The experimental literature suggests the use of hypnosis, suggestion, and behavior modification procedures as efficacious means of altering behavior. The present study hypothesized that these methods, if applied in a narural classroom setting (Brunswick, 1956). would enhance academic self-esteem. All subjects completed the Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale, the Brown-Holmman Study Habits Inventory, the Barksdale Self-esteem Scale, and three semantic differential estimates of self-concept. In addition, each S monitored his or her own overt behavior in five areas of academic activiry: hours of library use, hours of study, hours of course discussion with peers, class participation, and class attendance for a 1-wk. baseline period. Eight subjects were randomly assigned to each of four experimental groups (hypnosis, suggestion, coverant control therapy, attention-control) which met for 1-hr. sessions during a 4-wk. period. During this period Ss monitored the five academic areas weekly. The psychological tests initially given were re-administered at the end of treatment and a postexperimental inquiry of the meaningfulness of the experience to the subjects was conducted. Analyses of covariance with repeated measures design of the psychological tesa and overt behavioral measures failed to support the hypothesis nor was any trend apparent? However, there were many spontaneous reports by Ss of academic self-improvement and lively statements that the project was a meaningful collegiate experience. These paradoxical results suggest an imporrant question. With the control imposed in this representative design, why was there not some evidence of treatment, halo, Hawthorne, Rosenthal, expectancy, or set effects in light of most Ss reporting self-improvement and satisfaction? On the other hand, given that most Ss stated they experienced some form of meaningful academic growth experience as the explication process (Giorgi, 1966) would require, how would the humanistic model account for the lack of any empirical trend? Perhaps investigators might consider Bohr's principle of complementarity (1963) or Jenkins' contexrual analysis (1974). both of which state that the results depend on the method of observation and that no one method is sufficient in itself to understand a process adequately.