Herman C. Salzberg

Hypnosis as an aid to recall of meaningful information presented under three types of arousal

Abstract This study was designed to examine the effect of hypnotic induction on recall of information which was incidental, meaningful, and contextually presented. A hypnotic induction with task motivating suggestions was found to enhance recall to a greater extent than were task motivating suggestions alone. It was argued that the positive findings of this study might be due to (a) the types of information used for recall in this study, (b) confidence/motivational factors felt to be facilitated by hypnotic induction, and (c) reduction in critical judgment which allows for the reporting of partial memories. Film-induced arousal resulted in physiological measures and self-reports of arousal which varied with the content of the films. The effects of arousal on recall, however, were less clear but with only slight indications that traumatic arousal had a deleterious effect on recall. Support for the contention that a hypnotic induction would aid recall of information learned under traumatic arousal to a grea...

Effects of in vivo behavioral rehearsal on the learning of assertive behaviors with a substance abusing population

Forty-three residents of a substance abuse treatment center were randomly assigned to (a) Assertiveness Training with Behavioral Practice (ATBP); (b) Assertiveness Training with Journal (ATJ), or (c) Waiting List Control (WLC). Using the Behavioral Assertiveness Test and the Gambrill-Richey Assertion Inventory, subjects in the ATBP group showed greater gains than the ATJ group on one behavioral measure, while both the ATBP and ATJ groups changed more than the WLC group on the Gambrill-Richey Response Likelihood scale. Behavioral rehearsal (homework compliance) was not consistently related to outcome, calling into question the value of the widespread use of homework assignments in behavioral treatments.

The Effect of Manipulated Expectancies on Posthypnotic Amnesia

Abstract The effects of manipulated S expectancy and direct suggestions for amnesia on posthypnotic amnesia were assessed. 120 undergraduate students were randomly assigned to 6 groups: negative expectancy (for amnesia)/suggestions (for amnesia); no expectancy/suggestions; negative expectancy/no suggestions; no expectancy/no suggestions; and 2 control groups. The results indicated that the expectancy manipulation had no effect on the Occurrence of posthypnotic amnesia measured by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A (Weitzenhoffer & Hilgard, 1959), whereas suggestions for amnesia were found to have a significant effect. Hypnotized suggestion and no suggestion Ss remembered significantly less than Ss in the nonhypnotized control groups. The implications of the findings were discussed.

Hypnotizability and task motivating suggestions: A further look at how they affect performance

Abstract An attempt was made to ferret out the separate effects on cognitive performance of hypnotic susceptibility, task motivating suggestions, and the hypnotic trance state. An equal number of susceptible and unsusceptible Ss were given 3 cognitive tasks, first to ascertain their baseline performances, and then again following either a traditional hypnotic induction, an alert trance induction or a short interview. All Ss were given task motivating suggestions prior to administering the alternate form of the 3 tasks. An additional control group of Ss was used to assess practice effects. Results indicated that task motivating suggestions were effective in enhancing performance for all groups on the digit symbol and abstract reasoning tasks but not on the memory task. Waking suggestion Ss performed as well as hypnotized Ss when both groups of Ss were given task motivating suggestions. It was concluded that when the experimental design of a study incorporates necessary controls, hypnosis does not facilitat...

PREDICTING VERBAL BEHAVIORAL CHANGE IN GROUP THERAPY USING A SCREENING SCALE

A factored 10-item scale composed of demographic and behavioral data derived from a group screening session was used in an attempt to predict verbal response level and verbal change in group psychotherapy. 23 male neuropsychiatric patients were seen for periods ranging from 8 to 18 sessions and their verbal responsivity measured using a modification of group process rating scales. Rank-order correlations between screening scale scores and the verbal response categories ranged from .64 to −.64. Scores on the scale were useful in predicting certain response classes but less so in predicting change in response categories over time.

Emergence of Distinct Verbal Phases in Group Therapy

This study attempted to ascertain whether discrete stages emerged in the group therapeutic process. Ss were drawn from four different groups using similar therapeutic techniques. Results indicated that individual Ss develop similar patterns of response over time. The data supported a two-stage development of several of the response measures but with a greater number of sessions a different pattern may evolve.

The effects of videotape feedback on self-concept, role-playing ability, and growth in a leaderless therapy group

Thirty-two male and female college students participated in six 90-minute leaderless encounter groups in which they received videotape feedback, leader-facilitated videotape feedback, or verbal feedback. Statistical analysis indicated that feedback through a visual medium had no effect on self-concept, role-playing ability, or group coherence. Groups within the experimental conditions were initially different in their ratings on the dependent measures. These differences were maintained throughout the experiment.