What is suggestion. Suggestion, suggestibility, neuropsychological mechanisms of suggestion

Suggestion and self-hypnosis

Suggestion (suggestion) is defined as the transfer and induction from one person to another of thoughts, moods, feelings, vegetative and motor reactions, behavior. The less the one who is being inspired thinks about what is being suggested to him, the more successful the suggestion is. There are two parties involved in the process of suggestion. The inspirer usually has such mental and physical qualities with which he can influence the state of the psyche of another person. Suggestion occurs through words, as well as facial expressions and gestures. The setting is of particular importance. If we are talking about therapeutic suggestion, then the fame of the psychotherapist plays an important role in this process. Knowing about him as a high-class specialist in a certain way prepares the patient for the session.

For the process of suggestion, the degree of suggestibility, that is, the susceptibility to suggestion on the part of the one who will serve as its object, is also of great importance. Usually, increased suggestibility is observed in people with a weak type of nervous system and increased susceptibility. Alcoholics and drug addicts have a particularly weak nervous system.

Axel Munte, a Scandinavian, worked in Paris as a doctor, assistant to the famous neuropathologist, psychiatrist and hypnotist Charcot. In the book San Michele, he described how he once put a very obsessive and arrogant patient in his place. The doctor asked him to show his tongue, constantly lined as a result of alcohol and smoking abuse, and stated that the patient was seriously ill. Arrogant behavior was immediately replaced by a state of depression and anxiety. In this way, both patients and doctors were spared an unpleasant person. It is known that such symptoms as headache, indomitable vomiting, lack of appetite, insomnia, neurotic paralysis, are treated by a skilled psychotherapist with the help of suggestion better than drugs. The Bible describes the scene of the healing of the lame only with the phrase "Get up and walk", which is a typical example of suggestion healing for people who have deep faith in their healer.

Unfortunately, suggestion is often used for criminal purposes. Weak people and losers become slaves of dishonorable or psychopathic leaders who make them criminals. A few years ago, the US media was literally flooded with reports of a mass tragedy. At the initiative of one psychopath, a sect was formed. This man led a hundred adults and children into the jungle, where they established a colony. At some point, he began to inspire them with the idea of mass suicide, and those who did not dare to do this were killed with poisoned injections by fanatical members of the sect.

So what happens? Is it possible to do both good and evil with the help of a “simple” word? It turns out yes. Here are some instructive examples or rather curious stories about suggestion and self-hypnosis.

They say that one musician, dismissed from the brass band, decided to take revenge on his comrades and chose this method for this. He waited until the orchestra was supposed to play a solemn march at some festival, went up to the musicians and began to eat ... a lemon. The mere sight of a lemon and the way this man ate it caused the band members to salivate so much that they couldn't play!

I gave this example as a curiosity. It is possible that the story somewhat exaggerates the action of the spectacle. But he was needed in order to say: not only the taste and appearance of a lemon can cause salivation, but also the mention of it. What's the matter here?

Let's get acquainted with the so-called conditioned and unconditioned reflexes. You burned your finger with a match and pull your hand back immediately without thinking. Painful irritation of the skin was transmitted by nerve fibers to a group of cells in the central nervous system that are in charge of the motor functions of the muscles of the hands. The excitement that arose in them was immediately transmitted along other nerve fibers to the muscles. They contracted sharply - the hand twitched, the fire no longer burns the finger.

This is an unconditioned reflex. We have many of them. They are innate.

And conditional reflexes need to be created, worked out. Research in this area is associated with the name of our famous physiologist IP Pavlov. He showed that if some kind of unconditioned reflex is repeatedly accompanied by a certain stimulus, then after a while the stimulus will begin to cause this reflex.

Here is an example. You are pricked with a needle and at the same time the bell is rung. After a certain number of repetitions, the sound of the bell becomes a signal to withdraw the hand. The needle did not prick, and the hand twitched involuntarily. The conditioned reflex has been created.

Conditioned reflexes play an important role in the life of animals and humans. The child, having been burned by fire, further withdraws his hand before the fire again scorches his skin. A forest animal, having become intimately acquainted with some kind of danger, behaves more cautiously at another time. IP Pavlov called this perception of the surrounding reality by the human and animal brain the first signal system.

In addition, a person has a second signaling system. In this case, the conditioned stimulus is words-images and concepts. If, say, a person has experienced the strongest fright associated with a fire, then with him it is enough to shout “Fire!” To cause the same fright.

Both signaling systems in our body are closely interconnected. They represent the work of our central nervous system. And the latter regulates all the activities of the body. It is known that various emotional experiences (fear, grief, joy, etc.) can cause changes in the work of the heart (acceleration and slowing of the heartbeat, constriction or expansion of blood vessels, redness or blanching of the skin), can lead to gray hair, etc. This means that in one way or another we can influence the work of many internal organs, including the word. It can significantly affect the psyche, and therefore, the work of the whole organism.

And so it happens: you hear the word "lemon", and it immediately makes you salivate.

The impact of words is called suggestion. It is especially susceptible to people whose nervous system is weakened, more excitable. It is not difficult for such a person, for example, to inspire a feeling of fear of something or, conversely, to cheer him up, make him cheerful.

An equally strong, and sometimes even stronger effect on the body can have self-hypnosis. Under the influence of it, you can both recover and get sick. How does it happen?

Nervous, suspicious man felt a slight malaise. But he begins to think about a serious illness. For example, he is hoarse from a cold, and it already seems to him that his voice will disappear completely. This thought haunts an impressionable person, as if he convinces himself that he will soon lose his voice. And he really loses his voice!

There is a story about a criminal sentenced to death, who, while blindfolded, was inspired that his vein had been opened and he was bleeding. A few minutes later he died, despite the fact that instead of blood, warm water flowed through his body!

In past centuries, the power of the word frightened superstitious people. Those who could do this were called sorcerers, able to catch up with "damage" to a person. Half a century ago, in a village near Moscow, cows began to be pricked. The peasants decided that this was the work of a sorcerer (one old man was considered to be such). They thought about dealing with him. But when they gathered near his hut, the old man came out of the house and shouted authoritatively: “I can do anything with you! You will now have diarrhea! - And he pointed to one peasant. “And you will start to stutter!” he pointed to another peasant. And indeed: one immediately felt an upset stomach, and the other began to stutter.

The whole point was that the peasants were convinced of the omnipotence of the old man, believed that he was a sorcerer and was able to "send" the disease. It was this faith that did the extraordinary. The words of the old man, his suggestion had such a strong effect on the psyche of people, on their consciousness, that they actually began to have various disorders in the body.

An even more extraordinary story is told about a Napoleonic soldier who became famous for instantly curing diseases. When a man with a paralyzed leg came to him, he looked menacingly at him, and then commanded loudly: “Get up!” And this worked miraculously for some: the patient threw away his crutches and began to walk!

The soldier became so famous for his amazing healings that hundreds of people suffering from serious illnesses turned to him. He did not heal everyone, but some left him recovered. These were people with various nervous diseases: paralysis of the arms and legs, etc.

What about self-hypnosis? The famous actor I. N. Pevtsov stuttered, but on stage he overcame this lack of speech. How? The actor inspired himself that it was not he himself who was acting and speaking on the stage, but another person - a character in the play who did not stutter. And it has always worked.

The Parisian physician Mathieu did such an interesting experiment. He announced to his patients that he would soon receive from Germany a new drug that would quickly and reliably cure tuberculosis. At that time, there was no cure for this disease.

These words had a strong effect on the sick. No one, of course, thought that this was just an invention of the doctor. The doctor's suggestion turned out to be so effective that when he announced that he had received the medicine and began to treat it, many began to feel much better, and some even recovered.

How did he treat the sick? Plain water!

Suggestion and self-hypnosis can wean a person from a bad habit, make him not be afraid of what scares him, etc.

Probably, and you can remember a case from your life when you convinced yourself of something and it helped. Let's say this is an example. A person is afraid of the dark and at the same time knows that it is stupid. He goes into a dark room and says to himself: “There is nothing to be afraid of! There is nobody there!" Self-hypnosis works, and unconscious fear disappears.

Under the influence of self-hypnosis, a person can lose his legs and arms, and sudden deafness and blindness may occur. In medicine, such diseases are called psychogenic. They easily arise in people prone to hysteria. And this is what is significant in this case: for example, in a person who has lost his sight, it is not the optic nerves that are damaged, but only the activity of that part of the brain that controls visual perception is disrupted. In it, under the influence of self-hypnosis, a persistent focus of painful inhibition develops, i.e., the nerve cells stop working for a long time. They stop receiving incoming signals and responding to them.

Suggestion and self-hypnosis have a great influence on such psychogenic diseases. With hysteria, seizures, convulsions, vomiting, dumbness, deafness, paralysis of the limbs can be observed. All of these disorders are often associated with self-hypnosis.

There are many reliable stories about fakirs, religious fanatics, medieval witches and sorcerers, indicating that in a state of ecstasy they lost their sensitivity to pain and endured the most incredible self-torture or torture with amazing stamina.

