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Acceptance and Freedom: Hypnotherapy and ACT Therapy
Kinematic strategies for lowering of upper limbs during suggestions of heaviness
The aim of the experiment was to study possible differences between the kinematic strategies for the "involuntary" arm lowering of hypnotized highly susceptible subjects (H-Highs) and for the voluntary movement of non-hypnotizable simulators (Sims) during suggestions of arm heaviness (Part I). In addition, a comparison between awake susceptible subjects (W-Highs) and H-Highs was carried out to clarify the specific role of the hypnotic state and hypnotizability (Part II). Subjects' absorption and attentional/imagery capabilities were evaluated through neuropsychological tests. Their arm movements were monitored three-dimensionally at hand, wrist and elbow level through a Polhemus Fastrack system. A final interview collected self-reports concerning the perception of movement involuntariness. Neuropsychological tests showed better "absorption" and imagery capabilities in Highs. In the interview, H-Highs perceived a higher involvement in the task and greater involuntariness and difficulties in contrasting the arm lowering than the Sims. Kinematic analysis showed significant differences between H-Highs and Sims for arm displacements along the vertical axis and on the horizontal plane. In fact, the former lowered the left arm earlier and to a greater degree than the right arm; on the horizontal plane, a forearm flexion was observed for H-Highs on the right side. On comparing W-Highs and H-Highs, hypnosis appeared to magnify the waking motor strategies, but also to induce specific changes, mainly concerning the horizontal plane. These results cannot be interpreted on the basis of "role playing" and socio-cognitive factors. They are believed to be due to a balance between the effectiveness of the frontal executive control towards the selection of behaviors and movement automaticity, which is in line with the neo-dissociation theory of hypnosis.
Dipartimento di Fisiologia e Biochimica, Universita di Pisa, Via San Zeno 31, 56127 Pisa, Italy. enricals@dfb.unipi.it
What is your level of confidence and why should you care? To a statistician, confidence levels would mean how reliably could a certain condition occur or be predicted and expressed as a percentage. For instance, when putting if a golfer can reliably get his ball into the cup nine times out of 10, a statistician would say that he has a 90% reliability. This can also be expressed as 0.9. However, a psychologist would look at this slightly differently. What she may be looking at is the effect that a level of confidence would have on a person's self-esteem. A person's self-awareness or ego can...
As a professional who regularly talks to groups about hypnotherapeutic medicine, over the years I’ve encountered more than one medical professional who has deemed that I have crossed the line and ventured unjustly into an area where they most certainly have superior knowledge. While my expertise is in the area of clinical applications of hypnosis, I feel that everyone who serves in healing professions must be aware of their continued need for further exploration and that they must accept the fact that they are very far from being perfect. One word that quickly calms the most ardent medical...
Without stress we would have very little motivation. We are constantly assessing the balance between our capabilities and perceived difficulties of the challenges that we face every day. When we are inspired, we are motivated to show that our capabilities clearly outweigh the obstacles in front of us. However, even if we are successful, prolonged periods of stress can have its toll. This is why we need to achieve as much balance in life as possible. On the other hand, there are times that the things that stress us may seem to exceed our capabilities to handle them. Likewise, this adds to the...
