The following are the different stages in a hypnotic process. Please number them in the proper order of the stages in a hypnotic process from 1 to 9.
Please indicate of which stage each of the following is an example by putting a number in the space provided. Please note that your answering the previous questions correctly is very essential to attempting the following questions.
Write NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS/AND OR A NUMBER from the passage for each answer.
Hypnosis
There are many methods of producing hypnosis; indeed, almost every experienced hypnotist employs variations differing slightly from those of others. Perhaps the most common method is something along these lines. The hypnotist tries to obtain his subject’s cooperation by pointing out to him the advantages to be secured by the hypnosis, such as, for instance, the help in curing a nervous illness to be derived from the patient’s remembering in the trance certain events which otherwise are inaccessible to his memory. The patient is reassured about any possible dangers he might suspect to be present in hypnosis, and he may also be told (quite truthfully) that it is not a sign of instability or weakness to be capable of being put in a hypnotic trance, but that, quite on the contrary, a certain amount of intelligence and concentration on the part of the subject is absolutely essential.
Next, the subject is asked to lie down on a couch, or sit in an easy-chair. External stimulation is reduced to a minimum by drawing the curtains and excluding, as far as possible, all disruptive noises. It is sometimes helpful to concentrate the subject's attention on some small bright object dangled just above eye-level, thus forcing him to look slightly upwards. This leads quickly to a fatigue of the eye-muscles, and thus facilitates his acceptance of the suggestion that he is feeling tired and that his eyes are closing. The hypnotist now begins to talk to the subject in a soft tone of voice, repeating endlessly suggestions to the effect that the subject is feeling drowsy, getting tired, that his eyes are closing, that he is falling into a deep sleep, that he cannot hear anything except the hypnotist’s voice, and so on and so forth. In a susceptible subject, a light trance is, thus, induced after a few minutes, and the hypnotist now begins to deepen this trance and to test the reactions of the subject by giving suggestions which are more and more difficult of execution. Thus, he will ask the subject to clasp his hands together, and tell him that it is impossible for him to separate his hands again. The subject, try as he may, finds, to his astonishment, that he cannot in actual fact pull his hands apart. Successful suggestions of this kind are instrumental in deepening the hypnotic trance until, finally, in particularly good subjects, all the phenomena which will be discussed presently can be elicited. Having induced a reasonable deep hypnotic trance in our subject, what types of phenomena can be elicited? The first and most obvious one, which, indeed, may be responsible in large measure for all the others, is a tremendous increase in the subject’s suggestibility. He will take up any suggestion the hypnotist puts forward and act on it to the best of his ability. Suggest to him that he is a dog, and he will go down on all fours and rush around the room barking and yelping. Suggest to him that he is Hitler, and he will throw his arms about and produce an impassioned harangue in an imitation of the raucous tones of the Fuhrer! This tremendous increase in suggestibility is often exploited on the stage to induce people to do foolish and ridiculous acts. Such practices are not to be encouraged because they go counter to the ideal of human dignity and are not the kind of way in which hypnosis ought to be used; nevertheless, they must be mentioned because 'they are probably phenomena such as these which are most familiar to people from vaudeville acts, from reading the papers, and so forth.
It would not be true to say, however, that all suggestions are accepted, even in the very deepest trance. This is particularly true when a suggestion is made which is contrary to the ethical and moral conceptions held by the subject. A well-known story may be quoted to illustrate this. Charcot the great French neurologist, whose classes at one time were attended by Freud, was lecturing on hypnosis and was demonstrating the phenomena of the hypnotic trance on a young girl of eighteen. When she had been hypnotized deeply he was called away, and handed over the demonstration to one of his assistants. This young man, lacking the seriousness of purpose so desirable in students of medicine, even French ones, suggested to the young lady that she should remove her clothes. She immediately awakened from her trance, slapped his face, and flounced out of the room, very much to his discomfiture.
The hypnotist says to the patient that his eyes are tired and that he is going to fall into sleep.
The hypnotist asks the patient to relax his muscles and lie comfortably.
The hypnotist says to a patient that remembering in the trance state Stage certain events is helpful in curing his nervous illness.
The hypnotist asks the patient to clasp his hands and tells him that it is impossible for him to separate his hands.
The hypnotist asks the patient to recall his memories of certain events.
The hypnotist asks the patient to look slightly upwards at a light.
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Question Focus: Identifying the stage where harder suggestions are used to deepen trance
Correct Answer: 8
Why this is correct: The passage says the hypnotist begins to deepen the trance by giving suggestions that are more difficult of execution. This clearly describes a later stage, after a light trance has already started.
Passage Reference: and the hypnotist now begins to deepen this trance and to test the reactions of the subject by giving suggestions which are more and more difficult of execution.
Common Mistake: Students may place this too early, confusing it with first suggestions. That is a wrong section trap because early stages only relax the patient.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'deepen this trance ... more difficult of execution' = Question: 'begins to deepen the trance by giving suggestions more difficult of execution'
Tips: Look for sequence words like 'now begins' to identify later stages.