You can recall even more incredible, at first glance, stories. In the spring of 1956, several thousand people gathered in front of a peasant woman's house in the German town of Konnerreit. Some have traveled tens, hundreds of kilometers. Everyone longed for only one thing - to see Teresa Neumann, whose wounds open on her body - stigmas, similar in location and character to the wounds of the crucified Christ.

This strange story began in 1926, when Teresa was 28 years old. On her left side, directly opposite her heart, she suddenly had a wound that bled profusely. There were wounds on the head, on the hands and feet. Doctor Otto Seidl was called from the nearest town. The doctor examined Teresa. His report says that the wound against the heart is about 4 cm long. Having smeared the bleeding places with ointment, the puzzled doctor left. After that, the woman was examined by many doctors.

Teresa felt excruciating pain until April 17, when the pain began to subside and soon disappeared. The wounds healed without leaving scars. However, they could hardly be called healed: they were covered with a transparent film through which muscle tissue was visible. Dr. Seidl was called again, and he wrote: “This is the most unusual case. Wounds do not fester, do not inflame. There is not the slightest possibility of forgery, as some have said."

After that, Teresa Neumann was repeatedly examined by doctors. It was found that she had open wounds on her hands, feet, forehead, and sides. Each year, shortly before Easter, these wounds began to bleed, and the bleeding continued throughout the week following Easter, sometimes for several days longer. The examination showed that it was really blood and that it began to flow spontaneously.

For a person who heard this for the first time, all this will seem like a clever deception. Meanwhile, there is no fiction in the story. The history of stigmatists has more than 300 such cases. So, around the same years, in the western regions of Ukraine, the stigmatist laborer of the village of Mlyny, Lviv region, Nastya Voloshina, was known. She suffered from a severe form of hysteria, and, like Teresa Neumann, she had "the wounds of Jesus Christ" on her arms and legs.

In 1914, 49 cases of stigmatization were described: 41 in women and 8 in men. And in most cases, stigmatization arose on religious grounds. But such a case is also known: the sister was present at the cruel punishment with whips of her beloved brother - and her back was covered with the same bleeding scars as his.

Despite all the seeming improbability of such phenomena, they have their own explanation. Before us is the same result of self-hypnosis. Of course, it is possible only in persons with an exceptionally excitable, highly disturbed, sickly psyche. On such people, not only real suffering, but also imaginary ones, are so strong that it is reflected in the work of internal organs. We have already talked about how, in morbidly suspicious people, thoughts about the disease cause a disease that in appearance strongly resembles one or another disease. There are cases when bleeding from the throat began, as with tuberculosis, ulcers appeared on the body, resembling various skin diseases, etc.

The same mechanism of occurrence of ulcers in stigmatists. All such sick fanatically believing people. In the last week before Easter, when they read in churches about how Christ was crucified, this can have such a strong effect on a sick person that his psyche cannot stand it: an obsessive thought appears about the torments that Christ experienced when he was nailed to the cross. Hallucinations begin. Before the eyes of this man, as if alive, is a picture of the crucifixion. The whole nervous system is shaken. And here is the result: in those places where, according to legend, Christ had wounds, open bleeding wounds appear in a man tormented by mental illness.

In the treatment of such patients, faith in the person who treats, and faith in what he will say, can play a decisive role. V. M. Bekhterev wrote about this:

“The secret of healing suggestion was known to many people from the common people, among whom it was passed from mouth to mouth for centuries under the guise of sorcery, witchcraft, conspiracies, etc. Self-hypnosis explains, for example, the effect of many so-called sympathetic means, which often have some healing action. Ferraus cured fever with a piece of paper on which were inscribed two words: "Against fever." The patient had to open one letter every day. There are known cases of the healing effect of “bread pills”, “Neva water”, “laying on of hands”, etc. ”

Even today, one often hears: the old woman “spoke” the wart, and it disappeared. It happens, and there is nothing miraculous about it. The healer here is suggestion and self-hypnosis. Or rather, the belief that a healer can heal a person. When she comes to the patient, he has already heard about her, knows that she has cured someone, and longs for a cure.

And it doesn’t matter at all whether the healer ties the wart with thread or hair and what she whispers over this wart. Everything is decided by the belief that the wart will disappear after such a “conspiracy”.

A man destroys his wart by self-hypnosis! The suggestion of the healer also works here, when she confidently says that the wart will come off.

Psychiatrists have repeatedly repeated this method of treatment. One doctor, for example, moistened a wart with ordinary water, and told the person that this was a new powerful medicine, from which the wart should disappear. And it worked for many. People believed in the medicine, that it would help them, and the warts disappeared.

This explains the "miraculous" healings known in history at various "holy places". This was the case, in particular, in France at the grave of the Catholic deacon Francois de Paris, who died in 1728. The first to come to the grave was the silk winder Madeleine Bényi, who lost her arm. She was led here by the belief that the body of a deacon who had lived a “righteous” life had acquired the ability to heal illnesses. After kissing the grave, she felt some relief, and when she returned home, she was already so fluent in her hand that she immediately set to work with both hands. After that, suffering from various ailments began to flock to the grave, and some of them were actually healed.

For over a hundred years, a small town in the south of France, Lourdes, has been famous among Catholics for “miraculous” healings. A miraculous power is allegedly possessed by a water source. Bathed in it, you can be healed. In fact, a well-thought-out system of influencing the consciousness of pilgrims is the basis of the Lourdes "miracles".

Who's going to Lourdes? As a rule, people who really hope for miraculous healing. After all, the “miracles” of Lourdes are spoken about from the pulpits of cathedrals, written in newspapers, eyewitnesses talk about them.

And the sick are on their way. Since that time, all attention, all talk - about miraculous healings. And here the “holy fathers” take up the pilgrim. Each carriage on trains to Lourdes is accompanied by monks, special "sisters" and "brothers" of mercy. They get acquainted with each patient, with his relatives, tell them all kinds of stories about the miracles of Lourdes, distribute special books, photographs of those who have recovered from the pilgrimage.

When the pilgrims arrive in Lourdes, they are met by new clergymen and led to the "holy grotto". They are silent, their every movement seems meaningful.

During prayer at the grotto, all the sick in chorus repeat the same words: “Lord Jesus! Heal our sick! Almighty Virgin, save us!" These words sound with greater faith and hope, nervous excitement grows, and now loud sighs and hysterical cries are heard in the crowd of worshipers.

It is not difficult to see how important suggestion and self-hypnosis are here. An environment conducive to the emergence of a hypnotic state is created. In Lourdes, Émile Zola excellently described one such healing in such a celebrated place:

“... The eyes of the patient, still devoid of any expression, widened, and her pale face was distorted, as if from unbearable pain. She said nothing and seemed to be in despair. But at that moment, when the holy gifts were carried and she saw the monstrance sparkling in the sun, she was as if blinded by lightning. The eyes flashed, life appeared in them, and they lit up like stars. His face brightened, blushed, lit up with a joyful, healthy smile. Pierre saw how she immediately got up, straightened up in her cart ...

Unbridled delight seized thousands of excited pilgrims, crushing each other to see the healed one, filling the air with cries, words of gratitude and praise. There was a storm of applause, and their thunder rolled through the valley.

Father Furkin shook his hands, Father Massias shouted something from the pulpit; finally heard it:

God has visited us, dear brothers and sisters…”

While promoting the "miracles" of Lourdes, the clergy claimed that there were several miraculous healings there. For a hundred years, thousands of names of supposedly healed people were recorded in a special book. However, a check of this book (checked by a special commission consisting of doctors) showed that in a hundred years there were only 14 healings in Lourdes. All of them are explained by science.

Well, how did the Napoleonic soldier treat? To do this, we must remember that miraculous healing can lead to ... fear. There is a known case when a woman who jumped out of a window fell at the feet of an old man with a paralyzed half of her body and with loss of speech. It affected him so much that he started talking again! Healers also resort to treatment with fright. For example, a cat is suddenly thrown at a sick person. The soldier's medicine worked the same way. When he commanded loudly and authoritatively: “Get up!” - this word affected others so strongly (remember his fame as a doctor) that the hysterical paralysis of the legs suddenly disappeared. The focus of inhibition, which struck the motor centers of the nervous system, was removed, and the muscles began to work.

If we recall the history of peoples, it is not difficult to see that such methods of treatment were already known in the ancient world. Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor V. E. Rozhnov writes:

“The ancient Greeks prayed for health and strength to the healing god Asclepius. The most famous of the temples dedicated to him was located 8 km from the city of Epidaurus. The temple had a special room for sleeping pilgrims who flocked from all over the country. It was called "abaton". It was possible to enter here only after passing preliminary complex ceremonies of “purification” of the soul and body. The priests of the temple talked to everyone for a long time, asking what brought him here, strengthening the hope for recovery, faith in the power and kindness of God - the giver of health. The location and the whole atmosphere of the temple contributed a lot to this. It was located in a dense green grove, among which dozens of crystal clear streams gurgled. The wind carried the fresh smell of the sea here. The fabulous charm of nature merged into indestructible harmony with the majestic and austere beauty of the snow-white building of the temple itself. In the center of it stood a huge marble statue of Asclepius. The outer walls of the temple were made up of huge stone slabs, on which inscriptions were carved, telling about the most outstanding healings that took place here. These slabs were found by archaeologists during excavations, and according to the surviving inscriptions, it is possible to establish what diseases and why were cured here. Here, for example, is one of them: “The girl is dumb. Running around the temple, she saw a snake crawling up a tree in a grove; in horror she began to call her father and mother and left here healthy. Another: “Nikanor is paralyzed. While he was sitting and resting, a boy stole his crutch from him and ran away. He jumped up, ran after him and became healthy.

