Approximate reading time: 5 minutes

Background: Jabari, a college student, faces severe anxiety during exams. Despite being well-prepared, they often find themselves unable to recall information. In their quest for relief, Jabari turns to hypnosis. This case study explores Jabari’s experience under hypnosis, through various theoretical lenses including the dissociation theory and the social role theory.

1. Dissociation Theory (Hilgard & Hilgard, 1994)

Theory in Action: According to the dissociation theory, hypnosis is a state of altered consciousness. It’s similar to when someone drives to work but is only minimally aware of the driving itself because their attention is elsewhere. In Jabari’s case, under hypnosis, their consciousness splits into different streams — one stream is responsive to the hypnotist’s suggestions, while the other retains awareness of their anxiety.

Jabari’s Experience: During hypnosis, Jabari feels detached from their usual anxious response to exams. This dissociation allows them to access a part of their consciousness that remains calm and collected, even though another part of them is aware of the anxiety. This experience mirrors Hilgard’s findings in which participants, under hypnosis, reported not feeling pain but still responded to it.

2. Social Role Theory

Theory in Action: This theory views hypnosis not as an altered state of consciousness, but as the individual’s adoption of a social role. Here, the person behaves in a way that fits their understanding of a hypnotized person’s behaviour.

Jabari’s Experience: From this perspective, Jabari’s response to hypnosis appears to conform to the expected behaviour of a hypnotized person. They behave in a manner that they believe a person free from exam anxiety would behave, influenced by the social context and expectations set by the hypnotist.

3. Response Sets and Hierarchical Control Systems (Kirsch & Lynn, 1998)

Theory in Action: In this theory, hypnosis involves response sets in whichJabari’s brain automatically gears up to follow the hypnotist’s suggestions. The hierarchical control systems in their brain organize their thoughts and behaviours in a way that prioritizes calmness and focus.

Jabari’s Experience: As they undergo hypnosis, Jabari becomes more receptive to the idea of controlling their anxiety. They start to feel a sense of calmness when thinking about exams, a result of their brain’s new automatic response pattern.

4. Relaxation and Increased Suggestibility (Becker, 2015)

Theory in Action: This theory suggests that hypnosis works by inducing a deeply relaxed state, making the mind more open to suggestions.

Jabari’s Experience: As Jabari relaxes under hypnosis, they find their usual exam anxiety diminishing. The suggestions that exams are a positive challenge start to resonate with them, replacing their fear with confidence.

5. Psychophysiological Mechanisms (West, 1960)

Theory in Action: Hypnosis is believed to work through the body’s nervous system, particularly influencing the brain’s attention and consciousness systems.

Jabari’s Experience: Through hypnosis, Jabari’s physiological responses to anxiety begin to diminish. They learn to control these responses, reducing their physical symptoms of anxiety during exams.

6. Manipulation of Subjective Awareness (Oakley & Halligan, 2013)

Theory in Action: This theory suggests that hypnosis changes a person’s subjective experience.

Jabari’s Experience: Jabari starts to perceive exams differently. Instead of viewing exams as threats, they begin to see exams as opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge.

7. Top-Down Regulation of Consciousness (Terhune et al., 2017)

Theory in Action: Hypnosis is seen as a process that starts in the higher brain functions and influences lower-level processes.

Jabari’s Experience: Jabari learns to use positive self-talk and visualisation techniques to control their anxiety, managing their stress responses effectively during exams.

Conclusion

Jabari’s journey through hypnosis, viewed through different theoretical lenses, provides an understanding of their experience. Each theory, from dissociation to social role-playing, offers a unique perspective on how hypnosis might influence the human mind and behaviour, demonstrating the complexity and potential of hypnosis as a therapeutic tool.