Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Mental Imagery pp 79–88Cite as

Imagery, Hypnosis and Hypnotizability

  • Chapter

  • 279 Accesses

Abstract

Imaginal processes have been associated with the topic of hypnosis since the report of the French Royal Commission on animal magnetism in the late eighteenth century (Franklin et al., 1784/1970). Much contemporary research on imagery and hypnosis has revolved around two empirical issues. One issue deals with the hypothesis that hypnotic procedures facilitate the vividness of imagery to a greater extent than do nonhypnotic procedures, and the second deals with the relationships between imaginal propensities and hypnotizability. This paper will review empirical evidence relating to these two issues.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Astor, M. H. (1973). Hypnosis and behavior modification combined with psychoanalytic psychotherapy. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 21, 18–24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barber, T. X. (1969). Hypnosis: A scientific approach. NY: Van Nostrand Reinhold. Barber, T. X., Spanos, N. P., and Chaves, J. F. (1974). Hypnosis, imagination and human potentialities. NY: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barber, T. X., and Wilson, S. C. (1977). Hypnosis, suggestion and altered states of consciousness: Experimental evaluation of the new cognitive-behavioral theory and the traditional trance-state theory of “hypnosis.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 296, 34–47.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bates, D. L., Miller, R. J., Cross, J. J., and Brigham, T. A. (1988). Modifying hypnotic suggestibility with the Carleton Skills Training Programfournal of Personality and Social Psychology, 55, 120–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertrand, L. D., Stain, J. J., and Radtke, H. L. (1990). The Carleton Skill Training Package for modifying hypnotic susceptibility: A replication and extention. Unpublished manuscript, University of Calgary.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowers, K. S. (1967). The effects of demands for honesty on resorts of visual and auditory hallucinations. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 15, 31–36.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coe, W. C., St. Jean, R. L., and Burger, J. M. (1980). Hypnosis and the enhancement of visual imagery. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 28, 225–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crawford, H. J., and Allan, S. N. (1983). Enhanced visual memory during hypnosis as mediated by hypnotic responsiveness and cognitive strategies. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 112, 657–680.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cross, W., and Spanos, N. P. (1988). The effects of imagery vividness and receptivity on skill training induced enhancements in hypnotic susceptibility. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 8, 89–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Groph, M. (1989). Correlates of hypnotic susceptibility. In N. P. Spanos and J. F. Chaves (Eds.), Hypnosis: The cognitive-behavioral perspective (pp. 32–63 ). Buffalo, NY: Prometheus.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dengrove, E. (1973). The uses of hypnosis in behavior therapy. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 21, 13–17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, M. J. (1972). The use of observationally presented information to modify hypnotic susceptibility. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 79, 174–180.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, M. J. (1977). Hypnotizability is modifiable: An alternative approach. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 25, 147–166.

