Hypnotic Induction and "Relaxation"
- 1 March 1963
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in Archives of General Psychiatry
- Vol. 8 (3) , 295-300
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1963.01720090083010
Abstract
A number of investigators claim that "hypnotic induction" procedures are extremely effective in producing relaxation. Morphis11 writes that "the [hypnotic] induction ... brings about the relaxing of skeletal muscles. . . . the muscles of the walls of the blood vessels and the muscles of the internal organs as well." Staples12 states that "hypnosis helps one to relax more completely than can be done by any other method." These statements are not based on rigorous experimental studies; they appear to derive from the common observation that "hypnotized" persons at times seem to be passive, lethargic, and relaxed. This appearance of relaxation, however, may or may not be associated with physiological indices of relaxation such as reduction in respiratory rate, heart rate, muscle tension, or palmar conductance. In a recent investigation conducted in our laboratory,7 data were obtained which pertain to thisKeywords
This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit:
- An experimental evaluation of suggestion relaxationSpeech Monographs, 1943