Psychiatrists know how healing the action of sudden emotional stimuli is sometimes (the role of which in the first case was played by sudden fright, in the second by anger), and they successfully use them to treat various manifestations of hysteria and even to eliminate some paralysis, blindness, deafness and dumbness. . So there is, of course, nothing supernatural in these facts of healing the dumb and the paralytic. And, of course, such healings are not at all frequent and by no means always lead to a complete restoration of the patient's health.

The scientist L. L. Vasiliev spoke about an incident that happened before his eyes. A young man, coming out of a hotly heated village bath, noticed a disgusting insect that he had not seen before - an earwig. With a feeling of disgust, he took the insect with the fingers of his right hand in order to examine it closer. The earwig bent and tried to pinch the finger holding it with its “tweezers”, but it did not succeed, as the man, screaming in surprise, shook the insect to the ground with a sharp movement. And after some time, clearly visible purple spots appeared on the skin areas of the fingers with which he touched the insect - one on the index finger and two on the thumb. Neither burning nor pain in the reddened areas of the skin was felt. Failed to remove stains.

What happened?

Strong fright and self-hypnosis played a role here, that the earwig had bitten a finger, although in reality this was not the case. Fright and self-hypnosis caused local expansion of skin blood vessels.

Once, a motorist driving along a semi-abandoned road suddenly had a flat tire. To his dismay, he discovered that he hadn't brought the jack with him. However, the frustrated driver remembered that he had passed a service station five kilometers earlier and decided to go there. On the way, doubts began to overcome him: “There are no other stations here ... If the owner of this station does not want to help me, I will have nowhere else to turn. I am completely in his power ... He can tear off three skins from me for this damned jack. He can demand 100, 200, or even 500 rubles, and I can’t do anything with him! .. My God, how cleverly some people still know how to use the misfortune of others! .. ”In a rage, our hero approached the station and in response to a friendly question from the unsuspecting owner: “Hello. How can I help you?" - shouted: "Yes, you choke on your damned jack!"

This funny story shows us what can happen if we are not aware enough of our thoughts, and they can gradually become fantastic. In this case, we are dealing with a destructive use of fantasy: first, we spend so much energy creating fantasy that it begins to create the full effect of reality, and then we behave as if it really is reality.

A typical variant of the story with a jack is played out in his imagination by a jealous man. The husband suspects his wife of cheating. He begins to imagine the circumstances under which she could have a lover, thinks about how she spends her free time, about attractive young people whom she is sure to meet during the day, etc. If the husband does not realize that he is actually repeating the jack story, he will quickly convince himself that his wife really has a love affair, and will act accordingly. Things can get to the point that he openly accuses his wife of treason and files for divorce, or in “retaliation” he himself will get her a mistress. And this is all the same self-hypnosis.

Some ideas, words, even answers can be easily instilled into a person.

For example, ask someone:

What is the name of a wire consisting of several strands twisted together?

Cable, - they will answer you.

What is the name of the entry form?

Who killed Cain?

The vast majority answers this question: "Abel", although everyone knows that according to the biblical legend, Cain killed Abel. But this incorrect answer will be inspired by the stereotyping of the endings of the preceding answers.

One of the varieties of suggestion is the so-called "contagious" idea, or, as psychologists say, mental contagion:

“... A loving grandmother, having read the now widespread literature about otherworldly forces, killed her only grandson: it seemed to her that the boy was a demon and “she was given a signal from above to rid the world of evil.”

... Three young people in Voronezh killed their 20-year-old girlfriend: they were sure that the girl was a "cyborg".

... In Orenburg, the brother, together with a certified psychic, cast out demons from his sister, torturing her to death. And then for 40 days he sat near the decaying corpse, waiting for the "resurrection."

Psychic contagiousness, or, if it’s quite scientifically, induced psychoses, has been known since time immemorial. They come in all sorts - from the ecstasy of the dance of St. Vitus to the vulgar hiccups, which suddenly "sick" the whole village. During the First World War, the troops were observed flickering - motor echo, repetition of movements, grimace - this is also one of the forms of mental epidemic. Psychiatrists of all times and peoples have described this phenomenon, when one person, excited by some idea, as if infects others with it, inspires it - and they commit acts dictated by this idea.

Similar epidemics spread among mentally healthy people, but when isolated from the inductor, people quickly come out of this psychosis. They have a critical perception of what happened. Happiness is when the consequences of this "zombie" are reversible.

Inductor- a person who spreads a mental epidemic around him - as a rule, enjoys authority in his environment, is overly active, has the ability to convince. But, as practice shows, it is not at all necessary that this person be of a particularly high intellectual level. The old authors of monographs on psychiatry described many cases when the most primitive, often mentally unhealthy person induced much more developed people. For example, maids in rich houses, often mentally ill, instilled in their ladies a clearly delusional idea, and they easily became infected with it.

Studies of the phenomenon of psychic contagion show that the content of an "infectious" idea, its insignificance or, conversely, its greatness, its falsity or justice, are of no decisive importance. These may be the complex psychological motifs of demonology and the Inquisition of the Middle Ages, or the general infection with epilepsy. Today presents us with an assortment of mental epidemics - the "White Brotherhood" and other totalitarian sects. Swinging in front of the TV, from which numerous "healers" and psychics broadcast, an explosive mixture of ideas of resurrection and transmigration of souls, the existence of otherworldly forces, etc.

And you should not think that you and I will certainly be able to avoid this mental contagion, because, as the classics of psychiatry claimed, there is no hysteria as a disease, but only hysterical reactions that are not painful in themselves - each person is more or less prone to these hysterical reactions.

So, a person as a social being is suggestible in principle, and his submission to the current social idea or the idea that is fashionable in his microsociety is a natural thing ”And, of course, not every induced psychosis ends in a crime. But nevertheless, the specialists of the Center. V. P. Serbsky argue: never before have people's propensity for mental contagion turned into such bloody, cruel crimes as in recent times. Let's give examples.

"Almetyevsk. Three adults (from 30 to 40 years old) savagely tortured their mother for several days until she died from a painful shock. One of the sisters, who is engaged in extrasensory perception, suggested: the mother is a sorceress, all the troubles that fall to the lot of the members of this family are from her evil eye, it is necessary to exorcise the demon from her. The tormentors were in such a deep hysterical psychosis that they burned themselves with a red-hot iron (“to cleanse themselves”), while they practically did not feel pain. Then they poured boiling water on themselves in such an amount that the water leaked onto the neighbors from below. None of the participants in this tragedy was previously subject to any mental disorders. But at the time of the crime, they were all insane, induced. The sister, who inspired the idea of exorcising demons, and her husband (a police officer, by the way), since they themselves did not take part in the murder, are not subject to jurisdiction and continue to “treat”. And, they say, they quite successfully save people from ailments, because they have extrasensory abilities.

Here is what an employee of the Center them. V. P. Serbsky Evgeny Makushkin:

“It is not the job of psychiatrists to establish whether these people really have any ability to heal, just as the question of the existence of otherworldly forces is not in our competence. But the fact remains that today the most contagious ideas that lead to the most serious crimes are the ideas of extrasensory perception, the ideas of the existence of demons, and various modifications of religious ideas. Previously, we believed that mainly children and women are induced, often hysterical, often people with a low intellectual level. But we are increasingly confronted with induced men who have received a good education. It cannot be said that they are too suggestible, at first they are quite critical of what is happening. And yet... All the classics of psychiatry agree on one thing: a mental epidemic occurs in a certain closed environment. But it is not known exactly what exactly causes it, what kind of field there is, what kind of “virus” there is. Forecast? There will be social, political, economic stabilization, and these conditions will become less common.

Candidate of Medical Sciences Dina Demonova, who also deals with this problem, believes that, nevertheless, the clinical forms of induced psychoses mainly affect women of a certain cultural stratum and who are not settled in their personal lives:

“Mass television hypnosis has significantly destabilized the psyche of our population. Experiments show that even in a hypnotic state, a person cannot be provoked to kill. But induced psychoses are more difficult than hypnosis. First, taboos are destroyed in a person, values are shifted. And only then ... Now society is subject to magical thinking. Everything that is connected with magic is perceived by us practically without criticism.

While scientists are looking for a "virus" of psychic contagion, while forensic scientists are horrified by the severity of the deed induced, more and more schools of "magic and magic" are opening, more and more psychics receive diplomas and heal the suffering. Some might actually help. God help. And yet, in the 21st century Isn't it possible to be a little more critical of sorcerers and witches, of the new "Jesus" and "Virgin Marys"?

