Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Altered States of Awareness

Altered States of Awareness

Altered states of consciousness represent significant deviations from one's normal mental state. These deviations can range from subtle changes in awareness to profound transformations in perception, thought processes, and sensory experiences. Altered states of consciousness can be triggered by various factors, including drug use, meditation, hypnosis, illness, or even intense fatigue.
The ingestion of substances like stimulants or hallucinogens leads to chemical alterations in the brain that...

Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying

Kubler Ross's Stages of Dying

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross significantly advanced psychology's understanding of the process of dying with her influential book, On Death and Dying (1969). She focused on studying terminally ill individuals and outlined five stages commonly experienced when coping with death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
In denial, individuals reject the reality of their condition, often thinking, "This isn't true; I feel fine," as a way to protect themselves from emotional distress. Anger...

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...

Understanding Consciousness

Understanding Consciousness

Consciousness can be defined as the state of being aware of and able to think about one's existence, sensations, and surroundings. It encompasses two major components: awareness and arousal. Awareness pertains to the recognition of environmental stimuli and internal states. At the same time, arousal refers to the physiological readiness to engage with these stimuli, which varies significantly between states like sleep and wakefulness.
Sleep, a crucial state, is characterized by reduced physical...

Deindividuation

Deindividuation

Deindividuation is a form of social influence on an individual’s behavior such that the individual engages in unusual or non-normal behavior while in a group setting. Why? Because in these group settings, the individual no longer sees themselves as an individual anymore, disinhibiting their behavior and personal restraint.

Subconsciousness and No Awareness

Subconsciousness and No Awareness

The concept of subconscious awareness refers to the processing of information below the level of conscious thought, which significantly influences both behaviors and decisions. It is also known as waking subconscious awareness. This complex level of cognition operates without the direct awareness of the individual, facilitating rapid and simultaneous handling of multiple information streams.
An illustrative example of subconscious processing is its role in problem-solving. Often, individuals...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Restoring STAR*D: A RIAT Reanalysis of Medication Augmentation Therapy After Failed SSRI Treatment Using Patient-Level Data with Fidelity to the Original Research Protocol.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025

Same author

Large responses to antidepressants or methodological artifacts? A secondary analysis of STAR∗D, a single-arm, open-label, nonindustry antidepressant trial.

Journal of clinical epidemiology·2025

Same author

Efficacy of open-label placebos for premenstrual syndrome: a randomised controlled trial.

BMJ evidence-based medicine·2025

Same author

Restoring STARD: A Reanalysis of Drug-Switch Therapy After Failed SSRI Treatment Using Patient-Level Data with Fidelity to the Original STARD Research Protocol.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2025

Same author

The risks of adverse events with mirtazapine for adults with major depressive disorder: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

BMC psychiatry·2025

Same author

A randomized trial investigating the impact of response expectancy on the counting blessings intervention: the role of optimism as a moderator.

Frontiers in psychology·2024

Same journal

EEG-Based Analysis of Emotional Effects of Hypnotic Guided Imagery (HGI) on Employees with Burnout: A Feasibility Study.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·2026

Same journal

Combined Effects of Hypnotic-Cognitive Therapy with Therapeutic Exercise on Quality of Life in Individuals with Fibromyalgia: A Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·2026

Same journal

Feasibility and Preliminary Outcomes of Hypnosis to Enhance Meaningful Work Among Employees with Low Work Engagement: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·2026

Same journal

Mindful Hypnotherapy for Cluster B Personality Disorders: A Randomized Controlled Trial with an Active Control.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·2026

Same journal

Hypnosis for Chronic Pelvic Pain and Other Urogenital Pain Syndromes in Women: A Narrative Review.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·2026

Same journal

The Structure of Indigenous Trance Language.

The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Published on: December 27, 2016

The altered state issue: dead or alive?

Irving Kirsch¹

¹Department of Psychology, University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom. i.kirsch@hull.ac.uk

The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis

|June 7, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study examines the continuum of theoretical positions on altered states of consciousness, particularly hypnosis. Brain imaging data suggest a distinct functional significance for the hypothesized hypnotic state.

More Related Videos

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor

Published on: February 1, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 1, 2026

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Identification of Intracellular Signaling Events Induced in Viable Cells by Interaction with Neighboring Cells Undergoing Apoptotic Cell Death

Published on: December 27, 2016

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor

Detecting Anastasis In Vivo by CaspaseTracker Biosensor

Published on: February 1, 2018

Area of Science:

Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

The nature of hypnotic phenomena is debated, with theoretical positions on altered states viewed as a continuum.
Some differences between these positions are crucial for understanding hypnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

To review theoretical positions on the altered-state issue in hypnosis.
To analyze recent brain imaging data regarding the existence and significance of the hypnotic state.

Main Methods:

Review of theoretical frameworks on altered states.
Analysis of neuroimaging findings from the University of Hull.

Main Results:

Theoretical positions on hypnosis exist on a continuum, not a dichotomy.
Brain imaging data offer insights into the functional significance of the hypnotic state.

Conclusions:

Understanding hypnosis requires acknowledging the continuum of theoretical positions.
Neuroimaging supports the existence and functional relevance of a distinct hypnotic state.