| Abstract: | Reviews the book, Hypnotism: an objective study in suggestibility, by A. M. Weitzenhofer (see record 1954-05565-000). It has been said that there is a resurgence of interest in hypnosis with a periodicity of about 30 years. This book among many others is partly the result of the present climb toward the crest of the wave. After reviewing the experimental literature Weitzenhofer surveys critically the theories of hypnosis. He rejects all of these theories either in whole or part because of inadequacies and then formulates one of his own. To the reviewer none of these theories, including that of the author, is very enlightening. They all lack predictive power, which in the reviewer's opinion is one of the principal functions of a scientific theory. The reviewer believes, though, that this book will be profitable reading for all who have even the slightest scientific interest in hypnosis, and for others it may generate interest if they can but find time to study it. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