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From the book Psychotechnics of Influence. Secret methods of special services by Leroy David

Chapter Six Self-hypnosis Suggestion is a psychological influence on consciousness, but at the same time, the human psyche perceives all attitudes and beliefs without critical evaluation. Self-hypnosis is, as is clear, also a process of suggestion, but it is already addressed to oneself. Psychotechnics

Psychological influence is a process that changes the behavior and type of thinking of another person. There are different types of influence (persuasion, infection, suggestion, imitation, etc.) and opposition to influence (ignoring, criticism, refusal, etc.).

The concept of influence

Psychological influence is a concept that is often used in psychology and sociology. It means a process that results in a change in the behavior, attitudes, intentions, desires and ideas of an outsider.

The mechanisms of psychological influence help in realizing the potential of intra-group or mass interaction. The concept implies the use of methods of disintegration or group differentiation.

Features of psychological influence:

is spontaneous, unconscious;
not subject to social control;
used for specific purposes (positive or negative);
is an intermediate state of man.

The topic of psychological influence is of particular interest to entrepreneurs, advertisers, marketers and businessmen. With the help of mechanisms of influence, they can sell their product. The results of the activities of representatives of these professions depend on the ability to use the tools of psychological influence.

The concept of psychologically constructive influence implies that the influence should not negatively affect the individual. Mandatory requirements - psychological literacy and correctness.

The impact on a person is often used by people in everyday life. Usually with selfish intentions or for the purpose of obtaining benefits. Knowing the characteristics of your interlocutor, it is not difficult to achieve the desired result.

Main types

In psychology and sociology, directed and undirected psychological influence is distinguished. Directed methods include such methods of psychological influence as persuasion and suggestion. To the undirected - infection and imitation.

You need to know the difference between criticism and suggestion. Criticism directly indicates how not to do, and suggestion - how to do it. Criticism and suggestion also differ in subject matter.

Designed to relieve certain fears. It is necessary to remove obstacles on the way of information to human consciousness.

Persuasion is a type of influence, the purpose of which is the impact of an individual on the human psyche through appeal to his personal judgment, satisfaction of his needs with the help of other people.

It is implemented through communication with the desired object. The main purpose is to change a person's views on certain things. The first to attempt to talk is the initiator of the conversation.

The basis of persuasion is the individual's conscious attitude to certain information, its introspection, criticism, and evaluation. Persuasion is built on a system of arguments. They are formed according to the laws of logic and must be substantiated by those who induce conviction.

This type of influence is best introduced during discussions, group discussions, and disputes. Basic requirements for persuasion:

logic;
subsequence;
reasoning;
validity based on scientifically evidence-based materials.

The success of this type of influence directly depends on the skills of the person who conducts it. If the belief was successfully introduced, then the individual will accept and will continue to be guided in choosing something by new information. In the process, the worldview is transformed.

Persuasion is most commonly used in child-rearing and scientific controversy. It requires great effort and the use of various oratory techniques.

Infection

The oldest method of influence. Most often used in relation to large groups of people - at stadiums, concerts. Especially effective during rallies, protests, strikes. It develops most rapidly in a poorly cohesive team, where the level of organization is poor or completely absent. The main sign of infection is spontaneity.

In the process of such influence, the communicator conveys to the person his mood, mood, emotions, motives. This is realized not through communication, but through the emotional environment. The process of transition of the mood of one person to another is unconscious.

In psychology, the phenomenon of infection is explained as a way of transmitting the emotional state of one individual to another at the psychological level. It happens that both people want to infect at the same time. The one whose emotional charge is stronger will be successful.

The degree of infection of the crowd depends on:

level of development;
the strength of the energy charge of the communicator;
psychological state;
age;
beliefs;
degree of suggestibility;
self-awareness;
emotional mood, etc.

Infection is like a chain reaction. Initially, one person can become infected, which transfers an emotional charge to another, etc.

This type of influence is easiest to implement in a crowd, because in such a situation a person becomes more vulnerable. Criticality to the assessment and perception of information narrows.

Sometimes speakers use infection in their trainings. Their goal is to motivate listeners, literally infect them with their vital energy.

Suggestion

Suggestion is considered the most dangerous kind of influence. This is the main instrument of influence in various types of hypnotherapy. With its help, you can force a person to perform certain functions, change the type of behavior, thinking or opinion about an object.

Suggestion consists in reducing the criticality of the individual to the information received. Because there is no desire to check it for authenticity.

Suggestion is very effective if a trusting relationship between the interlocutor and the doctor is established. Therefore, the hypnologist, before introducing suggestions, tries to build contact with the patient and only then proceeds to introduce into a trance and impose certain patterns of behavior or thoughts.

An important feature of suggestion is that it is not aimed at the ability to think, but at the willingness to accept a proposal, new thoughts, contradictory statements and implement them. There are 2 forms of this type of influence - autosuggestion (self-suggestion) and heterosuggestion (influence from outside). The hallmark of self-hypnosis is that it is conscious self-regulation.

The results of using suggestion are influenced by the following indicators (in relation to the speaker):

authority;
status;
volitional qualities;
self-confidence;
categorical tone;
expressive intonation;
faith in one's strength;
the ability to convince, etc.

Suggestion is actively used when presenting information to the media. Another popular source of the introduction of this tool of influence is advertising. It is implemented with the help of bright, short and memorable slogans. This is necessary to achieve your own benefits.

Imitation

One of the most popular forms of behavior in interpersonal contacts. It develops due to the complexes of one of the interlocutors. Wanting to become better, he begins to copy the behavior, manner of communication, walking, intonation, pronunciation and other unique characteristics of another person.

Imitation affects the process of socialization of the individual, its upbringing and development. Young children and adolescents who do not yet have an accurate vision of themselves or a formed character are very vulnerable to this type of influence. They imitate those around them and those they consider authoritative. These are manifestations of conscious imitation.

Unconscious imitation is the result of active influence on the psyche. Counting on a certain reaction, the initiators stimulate it in various ways. This impact is twofold. Depending on the person who uses imitation as a tool of influence, the result may be positive or negative for the other individual.

The most famous manifestation of imitation is fashion. It is a form of standardized mass human behavior. It arises due to the imposition of certain taste preferences.

Minor types of psychological influence

One of the commonly used methods of influence is rumors. These are messages that come from a specific person. They are usually false and are used to humiliate another individual. Often they are not supported by any facts. People perceive rumors because of the desire to quickly get the information they need.

Favor formation

This technique is often used by merchants and sellers to sell their goods. They express favorable judgments about a person, especially about his appearance. They can additionally use imitation, copying a person’s behavior, his gestures, facial expressions, and manner of communication.

The communicator does this to form a positive impression of himself. In the process of forming favor, the following techniques are used:

Attention;
compliments;
seeking advice;
playing along with identified complexes, etc.

The success of this type of influence depends on the first impression. The second important key to success is self-presentation.

In order for the formation of favor to have the desired effect, you need to have excellent communication skills. You need to be able to find an approach to a person, see his weaknesses and put pressure on them morally.

Request

A situation where a communicator makes a request to someone. He can do it calmly or obsessively. The result of influence depends on the relationship between individuals.

Often this is an appeal with a wish to satisfy the needs of the communicator. The secret weapons are a gentle voice, a calm tone, a smile and maximum sincerity and openness.

It is important to be able to say “no”. The presence of such an ability will help to avoid conflict situations and save a person from arguing his choice. There will also be no shouting at each other.

self-promotion

This is an open type of influence. Designed to show their best qualities, professional skills and abilities. This method is used by people with a sense of self-worth. In the process of exposure, there is an open demonstration of professionalism and qualifications.

A frequent goal of self-promotion is to gain the competitive advantage needed to achieve one's own goals. It can occur voluntarily and involuntarily.

Self-promotion is often implemented on:

conferences;
meetings;
negotiations;
interviews;
public speaking.

This technique of influence is often used by politicians when running for office. Their goal is to gain recognition from citizens.

Compulsion

This kind of influence is needed to force people to work or perform certain actions. In the forms of coercion, threats, blackmail, imprisonment can be used. The most rude forms are physical violence, violence, restriction of freedom of action.

In addition to physical means of influence, moral ones can be used. These are humiliations, insults, subjective criticism in a rude form.

The victim perceives coercion as a strong psychological pressure and taking away the necessary benefits for a normal life. The threat can be lethal or warning. The possibility of applying social sanctions or physical beatings is implied.

Attack

One of the forms of discharge of emotional stress. A sudden, deliberate attack on the human psyche is carried out to make him irritable, nervous and aggressive.

This type of influence is often used by athletes, especially when the sport involves physical contact between 2 or more people. Speaking of attack, it should be said that opposition to someone else's influence is resistance to the influence of suggestion.

The main tools of influence in an attack:

negative statements;
rude, offensive judgments;
ridicule of life or certain qualities;
a reminder of defeats or shameful cases from the biography.

The person using the attack can impose his opinion on the communicator or give him advice. Often such an individual enjoys because he has hurt another.

Argumentation

Usually used to convince a person of the wrongness of his thoughts. The speaker, with the help of specific arguments, tries to convince a person to change his mind.

The main requirements for argumentation:

accuracy;
correctness;
reinforcement with reported and recognized facts;
brevity.

