Operationalizing Pattern Approaches to Consciousness: An Analysis of Phenomenological Patterns of Consciousness among Individuals of Differing Susceptibility

Abstract

Pattern differences in subjective experience, as assessed by a self-report inventory, the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI), were compared across low, low-medium, high-medium, and high hypnotically susceptible individuals during hypnosis and eyes-closed. A hierarchical factor analytic approach was utilized that allowed for the determination of pattern differences among PCI dimensions as a function of hypnotic susceptibility. The factor analyses found that the four suspectibility groups were “pattern equivalent” during eyes-closed, partially pattern dissimilar during hypnosis, and partially pattern dissimilar when comparing hypnosis against eyes-closed. The nature of these results support previous analyses [1] which compared pattern structure differences as a function of correlational matrices. The results suggest the complementarity of Bieber's [2] and Pekala's [3] approaches for assessing pattern differences in consciousness and are congruent with the theorizing of Tart [4], Izard [5], and the PDP researchers on the importance of pattern structure changes in understanding states of consciousness.