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Autonomic responses to suggestions for cold and warmth in hypnosis
A Kistler1, C Mariauzouls, F Wyler
1Bäriswil, Kantonsspital Basel, Schweiz.
Forschende Komplementarmedizin
|April 24, 1999
Summary
Hypnotic suggestions for cold or warmth directly influence fingertip skin temperature. Psychological imagery, especially involving stress or relaxation, amplified these autonomic responses during hypnosis.
Area of Science:
- Psychophysiology
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Hypnosis is a state of consciousness involving focused attention and reduced peripheral awareness.
- Autonomic nervous system (ANS) responses, such as skin temperature, can be modulated by psychological factors.
- Previous research has explored the effects of hypnosis on physiological parameters, but specific links to temperature regulation require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if hypnotic suggestions for cold or warmth impact fingertip skin temperature.
- To examine the effects of neutral hypnosis versus temperature-specific suggestions on autonomic variables.
- To investigate the role of psychological content in hypnotic suggestions on physiological responses.
Main Methods:
- Participants underwent hypnosis with varying suggestions: neutral, cold, and warmth.
- Physiological measures including respiration frequency, pulse rate, fingertip skin temperature, and electrodermal activity were recorded.
- Hypnotizability was assessed using the Stanford Hypnotic Clinical Scale for Adults.
Main Results:
- Neutral hypnosis decreased respiration frequency but did not affect other measured autonomic variables.
- Cold and warmth suggestions significantly decreased and increased fingertip skin temperature, respectively.
- Cold suggestions also affected respiration, pulse rate, and electrodermal activity compared to neutral hypnosis.
- No correlation was found between autonomic changes and hypnotizability scores.
- Fingertip skin temperature changes were most pronounced when imagery included physical temperature, psychological stress, or relaxation.
Conclusions:
- Hypnotic suggestions for temperature can effectively alter fingertip skin temperature.
- The psychological content of hypnotic imagery plays a crucial role in amplifying autonomic responses.
- Hypnotizability does not appear to be a direct predictor of these specific autonomic changes during hypnosis.