This type of influence is often used by teachers in educational institutions. Trying to bring the pupil or student to his mistake, they begin to suggest a lot of arguments. The right to answer is usually given when the person has already thought everything over and is ready to announce a counterargument.

Another option for applying argumentation is the field of advertising. Done with persuasion. Initially, advertisers describe a product or service, and the need to purchase it is proved with the help of arguments. They are a detailed description of the benefits of the advertised object.

Manipulation

One of the most commonly used methods of influence in everyday life. Manipulations are hidden urges to experience certain states.

With the help of certain phrases, the communicator tries to influence the choice, the decision-making of another person. He does this out of selfish motives to achieve his own goals.

Types of psychological resistance to influence

The first type is ignorance. This is deliberate inattention, absent-mindedness in relation to the interlocutor. Distinguished by the lack of reaction to any actions of another person.

It is perceived as a sign of disrespect on the part of the interlocutor. In certain cases, it is the only correct behavior in an awkward situation. Used to forgive tactlessness on the part.

Other types of psychological resistance to influence:

Constructive criticism. It is used in a controversial situation to prove one's own innocence. With the help of criticism, they justify the incorrectness of actions, thoughts or goals. Must be backed up by facts. Otherwise, it will not be constructive criticism, but an obsessive subjective opinion.
Counterargumentation. This is an attempt to convince someone with the reinforcement of certain facts. Used to challenge someone else's opinion, which is completely contrary to the thoughts of the interlocutor. A prerequisite is to be supported by scientific or internationally recognized facts.
Confrontation. This is a direct opposition of thoughts. It is carried out in a direct (hard and verbal) form or in a hidden form with the introduction of non-verbal techniques. Often used by psychologists in cognitive behavioral therapy.
Refusal. Specific designation by the interlocutor of his dissatisfaction or disagreement. Usually taken for the purpose of refusing to fulfill another person's request. Can be voiced in a soft and calm tone. In another case, in an authoritative, menacing voice. Helps to avoid the fact of dismissal or beatings.
Psychological self-defense. Concrete designation of their boundaries without listening to others. Helps prevent behavior that controls all human actions. In the process, verbal and non-verbal techniques are introduced in the form of verbal formulas and intonations. The purpose for which psychological self-defense is used is the need to eliminate oneself from participating in conflicts, to remain calm. So a person gets extra time to think about the criticism he heard, manipulations.
Creation. The creation of a mindset can also be arbitrary. It involves the implementation of previously unused decisions, unpredictable actions. Manifested as a desire to be unique rather than conform to others. Used against imitation. Formed under the influence of craving for self-expression.
Evasion. This desire to avoid any form of interaction with the initiator. The reasons may be personal hostility or a negative attitude against such an interlocutor. Any meeting is avoided. There is a reduction in the rules of time, the conditions for the conversation. A similar attitude of a partner towards another in an attempt to evade meetings is necessary for personal peace of mind.

Another frequently used method of confrontation is energy mobilization. It manifests itself as resistance to attempts to suggest, transfer, impose certain actions, patterns of behavior, type of thinking and other factors.

This is the transformation of any negative emotions into anger, rage and aggression. Sometimes this is due to the fact that a person does not know how to react to a certain situation to the extent of his lack of information. This helps to bring your emotional state into tone.

Entrepreneurs often use such a technique of resisting influence as creativity. This gives them a competitive advantage over others and allows them to create unique products. Imitation is the first thing a young entrepreneur needs to get rid of.

Conclusion

In psychology and sociology, there are different methods of influencing a person. Chief among these are persuasion, contagion, imitation, and suggestion. Techniques such as creativity, counter-argumentation, constructive criticism, confrontation, refusal, evasion, etc., help to resist them.

Introduction
Chapter 1. Theoretical foundations for studying the problem of suggestion
1.1 Definitions
1.2 Classification
1.3 Theories of hypnosis
1.4 Neuropsychological mechanisms of suggestion
findings
Conclusion
Literature

Introduction

Suggestion is an essential part of relationships. This idea was expressed by V.M. Bekhterev, ahead of his time in many ways. It is assumed that suggestion occurs unconsciously during direct communication between people. The relevance of the issue of suggestion and control of another person has always been. This work is aimed at understanding such a part of communication as suggestion, since with the help of this knowledge the quality of communication increases and the opportunity opens up to solve socially significant tasks. An example of such a task is pedagogical intervention in the educational process. Understanding the mechanisms of suggestion will unlock the potential of the student and perhaps open up new ways to transfer knowledge. Understanding the process of suggestion will help in psychotherapy, understanding the causes of intrapersonal conflicts and providing psychotherapeutic assistance. Corrective work from obsessive-compulsive disorders caused by promotions and media, such as shopaholic. An important point is the safety of the use of suggestion and the elimination of negative consequences.
Object of study: the phenomenon of suggestion.
Subject of study: mechanisms of suggestion.
Purpose of the study: the study of the psychological phenomenon of suggestion and its mechanisms.
Tasks:

To study domestic and foreign literature on the chosen topic.
Using the studied material, to define the concepts of "suggestion", "suggestibility", "hypnosis".
Analyze the phenomenon of suggestion as one of the forms of communication.

Hypothesis: suggestion is one of the forms of communication that opens up additional opportunities for solving socially significant problems.

Chapter 1. Theoretical foundations for studying the problem of suggestion

1.1 Definitions

In world literature, there are two approximately identical concepts: "suggestion" and "suggestion". The word "suggestion" comes from the ancient Slavic "vn ears", which literally means to bring into the ears. The word "suggestion" is of Latin origin, comes from the word suggestio, which translates as suggestion, hint. There is another translation that more accurately reflects the very concept of suggestion: addition, increase, indication. Different authors use these two concepts as a whole meaning one process.
Suggestion (suggestion) is a form of interpersonal and intergroup communication, in which information is transmitted through a partially unconscious, directed signal at the verbal and / or non-verbal levels. It differs from persuasion by a reduced level of criticality and the need to verify information. Suggestibility, or susceptibility to suggestive influence, depends on the state of consciousness of the suggester (object) and the external conditions under which S. is carried out. So, the effectiveness of S. increases in a state of trance, with fatigue, in conditions of uncertainty, in extreme conditions, in a crowd, when using the media. S. affects both neuropsychic processes and social representations, attitudes, social norms, values, opinions, as well as individual self-consciousness. They share heterosuggestion - a suggestion made by another person, and autosuggestion - self-suggestion.
S. can be direct and indirect. With direct S., the source of suggestion is recognized and a connection is traced between it and its action. With indirect S., suggestion is made indirectly using intermediate factors, on which the main emphasis is placed. Indirect S.'s efficiency is higher, than direct. The prevalence of S.'s methods and techniques depends on the level of development of social consciousness and the culture of society.
Suggestion(or suggestion - from lat. suggestio - suggestion) - a method of influence, which is based on a person's uncritical perception of incoming information.
V., like persuasion, is aimed at removing the peculiar filters that stand in the way of new information and protect a person from delusions and mistakes. However, unlike persuasion, V. presupposes the assimilation by the object of V. of a message without requiring proof of its truth. With V., the words of the subject of V. evoke precisely those very ideas, images, sensations that the inspirer has in mind. At the same time, the complete clarity and unreservedness of these representations requires actions with the same necessity, as if these representations were obtained by direct observation.
Being accepted without proper critical reflection, the behavior inspired by a person may not be consistent with his beliefs, habits, inclinations. While persuasion, being a largely intellectual influence, appeals mainly to the knowledge and experience of the listener, V., which is of an emotional-volitional nature, is based on faith (or on trust - the difference here is in the degree of non-critical perception of words and actions of a significant other).
V. is widely used in medicine and pedagogy. In medicine, V. is used to correct the mental and somatic state of the patient and gives a high clinical effect. In pedagogy, attempts are made to use V. in the learning process, for example, in the so-called suggestopedic method of G. K. Lozanov. V. is used in the upbringing of children when the authority of an adult and the reduced criticality of the child contribute to the unconscious acceptance and firm assimilation of norms of behavior and social values.
Self-hypnosis is the suggestion to oneself of ideas, thoughts, feelings. For example, recommended by a doctor and aimed at eliminating painful phenomena and improving overall well-being. Self-hypnosis is realized through autogenic training, which the patient learns with the help of a psychotherapist. A person independently reads (to himself or aloud) or simply thinks through and pronounces certain words or whole phrases in order to influence himself.
Self-hypnosis can have an incomparably more powerful effect on a person compared to extraneous suggestion. This is due to the fact that a person can engage in self-hypnosis on their own for an unlimited time.
Suggestor - one who produces suggestion, suggestion.
Suggerend - the one who is affected by the suggestor.
Suggestibility, suggestibility, suggestibility - the degree of susceptibility to suggestion.
A. Goncharov supplements this definition as follows: "... determined by the subjective willingness to subject and submit to suggestive influence."

