Abstract
The measurement of suprathreshold pain by means of circulating ice water stimulation and verbal reports of felt pain yielded orderly results, capable of quantitative analysis. While hypnosis demonstrably can reduce laboratory pain as well as clinical pain, the physiological basis of this reduction is obscure. Because reflex measures, such as heart rate and breathing, are very insensitive relative to verbal reports it is probable that the changes that occur are in the higher neural centers concerned with attention and alterations in consciousness.