Spontaneous Post-Hypnotic Amnesia and Spontaneous Rehypnotic Recovery in Repressers

Abstract

The Salpêtrière school of hypnosis posited that true hypnotic effects occur spontaneously in people with repressive tendencies. Consistent with this early position, the current study indicates that both spontaneous amnesia after hypnosis and spontaneous recovery during rehypnosis are statistically associated with repression (but not with hypnotic suggestibility). In contrast, both suggested forgetting and suggested recovery are statistically associated with hypnotic suggestibility (but not with repression). Whereas the latter effects of suggestibility are attributable to the demand characteristics of hypnotic suggestions, the spontaneous effects of hypnosis on repressers' memories are not reducible to social psychological principles.