1.2 Classification

Allocate the following classification of suggestions:
Direct Suggestions

Explicit direct - "I will count to five and it will happen ..."
Direct camouflaged (something is offered openly, but at the same time it is camouflaged, since part of it comes from the client; teaches the client to act in a special way) - "A feeling that relates to the period before the illness will replace less pleasant sensations"
Post-hypnotic

indirect suggestions

Acceptance sequence, "yes set" (several statements that the person agrees with)
- “You came to me, now you are sitting in this easy chair, listening to my voice, today you will feel much better” (“today you will feel much better” - this, in fact, is a suggestion, and the words following it set the person up to agreement)
- "Why not let it happen?"
- "Do not go into a trance until you are comfortable in this chair" (implication added)
- "Do not take a deep breath until the hand touches the face" (implication added)
- "You don't know how pleasant you can be in a trance until your hand is completely on your hip" (implication added)
- "You don't need to do (anything) until it happens (unavoidable client behavior in the near future)»
Shock, surprise, creative moments
Truism, banality (hard to reject)
- “When you sit comfortably, you can relax”
- "Each person enters a trance in their own way"
- “People forget so much. Keys, phone numbers, appointments…” (amnesia structured)
- Any proverbs and sayings
- "Your headache may go away now, as soon as your unconscious mind is ready to let it go"
- “Your symptom may now disappear as soon as your unconscious mind understands that you can deal with this problem in a more constructive way”
Ideomotor (we want to cause ideomotor reactions - movement) - "Many people can feel that one hand is lighter than the other"

Open (it says that something will happen, but it is not specified what exactly)

Mobilizing (indefinite mobilizing frameworks are offered, which the person himself fills out, depending on his own resources; a pause is made after the mobilizing words)
- "Your unconscious will put in place everything that is needed"
- “Using your unconscious resources will allow (pause) implement (pause) this job"
- "Your unconscious can harmonize (pause) everything that needs to be harmonized"
Limited open (offering limited choices that are not specified; usually truisms; hard to reject)
- "You can learn in many ways"
- "There are different ways to work"
- "Some Poses Cause Comfort"
Encompassing all the features of the class (after listing all the features, add "or something else")
- “I don't know what your unconscious mind is using to help you solve your problem. Maybe some of the words that I say or don't say, maybe images, maybe sounds, maybe sensations, maybe emotions, maybe memories or something else.

1.3 Theories of hypnosis

Let me start by talking about hypnosis. Hypnosis and suggestion are very close concepts. Since there is still a dispute on the subject that hypnosis is a consequence of suggestion, and suggestion is a consequence of hypnosis. While speaking about theories of suggestion or hypnosis, I understand one general phenomenon as a consequence, which is a change in the behavior of the suggestor. But there is no single correlation between hypnotizability and suggestibility.
Different authors identify different sets of theories to explain hypnosis. Russian hypnologist R.D. Tukaev identifies four theories to explain hypnosis:

Reflexological direction
experimental-psychological direction
psychoanalytic direction
neurophysiological direction

Reflexological direction
Based on the works of I.P. Pavlov about hypnosis, who considered hypnosis as inhibition of the cerebral cortex. Communication with the suggestr is carried out through rapport - a sentinel, excited point in the cerebral cortex. According to I.P. The Pavlovian sentinel post is a common occurrence for ensuring safety during sleep in animals. Experiments were carried out on a dog that woke up to a certain sound for eating. Rapport, according to I.P. Pavlova allows you to influence the mind with a super-weak stimulus, such as a word, while the activity of the rest of the afferentation is inhibited. I.P. Pavlov identified four main phases of inhibition:

equalizing - the most shallow phase, in which both weak and strong stimuli cause the same response;
paradoxical - strong stimuli cause an insignificant or completely zero reaction, and weak ones give a greater effect compared to the norm;
ultra-paradoxical - based on the phenomena of transcendental inhibition and perverted inductive relationships, in which all inhibitory stimuli cause a positive effect, and positive signals become inhibitory;
narcotic - the effect is reduced on both strong and weak stimuli.

L.P. Grimak interprets hypnosis as the sum of two phenomena: the state between sleep and wakefulness and the "reflex" following the leader.

Experimental-psychological direction
Based on the behavioral approach. Hypnosis was defined as suggestion, since many effects could be obtained without a formal state of hypnosis.
The cognitive approach is represented by three theories: neodissociative (Ernst Hilgard), dissociated control (K.S. Bowers) and sociocognitive (I.Kirsch, S.J.Linn). In neodissociative theory, suggestion falls into a different stream of consciousness. These streams are separated by an amnesic barrier. In the theory of dissociative control, suggestion weakens the frontal control of existing behavioral patterns. This enables direct activation of the suggested behavior pattern. Sociocognitive theory is built on the integration of social influence (suggestions) and cognitive theories of the automaticity of ordinary goal-directed behavior. Current suggestions provoke previously suggested situational behavior. A. Dobrovich described suggestion through roles. Since the role is perceived unconsciously and is perceived instantly, one's own role, and, consequently, role relations can be imposed. Entering into a role-playing relationship with a lord or deity, the role requires one to behave in a submissive manner. A. Dobrovich identified about a dozen roles: deity, master, patron, authority, idol, devil, virtuoso.

Psychoanalytic direction
Even Z. Freud himself tried to explain the state of hypnosis by the projection of the figure of the father on the hypnotist. The last most complete theory belongs to Erich Fromm. This theory is based on five theses: 1) hypnosis as an adaptive regression in the service of the ego; 2) activity, passivity, receptivity of the ego; 3) primary and secondary thought processes; 4) attention, absorption and orientation in reality; 5) categories of structure and content. Adaptive regression in the service of the ego means a return from a late level of activity and control to an earlier one, allowing the ego to unite with the hypnotist's attitudes. Primary and secondary thought processes are processes that occur in early childhood and adulthood. In early childhood, this is the immediate fulfillment of the desired, non-differentiation, non-verbality and illogical thinking. In the adult state, thinking is verbal and world-oriented. Fromm studied the features of self-hypnosis. In self-hypnosis, working capacity, imagination, and solving personal problems increase. In the psychoanalytic direction, a structural-semiotic theory is distinguished. According to this theory, a person lives in a system of symbols and signs of culture. J. Lacan believes [like many others - D.K.] that a person becomes a hostage of language and speech even before his birth. A person is forced to accept the suggestions of others regarding his actions and deeds in order to become a person. In contrast, leads autistic patients. J. Lacan denied hypnosis as a method and fought for its ban, because he believed that it harmed people.
Neurophysiological direction
This direction studies the EEG readings of the brain. New research methods have also been developed. I.I. Razygraev uses the method of measuring the levels of constant potentials of the brain. This allows you to determine the cerebral energy consumption of mental processes. For example, when treating stuttering according to his method, energy consumption between certain areas in the brain is reduced or determine the stage of hypnosis. Positron emission tomography is also used to study brain activity. Most of the data at the moment has been accumulated based on the results of EEG. In the 1980s, a connection was shown between hypnotizability and EEG production in the 40 hertz range, and a connection between hypnotizability and EEG theta activity. It is certain that in hypnosis the right hemisphere acquires dominance. Vadim Rotenberg considers the data insufficient to state that only the right hemisphere is involved in hypnosis.

R.D. Tukaev creates his integrative theory hypnosis. The theory is based on the provisions, the purpose of which is a more successful hypnotherapeutic effect. In the first paragraph, a parallel is drawn that the mechanism of hypnotization of humans and animals is based on a hypnotic situation of insufficiency of mental resources for assessing information (situation). The hypnotic situation develops on the basis of "shock" pattern mechanisms. The action of these mechanisms is based on limiting the excessive activation of the brain to the assessment of a hypnogenic situation in which decision-making and (or) its execution is impossible. Also, the hypnotic situation develops on the basis of mechanisms for limiting the external sensory-distributive activation of the brain with the continuing need to maintain a certain level of activation of one - auditory, visual, or several analyzers. Another point that will be helpful concerns hypnogenic stress. The mechanisms that cause stress are the subject's assessment of the significance of the hypnotic situation and the second mechanism based on the triggering of the stress reaction of functional restructuring. The first mechanism deepens the state of hypnosis, the second increases stress levels with deepening. The remaining points refer to descriptions of the stages of hypnosis and what self-regulatory mechanisms hypnosis activates. This theory is directed exclusively at the practical activities of therapy and does not explain the nature of hypnosis and suggestion. In addition to the shock factors of entering a trance, there are others, like daydreaming, which are believed to be unique to humans. And if a person after a state of hypnosis can feel better, then for an animal hypnosis is a stupor.

