The phenomenology of deep hypnosis: quiescent and physically active

To study the phenomenology of hypnotic virtuosos, the author employed a 2 (hypnosis vs. control) x 3 (quiescent, pedaling a stationary bike, having a motor pedal the bike) within-subjects design with quantitative and qualitative measures. In a "neutral hypnosis" context with the only suggestion being to go as deeply into hypnosis as possible, participants reported alterations in body image, time sense, perception and meaning, sense of being in an altered state of awareness, affect, attention, and imagery. They also mentioned less self-awareness, rationality, voluntary control, and memory. Analyses of the 3 physical conditions showed that hypnotic experiences were overall similar, although quiescence was more conducive to alterations of body image and reports of depth. These results suggest that hypnotic virtuosos have alterations of consciousness that can be better conceptualized as distinct states rather than being on a continuum.