Key Vocabulary:
- deepen = make stronger
- execution = carrying out
Question Focus: Reassuring the patient about hypnosis
Correct Answer: 2
Passage Reference: The patient is reassured about any possible dangers he might suspect to be present in hypnosis, and he may also be told (quite truthfully) that it is not a sign of instability or weakness to be capable of being put in a hypnotic trance, but that, quite on the contrary, a certain amount of intelligence and concentration on the part of the subject is absolutely essential.
Why this is correct: This reassurance happens very early, before physical preparation. The passage clearly explains hypnosis is not a sign of weakness.
Common Mistake: Some students place this after the trance begins. That is a time/tense trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'not a sign of instability or weakness' = Question: 'not a sign of weakness in his personal character'
Tips: Early stages focus on trust and explanation, not physical actions.
Key Vocabulary:
- instability = weakness
- reassured = made calm
Question Focus: Physical positioning of the patient
Correct Answer: 3
Passage Reference: Next, the subject is asked to lie down on a couch, or sit in an easy-chair.
Why this is correct: The word Next shows this is an early physical step, right after explanations.
Common Mistake: Placing this after curtain drawing is a sequence trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'lie down on a couch' = Question: 'lie down or sit in an easy-chair'
Tips: Words like 'Next' are strong clues for order questions.
Key Vocabulary:
- subject = patient
- couch = sofa
Question Focus: Explaining benefits of hypnosis
Correct Answer: 1
Passage Reference: The hypnotist tries to obtain his subject's cooperation by pointing out to him the advantages to be secured by the hypnosis, such as, for instance, the help in curing a nervous illness to be derived from the patient's remembering in the trance certain events which otherwise are inaccessible to his memory.
Why this is correct: This is the very first thing the hypnotist does, explaining advantages to gain cooperation.
Common Mistake: Students confuse this with later memory recall. That is a context shift trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'advantages to be secured' = Question: 'advantages of undergoing a hypnotic diagnosis'
Tips: Stage 1 is almost always explanation and persuasion.
Key Vocabulary:
- advantages = benefits
- derived = obtained
Question Focus: Achieving deep trance
Correct Answer: 9
Passage Reference: until, finally, in particularly good subjects, all the phenomena which will be discussed presently can be elicited.
Why this is correct: The word finally shows this is the last stage, when a deep trance is reached.
Common Mistake: Placing this at stage 7 is a partial truth trap because stage 7 is only a light trance.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'deepening the hypnotic trance ... finally' = Question: 'put into a deep trance'
Tips: Look for 'finally' to identify the last stage.
Key Vocabulary:
- elicited = produced
- phenomena = effects
Question Focus: Reducing external stimulation
Correct Answer: 4
Passage Reference: External stimulation is reduced to a minimum by drawing the curtains and excluding, as far as possible, all disruptive noises.
Why this is correct: This happens after the patient is seated, preparing the environment.
Common Mistake: Students put this before seating the patient. That is a sequence trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'drawing the curtains' = Question: 'The curtains are drawn'
Tips: Environment preparation comes after physical positioning.
Key Vocabulary:
- external = outside
- disruptive = disturbing
Question Focus: Induction of light trance
Correct Answer: 7
Passage Reference: In a susceptible subject, a light trance is, thus, induced after a few minutes
Why this is correct: The passage clearly labels this moment as a light trance.
Common Mistake: Confusing this with deep trance is a qualification trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'a light trance is ... induced' = Question: 'A light trance is induced'
Tips: Light trance always comes before deep trance.
Key Vocabulary:
- susceptible = easily affected
- induced = caused
Question Focus: Verbal suggestion by hypnotist
Correct Answer: 6
Passage Reference: The hypnotist now begins to talk to the subject in a soft tone of voice, repeating endlessly suggestions to the effect that the subject is feeling drowsy, getting tired, that his eyes are closing, that he is falling into a deep sleep, that he cannot hear anything except the hypnotist's voice, and so on and so forth.
Why this is correct: Soft verbal repetition happens just before the light trance forms.
Common Mistake: Putting this after light trance is a time trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'talk ... in a soft tone' = Question: 'talks ... in a soft tone of voice'
Tips: Speech-based actions usually come before trance induction.
Key Vocabulary:
- drowsy = sleepy
- suggestion = idea
Question Focus: Visual concentration technique
Correct Answer: 5
Passage Reference: It is sometimes helpful to concentrate the subject's attention on some small bright object dangled just above eye-level, thus forcing him to look slightly upwards. This leads quickly to a fatigue of the eye-muscles, and thus facilitates his acceptance of the suggestion that he is feeling tired and that his eyes are closing.
Why this is correct: This happens after reducing stimulation but before verbal repetition.
Common Mistake: Placing this too early is a sequence trap.
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'small bright object' = Question: 'some small bright object'
Tips: Techniques that tire the eyes come before verbal hypnosis.
Key Vocabulary:
- fatigue = tiredness
- facilitates = makes easier
General Tips:
- Ordering questions always follow the passage order. Use signal words like 'Next' and 'finally'.
- Do not rely on logic alone. Always match actions to exact passage wording.
- Early stages focus on explanation and comfort, later stages focus on trance depth.
- Write only what the question asks for. Here, only stage numbers are needed.
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