V. Hypnosis, Biofeedback, & Meditation

A. What is Hypnosis? 1. Form of altered consciousness in which people become highly suggestible to changes in behavior & thought 2. A hypnotist guides & directs person into thinking about things he or she is usually unaware of 3. Hypnosis shifts our perceptions but doesn’t put people to sleep 4. During hypnosis, a person is highly receptive & responsive to certain internal & external stimuli 5. Relationship between hypnotist & participant should involve cooperation

B. Uses of Hypnosis 1. Entertainment 2. Medical 3. Therapeutic Posthypnotic amnesia: people report forgetting events that occurred while they were hypnotized Posthypnotic suggestion: suggested things for their participants to remember/forget or how to behave when trance is over Hypnotic analgesia: reduction in pain reported by patients after they have undergone hypnosis

B. Uses of Hypnosis 1. Can be used to reduce smoking/eating & improve athletic performance 2. Age Regression—focuses on past lives (controversial) 3. Heightened memory– physical/sexual abuse; crimes (can’t use in court) 4. Pain reduction– phantom limb

C. Theories of Hypnosis 1. Role theory– states that hypnosis is not an alternate state of consciousness Some people are more easily hypnotized than others People with higher hypnotic suggestibility share some characteristics: Have richer fantasy life Follow directions well Able to focus intensely on a single task for a long period of time 2. State theory- points out that hypnosis meets some parts of definition for an altered state of consciousness Become more or less aware of our environments Some report dramatic health benefits from hypnosis

C. Theories of Hypnosis 3. Ernest Hilgard explained hypnosis through his dissociation theory Hypnosis causes us to divide our consciousness voluntarily One part or level of our consciousness responds to suggestions of hypnotist, while another part or level retains awareness of reality Example: He asked hypnotized participants to put arm in an ice water bath They reported no pain However, when Hilgard asked them to lift their index finger if any part of them felt pain, most participants lifted their finger

D. Biofeedback 1. Technique in which a person learns to control his or her internal physiological processes with help of feedback 2. “Feedback makes learning possible” 3. Uses machines to tell people about very subtle moment-to-moment changes in the body 4. From this, people can learn to change their physiological processes

E. Meditation A person focusing on his or her attention on an image or thought with goal of clearing the mind & producing relaxation or inner peace 2. Approaches of meditation Transcendental meditation- involves mental repetition of a mantra, usually Sanskrit phrase Lasts for 15 to 20 minutes Mindfulness mediation- was developed from a Buddhist tradition Focuses on the present moment Breath meditation- is a concentration on one’s respiration 3. Been found to help lower blood pressure, heart rate, & respiration rate