    Google Scholar 

  • Diamond, M. J., and Taft, R. (1975). The role played by ego permissiveness and imagery in hypnotic responsiveness. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 23, 130–138.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Farthing, G. W., Venturino, M., and Brown, S. W. (1983). Relationships between two different types of imagery vividness questionnaire items and three hypnotic susceptibility scale factors: A brief communication. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 31, 8–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Franklin, B. et al. (1984/1970). Report of Dr. Benjamin Franklin and the other commissioners, charged by the King of France with the examination of the animal magnetism as now practiced at Paris. Reprinted in M. M. Tinterow (Ed.), Foundations of hypnosis: from Mesmer to Freud (pp. 82–128). Springfield, IL: C. C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuchs, K., Hoch, A., Palid, E., Abramovici, H., Brandes, J. M., Timor-Tritsch, I., and Kleinhaus, M. (1973). Hypno-desensitization therapy of vaginismus: Part I: “In vitro” method. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis,21, 144–156.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gfeller, J., Lynn, S. J., and Pribble, W. (1987). Enhancing hypnotic susceptibility: Interpersonal and rapport factors. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 586–595.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gorassini, D. R. (1989). The relationship between planned and actual responses to hypnotic suggestions. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 8, 283–294.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gorassini, D. R., and Spanos, N. P. (1986). A social-cognitive skills approach to the successful modification of hypnotic susceptibility. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50, 1004–1021.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Graham, K. (1986). Explaining “virtuoso’ hypnotic performance: Social psychology or experiential skill? Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 9, 473–474.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ham, M. W., and Spanos, N. P. (1974). Suggested auditory and visual hallucinations in task-motivated and hypnotic subjects. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 17, 94–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hilgard, E. R. (1987). Research advances in hypnosis: Issues and methods. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 35, 248–264.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hilgard, E. R., Sheehan, P. W., Monteiro, K. P., and MacDonald, H. (1981). Factorial structure of the Creative Imagination Scale as a measure of hypnotic responsiveness: An international comparative study. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 29, 66–76.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hilgard, J. R. (1970). Personality and hypnosis. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holroyd, J. (1985). Hypnosis applications in psychological research. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 5, 103–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt, I. P., Nadon, R., Register, P. A., Chorny, J., Fleeson, W., Crigorian, E. M., Otto, L., and Kihlstrom, J. F. (1989). Daydreaming absorption and hypnotizability. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 37, 332–342.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katsanis, J., Barnard, J., and Spanos, N. P. (1988). Self-predictions, interpretational set and imagery vividness as determinants of hypnotic responding. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 8, 63–67.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kroger, W. S., and Fezler, W. D. (1976). Hypnosis and behavior therapy: Imagery conditioning. Philadelphia: Lippincott.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nilsson, K. M. (1990). The effect of subject expectations of “hypnosis” upon vividness of visual imagery. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 38, 17–23.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nolan, R., Spanos, N. P., Hayward, A., and Scott, H. (1989). Hypnotic and nonhypnotic imagery-based strategies in the treatment of tension and mixed tension/migraine headache. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perlini, A. H., Lee, A., and Spanos, N. P. The relationship between imaginal and hypnotic susceptibility: Conceptual artifact or essence. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perry, C. W. (1973). Imagery, fantasy and hypnotic susceptibility: A multi-dimensional approach. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 26, 217–221.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perry, C. W. (1977). Is hypnotizability modifiable? International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 25, 125–146.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sachs, L. B. Construing hypnosis as modifiable behavior. In A. Jacobs and L. B. Sachs (Eds.), The psychology of private events (pp. 65–71). NY: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sarbin, T. R., and Coe, W. C. (1972). Hypnotic behavior: The psychology of influence communication. NY: Holt.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sheehan, P. W. (1967). A shortened version of the Betts Questionnaire upon Mental Imagery. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 23, 386–389.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sheehan, P. W. (1979). Hypnosis and the process of imagination. In E. Fromm and R. E. Shor (Eds.), Hypnosis: Developments in research and new perspectives (pp. 381–411 ). NY: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shor, R. E., Orne, M. T., J and O’Connell, D. N. (1966). Psychological correlates of plateau hypnotizability in a special volunteer sampleJournal of Personality and Social Psychology, 3, 80–95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P. (1971). Goal-directed fantasy and the performance of hypnotic test suggestions. Psychiatry, 34, 86–96.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P. (1986a). Hypnosis and the modification of hypnotic susceptibility: A social psychological perspective. In P. L. N. Naish (Ed.), What is hypnosis? (pp. 85–120 ). Philadelphia, Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P. (1986a). Hypnosis, nonvolitional responding and multiple personality: A social psychological perspective. In B. Maher and W. Maher (Eds.), Progress in experimental personality research, (Vol. 14, pp. 1–62 ). NY: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P. (in press, a). A sociocognitive approach to hypnosis. In S. J. Lynn (Ed.), Theories of hypnosis. NY: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P. (in press, b). Hypnosis, hypnotizability and hypnotherapy: A socio-cognitive perspective. In C. R. Synder (Ed.), Handbook of social and clinical psychology. NY: Pergamon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., and Brice, P. (1990). Hypnotic and nonhypnotic suggested imagery and ethe elicitation of salivation. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Bridgeman, M., Stam, H. J., Gwynn, M. I., and Saad, C. (1983). When seeing is not believing: The effects of contextual variables on the reports of hypnotic hallucinators. