MAY 2006, VOLUME 34, NUMBER 1, Abstract 11
The Lustre of Hypnosis
Kevin M. McConkey, University of New South Wales, Sydney
Over the last 30 years, there have been significant shifts in the way in which the phenomena and processes of hypnosis have been conceptualised and investigated.These shifts have been influenced by particular individuals and events, both international and Australian, and I first consider the domain and the modern history of hypnosis. I then consider the salient features of competing explanations of the nature and effects of hypnosis, and draw out selected aspects of the theoretical foci, supporting evidence, and empirical questions contained in and raised by those explanations. Finally, I reflect on the scientific themes in the 35th Annual Congress of the Australian Society of Hypnosis, and speculate on the possible future of investigating and using hypnosis.