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Related Experiment Videos

Hypnotic hypermnesia: the empty set of hypermnesia

M H Erdelyi1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College, CUNY, 11210.

The International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
|October 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Hypnosis does not enhance memory recall. Repeated retrieval attempts, not hypnosis, are responsible for memory gains (hypermnesia) when recalling complex stimuli.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The traditional view suggests hypnosis enhances memory (hypnotic hypermnesia), but experimental evidence is inconsistent.
  • Studies show recall of high-sense stimuli improves, while recognition of low-sense stimuli does not under hypnosis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of hypnosis versus repeated retrieval effort in memory enhancement (hypermnesia).
  • To clarify whether observed memory increments are due to true memory enhancement or altered response criteria.

Main Methods:

  • Classifying laboratory studies by stimulus type (high-sense vs. low-sense) and memory test (recall vs. recognition).
  • Analyzing recent experimental data differentiating between memory enhancement and reporting effects.
  • Comparing hypermnesia levels in hypnosis versus repeated testing without hypnosis.

Main Results:

  • Recall tests for high-sense stimuli consistently yield hypermnesia, unlike recognition tests for low-sense stimuli.
  • Recent research confirms true memory enhancement (hypermnesia) beyond response criterion effects.
  • Repeated retrieval efforts without hypnosis produce equivalent hypermnesia compared to hypnosis.

Conclusions:

  • Hypnosis itself does not appear to be the primary driver of hypermnesia.
  • Repeated retrieval practice is the key factor responsible for memory enhancement in recall tasks.
  • The traditional association of hypnosis with memory enhancement requires re-evaluation based on empirical evidence.

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