
consistently o-er they last two decades that they are opposed to %o-ernment le%islation
and in fa-our of self re%ulation by industry %roups
With this in mind in 3CC= a ma'ority of professional hypnosis %roups L includin%
professional or%ani0ations, pri-ate teachin% or%ani0ations, and other hypnotism&
associated professional bodies L ha-e a%reed to wor# toward creatin% a new national
body to be #nown as 2ypnotherapy Council of 7ustralia +he Council of Clinical
2ypnotherapists (CC2) will represent the 2ypnosis 7ssociations from the 5outhern
>e%ion of 7ustralia, ie the 5tates of ?ictoria, +asmania and Western 7ustralia
[edit] See also
7ta-istic re%ression
Bicameralism (psycholo%y)
Chic#en hypnosis
Co-ert hypnosis
2i%hway hypnosis
2istory of hypnosis
2ypna%o%ia
2ypnofetishism
2ypnosis in popular culture
2ypnosur%ery
2ypnotherapy
Milton 8ric#son
<euro&lin%uistic pro%rammin%
5edati-e (also #nown as sedati-e&hypnotic dru%)