Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of Time-Slowing Suggestions on Rate of Emission of an Operant Response

  • Published:
The Psychological Record Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Five suggestible female subjects acquired an operant response conditioned on a variable interval schedule of reinforcement. Each subject was then hypnotized and performed the response during 6-min. alternating baseline and experimental phases in an Abab withdrawal design. Experimental phases were preceded by administration of time-slowing suggestions. Return to baseline condition was accomplished via presentation of a time-normalization suggestion. Four of the subjects demonstrated noticeable decreases in operant response rate during time-slowed phases as compared to the preceding baseline phases. Subjects decreased their response rates despite a perceived response cost in doing so. Subjective reports indicated that all subjects experienced slowed time passage during experimental phases although subjective experiences varied greatly between individuals. An attempt is made to explain the differences between subjects in their overt and covert responses to time-slowing suggestions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • BARBER, T. X. 1965. Measuring “hypnotic-like” suggestibility with and without “hypnotic induction.” Psychological Reports, 16, 809–844.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • BARBER, T.X. 1972. Suggested (“hypnotic”) behavior: The trance paradigm versus an alternative paradigm. In E. Fromm & R. Shor (Eds.), Hypnosis. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • BARBER, T.X., & CALVERLEY, D. S. 1964. Toward a theory of “hypnotic” behavior: An experimental study of “hypnotic time distortion”. Archives of General Psychiatry, 10, 209–216.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • CASEY, G. A. 1966. Hypnotic time distortion and learning. Dissertation Abstracts, 27, 2116–2117.

    Google Scholar 

  • COOPER, L. F., & ERICKSON, M. H. 1950. Time distortion in hypnosis. The Bulletin Georgetown University Medical Center, 4, 50–68.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • COOPER, L.F., & RODGIN D.W. 1952. Time distortion in hypnosis and nonmotor learning. Science, 115, 500–502.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • FERSTER, C. B., LEVITT, E. E., ZIMMERMAN, J., & BRADY, J. P. 1961. The measurement of hypnotic effects by operant-reinfor cement techniques. The Psychological Record, 11, 427–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • HERSEN, M., & BARLOW, D.H. 1976. Single case experimental designs: Strategies for studying behavior change. New York: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • JOHNSON, R.F.Q. 1976. Hypnotic time distortion and the enhancement of learning: New data pertinent to the Krauss-Katzell-Krauss experiment. The American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, 19, 98–102.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • KAZDIN, A.E. 1976. Statistical analyses for single-case experimental designs. In M. Hersen & D.H. Barlow, Single case experimental designs: Strategies for studying behavior change. New York: Pergamon Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • KRAUSS, H.H., KATZELL, R., & KRAUSS, B.J. 1974. Effect of hypnotic time distortion upon free-recall learning. Journal of A bnormal Psychology, 83, 140–144.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • KROGER, W.S. 1977. Clinical and experimental hypnosis (2nd ed.). Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • KROGER, W.S., & FEZLER, W.D. 1976. Hypnosis and behavior modification: Imagery conditioning. Philadelphia: J. B Lippincott Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • LINDSLEY, O.R. 1957. Operant behavior during sleep: A measure of depth of sleep. Science, 126, 1290–1291.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • SI DMAN, M. 1960. Tactics of scientific research: Evaluating experimental data in psychology. New York: Basic Books, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • WEITZENHOFFER, A. M., & HILGARD, E. R. 1962. Stanford hypnotic susceptibility scale, form C. Palo Alto: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • ZIMBARDO, P.G., MASLACH, C., & MARSHALL, G. 1972. Hypnosis and the psychology of cognitive and behavioral control. In E. Fromm & R. Shor, (Eds.), Hypnosis. Chicago: Aldine.

    Google Scholar 

  • ZIMBARDO, P.G., MARSHALL, G., WHITE, G., & MASLACH, C. 1973. Objective assessment of hypnotically induced time distortion. Science, 181, 282–284.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Nova University, 3301 College Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 33314, USA

    Lee Baer

Authors
  1. Lee Baer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

The author wishes to express his gratitude to Dr. Edward R. Simco, Dr. John M. Flynn, and Dr. Leo J. Reyna for their invaluable assistance throughout the course of this study. A special thanks to Mr. Jerry Adato for his aid as a research assistant.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Baer, L. Effect of Time-Slowing Suggestions on Rate of Emission of an Operant Response. Psychol Rec 29, 389–400 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394627

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03394627

Search

Navigation