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HypnosisAndSuggestion.org homepage
Welcome to HypnosisAndSuggestion.org, a neutral source of information about the science of hypnosis and suggestion. The motivation to create this site was originally driven by dissatisfaction with the quality of entries about hypnosis on the web ... [more]
What is hypnosis?
That's a difficult question to answer. After nearly a century of academic research there is a wealth of experimental material, but no agreed consensus regarding the nature of hypnosis ... [more]
- Frequently asked questions about hypnosis
  Answers to the frequently asked questions, with an invitation to submit your own question
- Definitions of hypnosis
  The kinds of definitions that are offered for hypnosis tend to depend heavily on the author's theoretical perspective. Within the field there has been a robust debate ... [more]
Hypnosis research
Beginning with Mesmer's advancement that a magnetic ether explained the effects he observed, theorists have tried to explain the mechanisms underlying hypnosis. It is now generally accepted that any adequate theory of hypnosis must use concepts compatible with general psychological models of consciousness ... [more]
- The State / Non-state Debate
  A core component of many theories of hypnosis is that it constitues an 'altered state of consciousness' (ASC), qualitatively different from normal waking consciousness. Whether hypnosis requires ... [more]
- Theories of hypnosis
  Beginning with Mesmer's advancement that a magnetic ether explained the effects he observed, theorists have tried to explain the mechanisms underlying hypnosis. It is now generally accepted that any adequate theory ... [more]
- Measurement of hypnosis
  One of the key developments in 20th century hypnosis research was the the development of scales for the reliable measurement of hypnotic susceptibility. A person's susceptibility to hypnosis is usually gauged as 'high', 'medium', or 'low' ... [more]
- Neuroimaging studies of hypnosis
  Neuroimaging studies of hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena are a particularly interesting avenue of investigation as they can sidestep the 'demand characteristics' problem common ... [more]
- Pain research
  Reduction or removal of pain (analgesia) is one of the most dramatic effects of hypnosis + suggestion and it is unsurprising that manipulation of pain has been a strong focus of research within the field. There are ... [more]
- The study of attention and conflict
  Some of the most interesting recent hypnosis research has examined the efects of hypnosis and suggestion upon attentional control. Attentional skills are closely related to hypnosis, and a number of models have proposed that differences ... [more]
- Hypnosis as a research tool
  Hypnotic suggestion can be used to model unusual conditions or behaviours in order to study them more closely. Used this way as a research tool hypnotic suggestion can be of significant use to ... [more]
- The modification of suggestibility
  A key question in hypnosis research is whether or not suggestibility is modifiable. On the one hand there is evidence that hypnotic suggestibility is a stable personality trait ... [more]
History of hypnosis
The genesis of hypnosis, and its development as a legitimate area of study within the fields of psychology and medicine, has a rich history ... [more]
- Important people in the history of hypnosis
- A timeline of the history of hypnosis
Clinical hypnosis
Hypnosis developed as a clinical tool and many skillful clinicians have used hypnotic and suggestive techniques. There is a common misperception that hypnosis is a treatment in its own right, a form of treatment often labelled 'hypnotherapy' ... [more]
- Clinical research using hypnosis
  A particularly useful type of study for evaluating the effectiveness of certain treatments is a meta-analysis. Rather than looking at individual studies ... [more]
- Finding a therapist of clinician who uses hypnosis
  The regulation regarding hypnosis and psychotherapy differs by country and it can be difficult to find a reputable therapist ... [more]
- Hypnosis for pain
  Pain is one of the few aeas where hypnosis can be applied clinically in the absence of any treatment framework - although hypnosis allied to cognitive behavioural techniques ... [more]
- Hypnosis in dentistry
  Dentists are in an excellent position to fruitfully use hypnosis ... [more]
- Hypnosis and surgery
  Hypnosis has a long history of involvement with surgery. At around the time the first anaesthetics were being discovered hypnosis was beginning to be used by a number of surgeons to perform supposedly pain-free operations ... [more]
- Hypnosis and smoking cessation
  If adverts for hypnotherapy services are any guide then it's use in helping people to quit smoking must be one of the most popular applications of hypnosis. Most of us will know someone ... [more]
Hypnosis references
Copyright law means I can't provide the text of all these sources, but a full reference is the next best thing.
Hypnosis glossary
Some of the terms used in the literature are fairly obscure.
Hypnosis links
There are links to everything you need from this page. Reputable professional societies, hypnosis journals, other websites. Feel free to submit ideas for more links.
Contact information
This page has information about the site, and how you can get in contact with its creator.