Wynn Schwartz

Time and Context During Hypnotic Involvement

Abstract A recent conceptualization of hypnosis suggests that hypnotized Ss should show a disruption in episodic memory which would reflect a diminished awareness of duration and sequence. Specifically, the predictions were that hypnotized Ss would exhibit less accurate estimates of duration, and less sequence in their recall of activities, than would nonhypnotized Ss. The empirical task consisted of giving Ss the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (Weitzenhoffer & Hilgard, 1962), either with the induction (hypnosis condition), or without the induction (control condition). Prior to the termination of the scale, Ss were asked to recall the activities they had performed and the time that had elapsed since they began the scale. Hypnotized Ss (N = 10) were significantly less sequential in their recall of activities, and less accurate in their estimations of the passage of time, than were nonhypnotized Ss (N = 10). These results suggest that persons who respond to hypnosis are less concerned with t...

Hypnosis and episodic memory

Abstract Earlier work, not controlled for state and trait effects, indicated that highly susceptible Ss lose aspects of the episodic structure of events during hypnosis (Schwartz, 1978). In the present study, after being given a standard hypnotic induction, pretested highly susceptible Ss while hypnotized were found to signficantiy lose access to the sequential and durational context of their activities. After hypnosis was terminated, some highly susceptible Ss were better able to assess the sequence and to a marginal extent the duration of equivalent events. The Ss of low susceptibility given an induction and highly susceptible Ss given a reality test instruction did not manifest this context loss. Loss of sequential and durational reference and the number of items recalled were not significantly correlated.

Action and Representation in Ordinary and Lucid Dreams

When we dream, we experience a world of various objects, processes, events, concepts, and relationships. These experiences occur in a context or realm of fantasy. When we are awake, we also experience objects, processes, events, concepts, and relationships, although these experiences happen in the more inclusive context of the real world. Objects, processes, events, concepts, and relationships are what constitute a world, whether fantasized or real, created or discovered (Ossorio, 1978). This chapter will explicate the special case of the lucid, or self-aware, dream. Self-awareness is possible in a lucid dream because the dreamer is able to recognize the context of fantasy within the context of the real world; the dreamer therefore recognizes the dream as a dream. Furthermore, the dreamer has the potential to reflect on his or her own motivations for deciding on courses of action within the dream. Within the lucid dream, the dreamer can act self-consciously. We will outline the distinguishing features of both the realm of fantasy and the more inclusive context of the real world. Although it may seem tempting to explore these concepts from the perspective of a dual world conceptualization (that is, two independent and coexisting worlds: one of fantasy and one of reality), it has been apparent, at least since the writings of Hume (1739/1978) and more recently Wittgenstein (1953), that it is the real world that begets the world of fantasy. Fantasy requires the foundation of reality.