Contemporary Hypnosis: A Componential Approach to Hypnotic Memory

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Authors G.F. Wagstaff¹ , J. Cole , J. Wheatcroft² , M. Marshall¹ , I. Barsby¹

Affiliations

1. School of Psychology, University of Liverpool

2. School of Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University

   
   

PMID: N/A (Source ID) DOI: 10.1002/ch.334

Abstract

Background Although hypnosis is now less popular as an interviewing technique in forensic investigations than it used to be, recent evidence suggests that some of the components of hypnotic interviewing might still be useful in the development of brief memory facilitation procedures.

Methods Two experiments are described which continue this componential approach to hypnotic interviewing. In the first experiment, the effects on episodic memory of a brief context reinstatement (revivification) procedure were examined together with a focused breathing meditation technique which shares similarities with traditional hypnotic induction. A second experiment investigated the effects of horizontal eye movements which some have also associated with hypnotic responding.

Results Results indicated that a combined context reinstatement and focused meditation procedure was more effective than context reinstatement alone in facilitating memory for an emotional event without the increase in false positive errors familiar to more traditional hypnosis techniques. In contrast, an instruction to perform horizontal eye movements was not effective in facilitating memory and, when combined with a suggestion for improved recall, produced higher confidence in incorrect responses.

Conclusions The implications of using a componential approach to forensic hypnosis—specifically utilizing meditation and context reinstatement while avoiding eye movement techniques—are discussed regarding witness accuracy and confidence.

Keywords accuracy, confidence, context reinstatement, EMDR, eye movements, forensic hypnosis, interviewing, meditation, memory facilitation.