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An investigation of the role of ‘hypnosis’, hypnotic susceptibility and hypnotic induction in the production of age regression
Author(s) -
Fellows Brian J.,
Creamer Mark
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
british journal of social and clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0007-1293
DOI - 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1978.tb00260.x
Subject(s) - hypnosis , hypnotic susceptibility , hypnotic , psychology , regression , regression analysis , clinical psychology , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , psychiatry , medicine , statistics , alternative medicine , mathematics , pathology
In response to criticisms of the methodology of Barber's (1969) experiments, a 2×2 factorial design, varying hypnotic susceptibility and hypnotic treatment, was used to study the role of ‘hypnosis’ in the production of age regression by suggestion. Twenty subjects of high hypnotic susceptibility and 20 subjects of low hypnotic susceptibility were randomly allocated to one of two treatment conditions: hypnotic induction procedure or motivational instructions. Both treatments were followed by suggestions to regress to the age of seven years. Two measures of age regression were taken: the Draw‐a‐Man Test and a subjective rating of the reality of the experience. The results showed significant effects of both variables, with high susceptibility and induction treatment producing better regression on both measures than low susceptibility and motivation treatment. Hypnotic susceptibility was the stronger of the two variables. The ranking of the four conditions corresponded with predictions of hypnotic depth from the state theory of hypnosis, but the findings were not inconsistent with the non‐state theory. The drawings of all regressed groups were more mature than the norms for the age of seven and the drawings of a group of seven year old children.