Maybe hypnosis works by somehow tuning down self-awareness to a significant degree, thereby altering the normal IO filtering between the higher and lower brain without the higher brain relinquishing much control
Yep that very much summarises is, BUT the induction of a hypnotic state virtually "switches off" the higher brain (this depends on the susceptibility though of the subject which would explain why some subjects jerk out of the state when confronted by an unknown/intolerant situation), hence the ability to do things you would not normally be able to do...like sing in a man's voice (woman subject).
In the famous and well documented case of the “The Three faces of Eve” Hypnosis was used to explore the multiple personalities of Chris Costner Sizemore (Eve Black, Eve White and Jane).Controversy exists however whether this was induced by hypnosis or treated…the case remains unclear.
I have been told of an interesting experiment with hypnosis, but can find no confirming literature on the internet. It goes like this: the hypnotee is blindfolded. The hypnotist then traces a small circle somewhere on the hypnotee’s skin, say on the back of the hand. The instruction is given that the hypnotee must remember where the circle is. When he is touched outside the circle, he will feel it. When touched inside the circle, he will feel nothing. When he feels something, he must say “yes”. When he feels nothing, he must say “no”.
When touched outside the circle, the hypnotee says “yes”. Logically, the hypnotee should keep quiet when touched inside the circle, but that does not happen – he says “no” when touched there. This indicates two things:
I The hypnotee only pretends to feel nothing to satisfy the hypnotist, but can actually feel.
II The hypnotee has lost the ability to reason logically.
If this is correct, it would make one reluctant to use hypnosis for dentistry or surgical procedures.
Hermes: it is well known that subjects often fake it to satisfy the hypnotist. A professional will normally test for this in some way. If it is used for dentistry and the guy is faking it, the dentist only needs to prod a nerve! ;D
But what I have just described is used as a test to establish if the hypnotee is faking it or not. The person who fakes being hypnotized keeps quiet when touched inside the circle, because that would be the logical thing to do. He sees the trap and thinks himself clever for figuring that one out. The one who is truly hypnotized takes the irrational course of saying “no”. He actually believes that he feels nothing because the hypnotist told him so, yet he must feel it, because he responds as instructed. I know it appears to be counter-intuitive, yet that is what I was led to believe happens in this test.
As I have warned, I have no confirmation of this test.
