William E. Edmonston, Jr.: Editor, 1968–1976

Abstract

This article is part of an occasional series profiling editors of the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis (AJCH). William E. Edmonston was the second editor, succeeding Milton H. Erickson. His research focused on the use of conditioning paradigms and psychophysiological measures to explore a wide variety of hypnotic phenomena, leading to a “neo-Pavlovian” theory of neutral hypnosis as physiological relaxation (anesis). A longtime professor of psychology at Colgate University, he created an interdisciplinary undergraduate major in neuroscience, and was named New York State College Professor of the Year in 1988. He gave the Journal a new look, and a greater balance of clinical and experimental papers. The article also provides background on George Barton Cutten, George H. Estabrooks, and Frank A. Pattie, pioneers of hypnosis who were linked to Edmonston.