What is hypnosis Describe the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis Free Essay Example, 1250 words

What is Hypnosis? Introduction Hypnosis can be described as the â€Å"systematic procedure that typically produces a heightened of suggestibility† (Weiten, 2008). The state of hypnosis is normally induced by a process called hypnotic induction. This induction consists of a complex series of suggestions and instructions which may be self- administered or they may be delivered by a hypnotist. The hypnosis procedure may be applied for different purposes including: hypnotherapy, stage hypnosis and self hypnosis. Hypnotherapy refers to the use of hypnosis procedures for therapeutic reasons and purposes. Stage hypnosis is the kind of hypnotism that is used for the purposes of audience entertainment (Pintar and Lynn, 2008). Contrary to popular belief, hypnosis is not performed while the individual is in some form of unconscious state. Rather it has been proven that hypnotic subjects are normally fully awake and attentive, but their peripheral awareness is usually reduced. There are two main aspects of hypnosis: physical and psychological. The physical aspect affects the tangible parts of the body or body cells. The psychological aspect of hypnosis affects the emotional and mental aspects of human functionalities (Taddei-Ferretti and Musio, 1999). We will write a custom essay sample on What is hypnosis Describe the psychological and physical aspects of hypnosis or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Psychological Aspects of Hypnosis Psychological aspects of hypnosis are normally explained through psychological theories that affect the mental and emotion beings. These theories normally try to explain how consciousness and hypnotic suggestions come together in order to elicit certain reactions and behaviors in an individual. In the field of psychotherapy, hypnosis the effects of hypnosis can be explained through the ego state theory which emphasizes on the relationship between psychogenic amnesia, fugue states and multiple personalities. According to the ego state theory, different networks of human personality behaviors, experiences and traits are normally bound by principles common to all of them (Pettinati, 1988). Although it is possible for several ego states to coexist, they normally do so as distinct or independent entities. Hypnosis researchers believe that these entities have loosely defined boundaries. This makes it possible for communication to occur during the hypnotic state, which in turn results in a more general psychological integration of the egos. Some authors claim that hypnosis is a psychologically dissociative condition. In this context, dissociation may be any personality trait that is defined by the connections between perception and cognition of deliberate control over certain behavior.