- Hardcover: 313 pages
- Publisher: Prometheus Books; First Edition edition (19 July 1990)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0879755768
- ISBN-13: 978-0879755768
- Product Dimensions: 23.7 x 16.1 x 2.7 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,013,259 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
This book paints a clear picture of what hypnosis is and is not, what it can and cannot accomplish, and how it can be misused and abused. Baker describes its potential for preventing or arresting pain and outlines future directions for the role of suggestion in the clinic and the laboratory. This engrossing, factual book is a definitive study of hypnosis that illuminates this very unique aspect of creative human behaviour.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
The nonstate interpretation of hypnotism dominates scientific literature on the subject but there are few readable, popular accounts. In this book, Robert Baker hammers home the message of the "sceptical" (aka "nonstate" or "socio-cognitive", or "cognitive-behavioural") position very thoroughly and forcefully. Contrary to what the other reviewer has said, Baker actually references a large number of experimental and clinical studies but tries to express their findings in plain English. Indeed, this book contains about 400 references, mainly to respected clinical textbooks and scientific articles. At times Baker does seem a little sarcastic or dismissive, but he is writing in a popular style, trying to be blunt, and countering a century of engrained misconceptions. There's no advice on hypnotherapy techniques or any clinical information of that kind. What you get is what the book aims to provide, a detailed critique of the theory of hypnotic trance, and all its implications, in layman's terms. Clinicians will find it readable and informative, mainly useful at a conceptual level, although that does have indirect practical implications. For those unfamiliar with the state versus nonstate debate it should be emphasised that rejecting the concept of "hypnotic trance" as a special altered state of consciousness definitely does NOT mean rejecting the concept of hypnotherapy or the evidence of its effectiveness as a method of treatment, just interpreting what's going on in a different ("common sense") way by appealing to ordinary psychological factors like motivtion, role-perception, expectation, focused attention, and suggestion instead of a mysterious altered state of consciousness called "hypnotic trance".
Donald Robertson, author of,
The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy
The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid the Father of Hypnotherapy
The Practice of Cognitive-Behavioural Hypnotherapy
Donald Robertson, author of,
The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT): Stoic Philosophy as Rational and Cognitive Psychotherapy
The Discovery of Hypnosis: The Complete Writings of James Braid the Father of Hypnotherapy
The Practice of Cognitive-Behavioural Hypnotherapy
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Contrary to the previous reviewer, the book is extensively documented with references to the work of leading hypnosis researchers (especially ch. 3, "Hypnosis: Recent and Contemporary Views"). The book has its flaws (search for "Robert Baker" on the web to find some of them), but this is an excellent introduction to the subject.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This book is an excellent summary of theories of hypnosis
with an emphasis on criticisms of state theories. The
author argues for social/cognitive non-state theories.
The book is marred only by the fact that many passages
are lifted directly from the authors being summarized,
without being noted as such.
with an emphasis on criticisms of state theories. The
author argues for social/cognitive non-state theories.
The book is marred only by the fact that many passages
are lifted directly from the authors being summarized,
without being noted as such.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Opinionated, with no proof or examples
If you are looking for a book that shows the history and development of hypnosis this book will prove to be frustrating and boring. Read more
Published on 16 July 1998
The BEST book on Hypnosis, bar none.
I learned more about Hypnosis from this book than any other that I have read. A completely different approach than most.
Published on 2 May 1998
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