Good descriptive works are cited by V.M. Bekhterev. He draws parallels between self-observation, observation in the clinic, and mass "psychoses" in history. And he draws a conclusion about the influence of people on each other. Suggestion is ubiquitous in our lives.
When I started writing this work, I wanted to draw a parallel, after reading the views of V.M. Bekhtereva, I.P. Pavlova, L.S. Vygotsky that a person develops under the influence of suggestion. After the works of L.S. Vygotsky and other authors know that a person assimilates the cultural environment in which he is. External mental phenomena and processes become internal - intrapsychic. A person can learn any language, any culture as native, it depends on his cultural environment. In psychology, two phenomena are close to suggestion. The phenomenon of emotional contagion and true, internal conformism. Emotional contagion is the automatic tendency to imitate another person's facial expression, posture, and vocal responses. With the help of electromyographic (EMG) techniques, it has been shown that the imitation of emotions is very finely differentiated and may not be noticeable “by eye”. The phenomenon of conformism suggests that 1/3 of the subjects showed true conformism in the experiments. The opinion of the group became their own, that is, one could say that they succumbed to the suggestion of the group. There are many other authors whose theories I will return to later. So far, these statements give strong reasons to believe that suggestion is a social fact of interpersonal interaction, and not just a clinically induced condition. In studying the nature of suggestion, B.F. Porshnev, which for some reason is forgotten by many. His theory, formed for the most part on the generalization of the scientific knowledge of domestic science in the 1970s, in my opinion, still remains at the forefront in a number of explanations. Explanations are not only historical, but also physiological and psychological. Unfortunately, I did not find any criticism of his theory. And found only three of his followers in psychology. In parallel, B.F. Porshnev in the world traces an approach to the study of a person through the power over him of society and the situation. Such works as: Berger P., Lukman T. “Social Construction of Reality. A Treatise on the Sociology of Knowledge. Ross L., Nisbett R. Man and Situation. Perspectives of Social Psychology", Hoffman I. "Introducing yourself to others in everyday life", Bern E . "Games People Play. People who play games". All of these books explore human behavior through social interaction and see the root of problems in programmed behavior or the wrong response to society's expectations. Consider the theory of B.F. Porshnev and define its scientific character, usefulness and validity in the light of new scientific data.

Theory of B.F. Porshneva takes its basis on objective studies of the nervous activity of I.P. Pavlov and the neurophysiological school of the 20th century. B.F. Porshnev introduces his own concept - "brake dominant". "Inhibitory dominant" is a reciprocal "Ukhtomsky dominant". B.F. Porshnev studied this phenomenon in the nervous system for about twenty-five years, with his colleagues - physiologists. He used his own experiments and a huge amount of accumulated material describing the experiments of the Pavlovian school. In experiments, during the development of a conditioned reflex, "strange" actions of animals (inadequate reflexes) occur. B.F. Porshnev suggested that in order for behavior to work and the dominant not to be overexcited (then it would turn into inhibition), there must be a center that is overexcited and diverts all inadequate signals to itself. He conducted a series of experiments, when at first one behavior was reinforced, then it was not reinforced, and antagonistic behavior appeared on the surface. From the antagonistic by means of reinforcement, a conditioned reflex was made. This action was repeated several times. Then the animal was brought to an ultraparadoxical state, when the body reacts in the opposite way to the stimulus. A hungry animal may show aggression towards food or run away from food. In the experiments of B.F. Porshnev in the ultraparadoxical state, a reflex was manifested that was previously fixed, that is, which was inhibited in the normal state. This latent reflex, which manifests itself in an ultraparadoxical state, B.F. Porshnev called it "brake dominant".
B.F. Porshnev suggested that the second signal system is not something parallel to the first signal system, but its opposite. That the second signal system is based on the inhibition of the first signal system and, in fact, these two systems are in constant competition. The germ of the second signaling system in animals is an imitative reflex or imitation of someone else's behavior. In support of B.F Porshnev’s theory, I’ll add, since he only assumes this is possible, at the moment there are cases in chimpanzees when, in the pack hierarchy, non-standard behavior not only causes universal imitation, but also makes the author the leader. A case is described when an average member of the flock found iron cans and, loudly banging the cans, ran into the flock. Thus, the pack made him their new leader, displacing the old one down. This, at first glance, not beneficial biological behavior dramatically changed the attitude of the group. B.F. Porshnev did not assume that cross-species imitative reactions were possible, but in 2005 the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Federal University of Amazonas (UFAM) recorded the cries of a wild cat marga imitating the sounds made by piebald tamarins (pied tamarin). Thus, the cat hunted the monkeys, making the crying cries of the female, and the monkeys perceived these sounds as their signals. Thus, not only individuals of one species have the ability to imitate, but other species can also copy biologically significant sounds. B.F. Porshnev suggests that if an ultraparadoxical reaction occurs in one individual, it can be biologically beneficial for it, since it inhibits biologically significant behavior for another individual through imitation. You can start scratching on aggression, and if scratching is the inhibitory dominant of aggression, then aggression will turn into scratching. This is only a hypothesis based on the increase in imitation in animals to humans. In schooling fish, if you cut out the frontal lobes of one of them, thereby depriving it of the imitation reflex, the rest of the school will follow the movements of this anomalous fish. One can put forward one's own hypothesis to this, that if the monkey learns to inhibit the urge to imitate, it will have the opportunity to bring into action something of its own, which is biologically beneficial to it. Further B.F. Porshnev makes the assumption that under favorable circumstances, an inadequate reflex of one animal can provoke an imitation reflex of another, thereby crowding out other reactions. This act B. F. Porshnev calls interdiction. Interdiction, being useful for an organism, can be fixed outside the ultraparadoxical state and become a useful reflex of influence on another organism. B.F. Porshnev draws a parallel, as a prohibition signal easily extends to any actions in a dog and in a child. He cites research that the first word in a child is associated with those actions that are most often forbidden to him. The highest level of interdiction B.F. Porshnev calls generalized interdiction, a state that inhibits any activity. It can be defined as the lowest form of suggestion. To parry the first interdiction, there must be some other action that would cancel the first, would be an inhibitory dominant for it. In turn, the third canceled the action of the second. B.F. Porshnev considers this on the basis of sounds. Then moving up the semantics. B.F. Porshnev draws many analogies among different authors on the development of language and speech, based on which he notes his will to another as primary. Will is a direct attempt to give an order or make a direct suggestion. Suggestion B.F. Porshnev understands it as an impact on individuals protected from this phenomenon and constantly developing in the process of history. Suggestion according to B.F. Porshnev can be characterized as speech minus counter-suggestion. Thus, B.F. Porshnev equates persuasion and proof with suggestion. Reading his book, at first I was skeptical and distrustful of it, I checked many references, but as they were confirmed, I became more and more imbued with his ideas. Like B.F. Porshnev writes in his article “counter-suggestion and history” - the scientific method of proof, based on the first signal system (observation, experiment), is the last step in the development of suggestion for the modern world.
At the initial stage, the suggestion developed as a set of prohibitions - "give", "do not touch", "do not look". Moreover, the speech zone of the brain developed later or in parallel with the zone of elementary graphic actions. Speech zones have developed in the motor cortex - for B.F. Porshneva is a sign that the areas of speech control the motor cortex. On the basis of materials on the pathology of speech B.F. Porshnev concludes that the repetition of words (echolalia) may underlie the interdiction that prevents automatic action on the word. Things were originally designations or separators of words, and after words began to designate things. The argument is that even now a tooth, like an amulet, can mean not a tooth at all, but something else. The next stage, which is key in "suggestive selection", is characterized by the fact that the individual perceives the situation through the reaction of another individual. And what have another causes a reaction of activation and inhibition - in his mind, incomparable phenomena. The perceiving individual can be used as a complex and cause another state of shock. B.F. Porshnev called it "diplastia". “Diplastia is a neurological, or psychic, unique human phenomenon of the identification of two elements that simultaneously absolutely exclude each other. In the language of the physiology of higher nervous activity, this is a protracted, stabilized situation of a “collision” of two opposite nervous processes, i.e. excitation and inhibition. The mechanism implemented in the artistic metaphor directly corresponds to this - it ensures the identity of several meanings in one element (“too, but not too”). This factor, which causes a nervous breakdown on the first signal system, is the norm human communication. This is the foundation of the second signaling system. The second signal system is distinguished not by biologically determined signals, but by socially determined symbols. In the concept of B.F. Porshnev, the development of mankind can be viewed as the development of deprivation (norms, taboos, prohibitions, rules, laws) and its overcoming. At this stage, it is possible to single out the society's awareness of its limitations in meeting needs (certain problems) and overcoming this state by solving these problems (increasing soil fertility, space exploration). Let's get back to diplasia. “Diplasty from the point of view of physiological processes is an emotion, from the point of view of logic it is absurd.” B.F. Porshnev denies the existence of emotions in animals in a strictly scientific sense. An animal's emotion is viewed as a set of inadequate reflexes. Easy fusion of elements in children is due to the fact that each element is a separate diplasty. Diplastia can merge, if they have one element in common, into triplasty. It turns out - two elements are interchangeable, but clearly opposed to the third. There can be many such elements, which forms the meaning of the opposed element. “Diplasty is such an operation where between two objects or representations there is 1) an obvious difference or independent being and 2) a similarity or merger; if both are not present at least to some extent, identification is impossible.

Another interesting remark is the nature of things, that they, formed according to the principle of interdiction, did not have a direct relation to the object, but meant something completely different, as we will now call "magic". The consequence of this were amulets, amulets. For a person, the dominant in an ultra-paradoxical state is carried out into the world of things, due to the constantly flowing inversion in speech. Due to this, it is possible to simultaneously contain two opposite concepts.
Unfortunately, my knowledge at the moment is not enough to understand or refute this theory. Therefore, I will consider the general mechanisms close to suggestion.

