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Related Experiment Videos

Does counterpain imagery mediate hypnotic analgesia?

R Hargadon1, K S Bowers, E Z Woody

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Journal of Abnormal Psychology
|August 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Hypnotic analgesia, whether using imagery or not, reduced pain similarly in highly hypnotizable individuals. Active coping thoughts were less frequent and less effective than passive ones, challenging the role of imagination in hypnosis.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Hypnotic analgesia is a well-documented phenomenon.
  • The role of imagery in hypnotic pain reduction is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the efficacy of standard (imagery-based) versus imageless hypnotic analgesia.
  • To examine the relationship between cognitive coping strategies and hypnotic pain reduction.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-six highly hypnotizable participants underwent a baseline pain exposure.
  • Two counterbalanced hypnotic analgesia conditions were administered: standard (counterpain imagery) and imageless.
  • Pain ratings and cognitive strategies were assessed.

Main Results:

  • Both standard and imageless hypnotic analgesia produced comparable and significant pain reduction compared to baseline.

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  • Active coping cognitions were less frequent and correlated with less pain reduction than passive cognitions.

    • Conclusions:

    • Imaginative involvement may not be the primary mediator of hypnotic analgesia.
    • Cognitive strategies, particularly passive ones, may play a significant role in hypnotic pain reduction.