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Industry: Email Alert RSS FeedElectrophysiological Alterations During Hypnosis for Ego-Enhancement: A Preliminary Investigation
American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Apr 2004 by Stevens, Larry, Brady, Brian, Goon, Angela, Adams, Deanna, Et al
Comparisons among hypnotizability groups found the moderates to be significantly lower in delta power than the highs (p - .022). These group differences were significant at arm levitation (p - .063), at Serenity (p = .021), at termination (p = .037), and at baseline! (p = .006).
Statistical power analyses indicated the delta EEG power changes across hypnosis stages to be of high power in rejecting the null hypothesis, with observed power equal to .938. Hypnotizability group possessed relatively moderate power (observed power = .596) in rejecting the null hypothesis of no hypnotizability group effect.
Discussion
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These results replicate and extend into a more ecologically valid context the findings of previous researchers of increased theta and beta EEG frequencies during hypnosis. In general, across all hypnotizability groups combined, theta and beta power tended to increase from eye roll induction up to the progressive neuromuscular relaxation procedure and then to decrease thereafter. And, consistent with findings of Sabourin, et al. (1990) and Crawford (1990) for theta and with Graffin, et al. (1995) for theta and beta frequencies, theta and beta increases were generally more pronounced for more highly hypnotizable participants. Also consistent with earlier research (Crawford, 1990; Crawford & Gruzelier, 1992), the more highly hypnotizable participants showed higher theta power values at eyes-closed baseline than moderates or lows. A rather unusual finding of the present investigation was elevated beta power for the highs and very highs at baseline as well. This outcome may have been a consequence of 36-44 Hz gamma components, previously found by DePascalis and colleagues to distinguish hypnotizability groups (DePascalis, et al., 1998; DePascalis, 1993), intruding into the broad beta band in the present study. It is important to point out, however, that due to equipment frequency response limitations, the beta band recorded in this study did not include the 40 Hz signal reported by DePascalis ( 1999) and by Sheer ( 1976, 1984, 1989) to be specifically associated with focused arousal. To the extent that the lower bounds of this rather narrow 36-44 Hz frequency band overlap with the upper frequencies recorded in the present study (i.e., 32 Hz), the present study might have been tapping into some of the characteristics of this phenomenon.
Another interesting but predicted finding of the present study was the difference in the hypnotic response profile across stages of hypnosis between highs and very highs on the one hand and lows and moderates on the other. Following the eye roll induction procedure, lows and moderates tended to peak in theta and beta power values at the more structured and directed Progressive Neuromuscular Relaxation stage of the procedure. Theta power values for the highs and beta power values for the highs and very highs rose rather consistently through PNR and peaked at the more imaginai and unstructured ego-enhancing Serenity Place suggestions stage of the hypnosis process. This pattern of theta and beta responses was predicted on the basis of theoretical speculations by previous researchers (Crawford & Gruzelier, 1992; DePascalis, 1999; Schacter, 1977; Sheer, 1976, 1984, 1989; Vogel &Broverman, 1964) suggesting enhanced attentional focusing on imaginai stimuli and on directed perceptual processing during the Serenity Place suggestions stage of hypnosis. The results of the present study are supportive of this position. Indeed, the rather strong suggestions to dissociate ("float across time and space") and to image ("your unconscious mind is going to suddenly take you to a very special place..."), as well as suggestions to gain a new perspective on some important aspect of one's life and to receive a special needed gift are all consistent with contemporary notions of theta activation.
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