Hypnosis and Meditation Chapter 5

What is meditation?

Practices to control attention and awareness, often for stress reduction or therapeutic purposes.

What is focused attention meditation?

Concentrating on a single target (breath, mantra) and bringing focus back when it wanders.

What is open monitoring meditation?

Mindfulness; observing thoughts/feelings as they arise without reacting.

What are meditation’s effects on attention?

Mixed evidence, but may improve control and awareness.

What is hypnosis?

A state of focused attention and suggestibility where people accept suggestions more readily.

Who developed hypnosis originally?

Franz Mesmer, with his “animal magnetism” theory.

What are posthypnotic suggestions?

Instructions carried out after hypnosis, often used in therapy.

What is hypnotic analgesia?

Pain relief through hypnosis, e.g., reducing pain from cold water.

What are the factors contributing to hypnosis?

Selective attention, dissociation, and social influence.

What is hypnotic susceptibility linked to?

Imagination, focus, openness to suggestion (not weakness of will).

Can hypnosis recover lost memories?

No, it increases the risk of false memories.