Measuring the Depth of an Altered State of Consciousness, with Particular Reference to Self-Report Scales of Hypnotic Depth

Abstract

This chapter proposes a theoretical basis for measuring the of any state of consciousness (SoC) with particular emphasis on hypnosis. It reviews the literature on previous attempts at self-report scaling of hypnotic depth, presents data on two self-report scales of hypnotic used extensively in the laboratory. The practical strategy for investigating the continuum for a given SoC would be to start with some important effect of that state that one could vary easily, say, for example, by suggestion in hypnosis. Hypnotic susceptibility and hypnotic depth have frequently been confused in the literature. The chapter considers the LeCron Scale, the North Carolina Scale, the Brief Stanford Scale, the Harvard Discreet Scale, and the Harvard Continuous Scale. It presents scatter plots of the relationship between the mean state report of each subject and his Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) experiential score. The chapter concludes with some general comments on the practical uses of self-report scales.