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 2, 195–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Brett, P. J., Menary, E. P., and Cross, W. P. (1987). A measure of attitudes toward hypnosis: Relationships with absorption and hypnotic susceptibility. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 30, 139–150.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Cross, W. P., Menary, E. P., Brett, P. J., and de Groh, M. (1987). Attitudinal and imaginal ability predictors of social cognitive skill-training enhancements in hypnotic susceptibility. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 13, 379–398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Cross, W. P., Menary, E. P., and Smith, J. (1988). Long term effects of cognitive skill training for the enhancement of hynotic susceptibility. British Journal of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis, 5, 73–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Flynn, D. M., and Niles, J. (in press). Rapport and cognitive skill training in the enhancement of hypnotizability. Imagination,Cognition and Personality.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Gabora, N. J., and Hynford, C. (1990). Self-predictions and interpretations of suggested demands as predictors of hypnotizability. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Gabora, N. J., Jarrett, L. E., and Gwynn, M. I. (1989). Contextual determinants of hypnotizability and of relationships between hypnotizability scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57, 271–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Gwynn, M. I., Gabora, N. J., and Jarrett, L. E. (1989). Response expectancies and interpretational sets as determinants of hypnotic susceptibility. Unpublished manuscript, Carleton University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Ham, M. W., and Barber, T. X. (1973). Suggested (“hypnotic”) visual hallucinations: Experimental and Phenomenological data. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 81, 96–106.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Lush, N. I., and Gwynn, M. I. (1989). Cognitive skill training enhancement of hypnotizability: Generalization effects and trance logic responding. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 56. 795–804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., and McPeake, J. D. (1974). Involvement in suggestion related imaginings, experienced involuntariness and credibility assigned to imaginings in hypnotic subjects. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 83, 687–690.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., McPeake, J. D., and Carter, W. (1973). The effects of pretesting on response to a visual hallucination suggestion in hypnotic subjectsJournal of Personality and Social Psychology, 28, 293–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., McPeake, J. D., and Churchill, N. (1976). Relationships between imaginative ability variables and the Barber Suggestibility Scale. American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 19, 39–46.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Mullens, D., and Rivers, S. M. (1979). The effects of suggestion structure and hypnotic vs. task-motivation instructions on response to hallucination suggestions. Journal of Research in Personality, 13, 59–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Radtke, H. L., Hodgins, D. C., Bertrand, L. D., Stam, H. J. and Dubreuil, D. L. (1983). The Carleton University Responsiveness to Suggestion Scale: Stability, reliability and relationships with expectancies and hypnotic experiences. Psychological Reports, 53, 555–563.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Radtke, H. L., Hodgins, D. C., Bertrand, L. D., Stam, H. J. and Dubreuil, D. L. (1983). The Carleton University Responsiveness to Suggestion Scale: Relationships with other measures of susceptibility, expectancies and absorption. Psychological Reports, 53, 523–535.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Rivers, S. M., and Ross, S. (1977). Experienced involuntariness and response to hypnotic suggestions. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 296, 208–221.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Robertson, L. A., Menary, E. P., and Brett, P. J. (1986). A component analysis of cognitive skill training for the enhancement of hypnotic susceptibility. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95, 350–357.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Stam, H. J., Rivers, S. M., and Radtke-Bodorik, H. L. (1980). Meditation, expectation and performance on indices of nonanalytic attending. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 28, 244–251.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spanos, N. P., Stenstrom, R. J., and Johnston, J. C. (1988). Hypnosis, placebo and suggestion in the treatment of warts. Psychosomatic Medicine, 50, 245–260.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Starker, S. (1974). Effects of hypnotic induction upon visual imagery.Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 159, 433–437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sutcliffe, J. P., Perry, C. W., and Sheehan, P. W. (1970). The relation of some aspects of imagery and fantasy to hypnotizability. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 76, 279–287.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tellegen, A., and Atkinson, G. (1974). Openness to absorbing the self-altering experiences (“absorption”), a trait related to hypnotic susceptibility. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 83, 268–277.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Van Dyne, W. T., and Stava, L. J. (1981). Analysis of relationships among hypnotic susceptibility, personality type and vividness of mental imagery. Psychological Reports, 48, 23–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wagman, R., and Stewart, C. G. (1974). Visual imagery and hypnotic susceptibility. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 38, 815–822.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weitzenhoffer, A. M., and Hilgard, E. R. (1962). The Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yanser, R. J., and Johnson, H. L. (1981). Absorption and attitude toward hypnosis: A moderator analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis, 29, 375–382.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada

    Nicholas P. Spanos Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Nicholas P. Spanos Ph.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Lowell, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA

    Robert G. Kunzendorf

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1990 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Spanos, N.P. (1990). Imagery, Hypnosis and Hypnotizability. In: Kunzendorf, R.G. (eds) Mental Imagery. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2623-4_10

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2623-4_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4899-2625-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4899-2623-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation