Hypnosis and Learning
Human memory performance is determined by factors like mental imagery and cognitive strategies. Since hypnosis involves imaginal processing abilities and attentional abilities, it can greatly influence learning outcomes of learners. Hypnosis may induce imaginal processing and focused attention that may be experienced alongside shifts in brain dynamics. Hypnoteaching is a method of teaching being used by educators to help learners gain interest in classroom learning. This is because learners sometimes loose interest in the learning process, especially in activities that involve reading. Teachers can use hypnosis to communicate positively to the learners through messages that target the subconscious mind. The educator can do this by giving imagination and suggestions to the learners as the messages are expected to make them more interested and enthusiastic about learning. Thus, it is believed that when hypnosis is used this way, it may make learners more interested in their learning. This will in turn improve their memory performance and lead to increased performance.
In a study conducted by Lismalinda & Moriyanti (2019) to investigate the impact of Hypnoteaching method on learners’ reading motivation and achievement, the researchers found that there is a significant relationship between the variables. Participants in this study had a mean score of 40.2 in the Reading Questionnaire (MRQ), which indicated poor reading skills. After using Hypnoteaching, the means score increased to 81.1, which indicated good reading skills. The Hypnoteaching process involved aimed at eliminating the negative perceptions about reading from the readers’ minds, thus helping them become motivated and enthusiastic about reading. The process involved the use of positive affirmations about reading and learning. The teacher also used encouraging words that elicited positive emotions in the learners, thereby helping them believe in success. This was done to ignite the learners’ intrinsic motivation especially in reading and classroom learning.
In a similar study, Crawford & Allen (1996) studied the relationship between hypnosis on the recall of high and low imagery, and how hypnosis impacts memory performance with regard to hypnotic level. The researchers used two hypnotic susceptibility scales to assess participants. The research saw both high and low hypnotizable individuals participating. They were divided into four groups, which include waking-hypnosis, waking-waking, hypnosis-waking, and hypnosis-hypnosis. It was found that high imagery words were easier to recall than low imagery ones. Moreover, highly hypnotizable individuals showed that they could recall more paired-associate words during the hypnosis state than the waking state. However, the low hypnotizable individuals did not show any difference in the way they recalled the words both in their waking and hypnosis states. It also determined that Hypnotic level did not moderate memory performance during hypnosis. An individual’s ability to visualize images was also found to be a “poor moderator of imagery mediated learning”. These findings are in line with the results of past studies that found that the left posterior of the brain seems to play a critical role in the visual imaging of high imagery sentences or paired-associate words. The right hemisphere becomes important when mental imagery seems to be holistic and spatial in nature.
These studies show that hypnosis can be used to induce brain states that encouraging learning and recall of certain words. Overall, they demonstrate that hypnosis can be used to induce learning. However, more extensive studies are required to examine the conditions and tasks under which the brain may enhance performance. Future studies should also examine the kind of brain processes and structures involved in in facilitating performance, and whether the level of hypnotic susceptibility is a moderator of brain activation patterns.
References
Crawford, H. J., & Allen, S. N. (1996). Paired-associate learning and recall of high and low imagery words: Moderating effects of hypnotic susceptibility level, and visualization abilities. The American journal of psychology, 109(3), 353.
Lismalinda, L., & Moriyanti, M. (2019). The Influence of Hypnoteaching Method on Students’ Reading Motivation and Achievement in Secondary School. IJELTAL (Indonesian Journal of English Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics), 4(1), 35-45.
Melvin S. Marsh is a certified life coach and hypnotherapist serving Atlanta GA, Augusta GA, Statesboro GA, and Savannah GA. He performs hypnotherapy and life coaching appointments both in person and worldwide virtually. He can be reached at www.afterhourshypnotherapy.com .
