A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Posthypnotic Suggestion Alters Conscious Color Perception in an Automatic Manner
Authors: Kallio S, Koivisto M
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD
Publication year: 2013
Journal: International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis
Journal name in source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL HYPNOSIS
Journal acronym: INT J CLIN EXP HYP
Number in series: 4
Volume: 61
Issue: 4
First page : 371
Last page: 387
Number of pages: 17
ISSN: 0020-7144
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207144.2013.810446(external)
Abstract
The authors studied whether a posthypnotic suggestion to see a brief, masked target as gray can change the color experience of a hypnotic virtuoso. The visibility of the target was manipulated by varying the delay between the target and the mask that followed it. The virtuoso's subjective reports indicated that her conscious color experience was altered already at short delays between the target and the subsequent mask. The virtuoso's objectively measured pattern of responding under posthypnotic suggestion could not be mimicked either by control participants nor the virtuoso herself. Due to posthypnotic amnesia, the virtuoso was unaware of suggestions given during hypnosis. Importantly, the virtuoso could not alter her color perception without a hypnotic suggestion. These results suggest that hypnosis can affect even a highly automatic process such as color perception.
The authors studied whether a posthypnotic suggestion to see a brief, masked target as gray can change the color experience of a hypnotic virtuoso. The visibility of the target was manipulated by varying the delay between the target and the mask that followed it. The virtuoso's subjective reports indicated that her conscious color experience was altered already at short delays between the target and the subsequent mask. The virtuoso's objectively measured pattern of responding under posthypnotic suggestion could not be mimicked either by control participants nor the virtuoso herself. Due to posthypnotic amnesia, the virtuoso was unaware of suggestions given during hypnosis. Importantly, the virtuoso could not alter her color perception without a hypnotic suggestion. These results suggest that hypnosis can affect even a highly automatic process such as color perception.