Conditional reflexes as related to hypnosis and hypnotic techniques

Hypnosis has never been adequately explained in terms of conceptual framework of most schools of psychotherapy. The psychoanalytic concept that it consists of submission and surrender of important ego functions to the therapist does not explain all observed facts. During my wartime studies and since, I have been impressed by the observation that the patient’s ego is by no means powerless and defenseless, even during a deep state of trance, i.e., in states of trance sufficiently deep to eliminate awareness of painful body injuries (1965). Erickson (1954) has shown on many occasions that in resistant subjects one of the best ways to induce trance is to encourage the patient to resist as much as he can. Haley (1963) has pointed out in detail that at the beginning of any hypnotic relationship there evolves a subtle battle for“one-upman-ship. ” These observations certainly show that surrender in the psychological sense is by no means an aspect of even the most successfully induced trance states. By contrast to these excessively simple psychotherapeutic models, Pavlovian physiology (Pavlov, 1941) explains most of the variegated phenomena of the trance and of the particular psychological set which hypnotic psychotherapy provides. Pavlov (1941) concluded from his studies in the dog that“hypnosis can be produced by the continuation of one and the same stimulus, finally resulting in an inhibitory state” (p. 75) irrespective of the nature of this stimulus. In man it is quite obvious that it is the monotony and repetitiveness of the hypnotist’s discourse and the unchanging sameness of the setting and of the position of the patient which is the most convenient way to induce trance. Also Helge Lundholm’s method (1942) of deepening hypnosis by counting is explainable by this important and simple finding of Pavlov.     

Gratifications, collective self-esteem, online emotional openness, and traitlike communication apprehension as predictors of Facebook uses

This study explores whether and how gratifications and psychological traits impact people's Facebook use. First, a factor analysis of an online survey (N= 437) outlined a unique set of gratifications obtained from the use of Facebook. Six aspects of gratifications (i.e., social surveillance, entertainment, recognition, emotional support, network extension, and maintenance) were identified. Results from regression analyses showed that psychological traits (i.e., collective self-esteem, online emotional openness, and traitlike communication apprehension) were strong predictors of most Facebook gratifications. Additionally, gratifications and, to a lesser extent, psychological traits significantly predicted Facebook usage, both in perceived importance and different indicators in the level of Facebook use.     

Reviews of current books

Pastoral Psychology -     

Critical issues in psychological autopsy studies

This paper reviews research based on the psychological autopsy (PA) method applied to the study of suicide. It evidences the presence of a number of methodological problems. Shortcomings concern sampling biases in the selection of control subjects, confounding influences of extraneous variables, and reliability of the assessment instruments. The absence of homogeneity among studies in the procedure employed, as well as the lack of defined guidelines for performing this type of inquiry are emphasized. Questions needing empirical investigation in the future are pointed out. It is concluded that the validity and reliability of findings emerging from the use of this method of investigation would benefit from a standardization of its application.