SUNY Professor to Examine ‘Hypnosis: Science and Nonsense’ April 21

The Syracuse University Psychology Department Colloquium welcomes Steven Jay Lynn, Distinguished Professor of Psychology and director of the Psychological Clinic at Binghamton University, for the discussion “Hypnosis: Science and Nonsense” on Friday, April 21. Additionally titled “Most Everything You Wanted to Know About Hypnosis, But Didn’t Know Who to Ask,” the event is 2 to 3 p.m. in Room 102 in the Whitman School of Management building.

“Hypnosis has long fascinated scientists, clinical practitioners and the general public,” says Joshua Felver, assistant professor of psychology. “Nevertheless, many myths and misconceptions about hypnosis persist, as is evident in popular depictions of hypnosis in the media and even in the scientific literature.”

Hypnosis has moved increasingly into the orbit of mainstream science in recent years. In this presentation, Dr. Lynn will summarize his work on hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena over the past decades, including the nature of the experience of hypnosis, the role of the hypnotic induction, the experience of nonvolition or involuntariness during hypnosis, hypnosis and memory, and the stability of hypnotic responding.

Lynn will also present a sociocognitive model of hypnosis that challenges the traditional “trance” conceptualization of hypnosis. And he will address some common questions about hypnosis, including: Is hypnosis a trance state? Do hypnotized participants experience suggestions literally? Does it make a difference what type of induction is used? Can most hypnotized individuals resist suggestions? “Does hypnosis improve memory? Can hypnotic responsiveness be increased?

Lynn is the founding editor of the new APA Journal, Psychology of Consciousness, and is on the editorial board of 10 peer-reviewed journals. He is author or co-author of more than 300 publications in the field of psychology, including the books “Varieties of Anomalous Experience” (American Psychological Association, 2013), “50 Great Myths of Popular Psychology” (Wiley, 2010), “The Handbook of Clinical Hypnosis” (American Psychological Association, 2010) and “Rational and Irrational Beliefs” (Oxford University Press, 2009).