Hypnotic Age Regression and Cognitive Perceptual Tasks

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Abstract
This study hypothesized that subjects in a hypnosis and age regression condition would show “younger” performances on three cognitive tests than subjects given simulation instructions. Previous equivocal evidence of hypnotic age regression may be due to the poor control of methodological and conceptual variables which this study attempted to rectify. Subjects were screened on the Barber Susceptibility Scale and assigned to two conditions. Eight high-susceptible subjects underwent hypnosis and age regression and eight low-susceptible subjects simulated hypnosis and age regression. The Stanford Binet, the Bender-Gestalt, and the Draw-A-Person tests were administered prior to and after the experimental suggestions. Results were in the opposite direction than hypothesized. Repeated measures of analysis of variance indicated that simulating subjects achieved “younger performances” than hypnosis and age regression subjects. However, subjects in the hypnosis and age regression condition reported profound changes in their feelings and memories which simulators did not report. The implications for hypnosis research and clinical practice are discussed.