Leslie M. Cooper

A further attempt to modify hypnotic susceptibility through repeated individualized experience

Abstract The study seeks to determine whether hypnotic susceptibility as measured on objective scales can be changed with practice and training. 3 low-, 2 medium-, and 1 high-scoring Ss were seen in individualized training sessions. Combining these Ss with the results of an earlier study (total N = 16) a comparison of gains among high and low Ss showed the higher Ss gaining significantly more (p < .05).

Effects of Thiopental Sedation on Learning and Memory

Subjects who were administered thiopental showed a loss of memory for events discussed while they were under sedation. We tested the subjects for recognition memory of pictures and recall of associated pairs of letters and words, and found that the subsequent memory loss was correlated with the concentration of thiopental in the venous blood at the time the material was learned. Retention did not appear to be state-dependent because the subject, while under sedation, could recall material learned prior to sedation, and because recall was not facilitated by reinstatement of the sedation.

Children's hypnotic susceptibility, personality, and eeg patterns

Abstract 19 boys and 16 girls, aged 7 to 16, were given the EEG and then the Childrens Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, while a parent watched. About 1 week later, after some separate tests and interviews, each child was given a puzzle to solve in the parents presence, while Es recorded offers and requests for help. Hypnotic susceptibility was positively correlated with the alpha duration with eyes open, but not with eyes closed. Both susceptibility and alpha duration tended to be negatively correlated with age. Highly susceptible children tended to wait longer then low susceptibles before asking parents for help with the puzzle, and their parents tended to be more strict, anxious, and impatient than did the parents of low susceptible children.

Reactivation of memory by hypnosis and suggestion

Abstract The effects of hypnotic susceptibility (high vs. low), hypnotic condition (hypnotized vs. waking), and the order of testing (hypnosis first vs. waking first) on Ss ability to recall meaningful material (specific facts about a rare chemical) 2 weeks after it was originally learned were studied using a 3-way, repeated-measures, factorial design. 52 college students (both male and female) acted as Ss for the study. No significant main effects were found, and the only significant interaction effect indicated that the memory was enhanced when tested the second time, regardless of whether it was in the waking or the hypnotized condition. The results were compared with the findings of other studies in this area using a less complex design.

PUPIL RESPONSE: A PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGICAL MEASURE OF FEAR DURING ANALOGUE DESENSITIZATION ','

15 highly aroused snake phobics individually constructed fear hierarchies by selecting colored photographs of snakes. Subjects either imagined fear scenes based on their photographs or were exposed to duplicate projected slides during desensitization. Pupillary responses of the Slide Group were also recorded before, during, and after desensitization. Fear of snakes was significantly reduced for both groups within five or fewer desensitization sessions. Changes in pupil size of the Slide Group appear to reflect arousal of fear as well as reduction of fear after treatment. Current technology makes pupillary response a viable psychophysiological measure of fear.

Dominance in Mental Imagery1

THOUGH Galton and Charcot began the scientific study of imagery in 1880, little is yet known about the ability to form mental images. Galton observed great individual differences in clarity of visual images, and Charcot suggested that there are distinct imaging types of people, some of whom produce predominantly visual imagery, others mostly auditory, and still others tactile, olfactory-gustatory, or kinesthetic imagery. Little research has been done in this field since 1909 (Holt, 1964), when Betts presented the view still current that the individual who was good in one form of imagery tended to be good in other forms too, suggesting that individual differences are unrelated to types of imaging. The present study examined this hypothesis and studied the interrelation of imagery modalities as measured by different assessment devices.

Achievement motivation, socialization, and hypnotic susceptibility among youths from four Israeli subcultures

Based on Londons theoretical model, results of a developmental study of Israeli children from four subcultures are reported. The impact of child-rearing practices on achievement motivation, hypnotic susceptibility, and brain wave patterns of subjects from Eastern European, Kurdish, Yemenite, and Moroccan backgrounds was tested and compared according to age level. Subjects were 15 children from each subcultural group. Five in each subcultural group were between 7 and 9 years old, five between 9 and 11, and five between 11 and 13. Instruments included a combined EEG-hypnotic scale, six measures of achievement and nAch, and the Winterbottom questionnaire. Subjects of European background, presumably with the highest nAch, had the lowest mean score in hypnotic susceptibility, while children of Moroccan descent, presumably the lowest achievement group, had the highest mean susceptibility score among the four subgroups as expected. It was also found, consistent with previous developmental studies of American children, that hypnotic susceptibility increases significantly with age regardless of subcultural grouping. While the four subgroups differed significantly in their school performance as expected, they did not differ in their need achievement scores. Findings in regard to EEG data are presently not reported because of technical difficulties encountered during recording. Implications for future research pertaining to methodological and theoretical issues involved in testing the model cross-culturally are discussed.

Increase and decrease in light and noise stimuli as reinforcers for albino rats.

The effect upon response latencies of random increases or decreases in stimulus intensity following a barrier-crossing response in a Mowrer-Miller shuttle box was studied. Stimulus change was contingent upon the response. 32 albino rats were randomly assigned to a control group which received no stimulation and to three experimental groups: Group L (subjected to changes in light), Group N (subjected to changes in noise), and Group LN (subjected to changes in light and noise). It was found that (a) in terms of mean latencies Group LN differed significantly from Group L and the control group. (b) Although the trial effect was significant, response latency did not consistently decrease over trials. (c) The mean number of spontaneous crossings was significantly larger for Group LN than for all other groups. (d) The mean number of spontaneous crossings increased over trials.