Lecture 8 -- Hypnosis and performance

Hypnosis

A procedure involving focused attention, relaxation, and imagery, in which changes in sensations, perceptions, and thoughts are suggested.

Hypnotizability

Measurable trait indicating the degree to which an individual can be hypnotized, often assessed with Stanford and Harvard scales.

Post-hypnotic amnesia

A condition where an individual does not remember certain events that occurred during hypnosis.

Hypnotic analgesia

A reduction in pain sensation achieved through hypnosis.

Induction (in hypnosis)

The process of guiding a person into a hypnotic state.

Post-hypnotic suggestions

Suggestions given during hypnosis that can influence behavior or thoughts after the person wakes up.

Franz Mesmer

An 18th-century scientist who made significant contributions to the understanding of hypnosis.

Clark Hull

A psychologist who was the first to conduct systematic research on hypnosis in the 1930s.

Hypnosis and performance

Studies show variable effects of hypnosis, with some suggesting positive impacts on endurance and strength.

Metabolism changes

Physiological changes in the body’s metabolic processes that can occur during hypnosis.

Anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)

An area of the brain activated during hypnotic suggestion that influences perception and emotion.

Hypnotic suggestion

The verbal prompts given during hypnosis aimed at changing behaviors, thoughts, or sensations.

Dental procedures

One of the common applications of hypnosis in managing pain and anxiety.

Psychological problems

Conditions that hypnosis can help address, including addiction and anxiety.

Stanford scale

A measurement tool to assess individual differences in hypnotizability.

Braid (James Braid)

The 19th-century physician who coined the term 'hypnosis'.

Hallucinations

Perceptual distortions that may occur during hypnosis, where one perceives things not present.

Sport psychology

A field that can employ hypnosis to enhance athletic performance or address psychological issues.

Experimental evidence on hypnosis

Research findings regarding the specific effects of hypnosis on athletic performance.

Suggested uphill exercise

A type of hypnotic suggestion used in studies to see effects on physiological responses during cycling.

Color perception in hypnosis

A phenomenon studied using PET scans, revealing brain changes during hypnosis involving color perception.