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Introduction to HypnosisHypnosis is a process in which critical thinking faculties of the mind are bypassed and a type of selective
thinking and perception is established. Although some individuals experience an increase in suggestibility and subjective feelings of an altered state of consciousness, this is not true for everyone. In fact, some supposed hypnotic indicators and subjective changes can be achieved without relaxation or a lengthy induction by means of simple suggestion or waking hypnosis, a fact that increases the controversy and misunderstandings around hypnosis and the hypnotic state. Some theories of hypnosis attempt to describe hypnotic phenomena in terms of brain activity while others concentrate more on the phenomenological experience. In either case, a fundamental distinction is between "state" and "non-state" theories of hypnosis. State theorists believe that an altered state of consciousness is a core part of hypnosis, whereas non-state theorists believe that more mundane psychological processes such as focused attention and expectation are sufficient to explain hypnotic phenomena. The precise definition of what constitutes an altered state of consciousness is a matter of some debate. Although many people who are hypnotized describe their experience as "altered" it is difficult to use these terms in the absence of a prior definition.
The American Psychological Association remains neutral in the argument between 'state' and 'non-state' theorists. However, this controversy may be decreasing as modern brain-imaging techniques offer hope for an increased understanding of the nature of hypnosis, and as the value of both perspectives is increasingly recognized. The following theories have been presented from highly regarded individuals/groups: Hypnotisim and Hypnosis in the News
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