Speaking of suggestion, we have several social processes united by one mechanism. Having generalized and singled out this mechanism, one can find the mechanism of suggestion and the execution of this suggestion. These are the processes: stereotyping; internal or true conformity; emotional contagion; first impression effect; halo effect; Vera; influence of emotions on memory; suggestibility.

Stereotyping- not only as a “flare” that distinguishes the group, but also as a mechanism for thinking and shaping attitudes. Stereotyping is used and appears in a person on the basis of the emotional component and is used in the same way. Rarely thought of specifically.
- under the influence of emotion, probably fear of rejection by the group, a "hallucinatory" change in views and acceptance of them on faith.
Emotional contagion- here is a more subtle process of adopting other people's emotions. Moreover, it is possible that a person creates his emotions and their collisions give rise to new shades. It is possible to impose one's own states, trance or hypnotic (deep) states.
First impression- it is based on some kind of emotional generalization close to the rest, which forms faith.
halo effect- attaching positive qualities to a positive image of a person, and negative qualities to an unpleasant one.
Faith- into something, as a property of the psyche, which has some kind of emotional mechanism under it or is associated with emotions.
The effect of emotions on memory- memory as a process using the energy of emotions. More emotional and meaningful events are remembered for a longer time. Less emotional or less meaningful information is hidden behind the chain of associations. We can say that memory is attached to an emotionally rich event through emotions. Complex according to Z. Freud.
Suggestibility- before considering the suggestion itself, it is necessary to investigate the factors that cause it.
Suggestion- as a sequence of emotional connections that starts a chain process of emotional binding. Reverse association - not when some images cause others, but when they begin to excite and attach new links.

These processes may be based on something childish, clearly expressed at the stage of childhood. At the age of 3, the primary formation of self-consciousness occurs. Before puberty, the child is easily suggestible. At puberty, the alpha rhythm is fully consistent with the alpha rhythm of an adult. The alpha rhythm is associated with creativity, intuition, and hypnotic states.
Let's consider all the points in detail.
Stereotyping- the formation of stereotypes. The concept of a stereotype was first described by Walter Lippmann. W. Lippman defined a stereotype as ordered, schematic, culture-determined “pictures of the world” in a person’s head, which save his efforts when perceiving complex social objects and protect his values, positions and rights.
Stereotypes were explored both by the western direction and by the domestic one in the person of the Pavlovian school of physiology. Common to both directions is that the stereotype is presented as a cast of some of the most striking qualities of reality to adapt to diversity. What these qualities are not important, the main thing is that they are essential. Social stereotypes also have the functions of protecting the “image of the Self” and the image of the group. Perhaps that is why stereotypes are so well conveyed. In addition to the role of categorization, they play a protective role, the meaning of the stereotype is not used to comprehend or change the meaning of the stereotype, but for personal gain. Thus, we get direct reinforcement, and, consequently, the stereotype will persist until it comes into conflict with a more significant stimulus. The formation of stereotypes is based on several cognitive processes.
Categorization.
Categorization is “the mental process of assigning a single object, event, experience to a certain class, which can be verbal and non-verbal meanings, symbols, sensory and perceptual standards, social stereotypes, behavioral stereotypes, etc.” . If we recall J. Piaget and the formation of concepts in children, then the child initially thinks in one category. Recall the experiment with water and glasses of different shapes. Water is poured from a wide glass into a tall and narrow glass, and they ask: “Which glass has more water?” At this stage, for the child, height means more, and there is no concept of volume. Only in the future, the concept of quantity is formed, which includes all parameters. Explaining this mechanism of thinking is one of the most difficult moments. Why does a person need to generalize everything and single out ONE essential feature? (One, since at first it is the most emotional, in the future a bunch of signs formulating a law) B.F. Porshnev explains this by the primacy of the concept of "they". Categorization can also be described as inductive or similar, it is also primitive, thinking, when, based on one observation, it is extrapolated to other similar ones. Without this operation, a person's thinking would not be so complete, but this operation, without verification, is fraught with an erroneous judgment. It is fraught with fallacy, because sometimes it does not take into account all the components, but immediately proceeds to generalization.
Schematization - development of schemes of behavior for typical situations. As you can see, this is the next level of categorization, only instead of attributing qualities, a behavior pattern is formed.
Causal attribution - "the interpretation by the subject of interpersonal perception of the causes and motives of the behavior of other people". People tend to explain the behavior of others, as this reduces anxiety. Not only people tend to explore unfamiliar new objects.
When forming a stereotype, the emotional component is very important: if a person is bitten by a dog, he will be afraid of all dogs for some time. This sign, that it is a dog, will be the most significant for him.
Internal or true conformity- "the actual transformation of individual attitudes as a result of the internal acceptance of the position of others, assessed as more reasonable and objective than one's own point of view." This phenomenon itself can be attributed to suggestion. Another interesting fact studied by A.M. Svyadoshch, in the study of additional information suggestion that if several people speak in an uncertain voice, conformity does not appear.
Emotional contagion- "the tendency to automatically imitate and synchronize facial expressions, vocal reactions, bodily postures and movements with facial expressions, vocal reactions, postures and movements of other people, leading to emotional rapprochement with him." (Hetfield E.) This process is used in both Ericksonian hypnosis and NLP practices, called tuning. Perhaps through this channel of perception it is possible to influence the human psyche. The Erickson school speaks of a special trance state for the therapist. Psychic abilities can exist on this edge: as a special state that causes strong suggestibility. But these are not studied phenomena.
First impression - is formed in the first seconds of the meeting and affects all further communication. Unfortunately, so far I have not found any research on how it is formed. There are studies on the great inertia of changing the first impression, relative to the original context: formal or informal. Perhaps, emotions that arise at the first meeting and which are difficult to change in the future play a significant role here. And the images are supported by emotions.
halo effect - this effect can be seen as a consequence of the extreme of inductive thinking: if part of it is good, then all of it is good. Or bad, by analogy.
Faith. Wiki dictionary gives this definition: an irrational feeling, an inner confidence in something without relying on facts or logic. Yaroshevsky's dictionary is focused on religious faith. I want to emphasize that faith to some extent is also characteristic of scientific knowledge, namely, in the construction of theories and hypotheses that need to be tested. Even mathematics has in its arsenal non-rigorous methods that do not take into account all the facts, but only speak of the possibility. This is the theory of probability and mathematical statistics. These are methods that cannot give complete certainty like the laws of mechanical physics. These methods give only a degree of probability, usually different from unity. When testing a theory in practice, science always has some error, which serves to correct the theory. Therefore, by faith, I understand a certain assumption, not yet verified by reality. And in a broader sense, not yet met with reality. Epistemology deals with the theory of knowledge. The theory of knowledge is based on the scheme that we assume something to be true and confirm it only by means of experimental verification. But there are conclusions that are not yet amenable to experimental verification. Therefore, they remain true in conjecture and not refuted. These assumptions can be called rational belief. If you renounce and consider it not true, it means not acquiring new knowledge. The process of cognition appears to me as a process of constant correction of old experience. If a person is singled out from society, then he appears defenseless not only as an animal, but also appears to be poor in the means of cognizing reality. Scientific knowledge is always based on the knowledge of another individual and his authority in the scientific community. At the same time, the theory of authority is considered true until it is refuted or partially refuted and corrected. At the same time, when perceiving social experience, one has to consider it true until a certain level of its verification is reached. And verification is possible with your own experience or the experience of authority. To believe in authority is dictated by the public, by means of group pressure, and the impossibility of checking everything. And a person does not need to check everything while the system of his personal knowledge ensures his biological stability. It is possible to describe this phenomenon from a purely biological position, that a person accepts data as an experience that he uses as a means. And only if the tool does not work or does not work effectively enough, is forced to take some action.
Faith and suggestion in this case provide socialization and correction of knowledge. In psychology, one can single out the "Barnum effect". The American Phineas Barnum was the first to notice this strange phenomenon. The "Barnum effect" is that a person tends to take general, vague, banal statements personally if he is told that they are obtained as a result of studying some facts that he does not understand. This effect is also called the Bertram Forer effect. Bertram Forer in 1948 conducted an experiment on his students. After preliminary testing, the teacher distributed to the students the same text taken from the horoscope. And he asked to determine how much he corresponds to their idea of himself, on a five-point scale. The average score was 4.26. The main factors influencing the acceptance of a text are:

The subject is convinced that the description applies only to him.
The vagueness of the characteristic makes it applicable to almost any person.
The subject is convinced of the authority of the one who formulated the description.
The description contains mostly positive characteristics.

Predictions are also based on this effect. They are perceived as formulas into which, by substituting the facts, we obtain a similarity. Nostradamus' prediction "Soon the earth will tremble" is today referred to as an earthquake in Japan.

Suggestibility
Suggestibility is a peculiar property of the human psyche, which allows him to perceive information without critical evaluation of it. Here we divide hypnotizability and suggestibility. According to practical research, the greatest suggestibility is manifested more often in shallow hypnotic states. From the observational data, we can conclude that the theory of I.P. Pavlova about subthreshold stimuli is not correct. Interestingly, V.M. Bekhterev (The role of suggestion in public life - speech by V. M. Bekhterev on December 18, 1897) before I.P. Pavlov. A. T. Filatov revealed the following differences in suggestibility. In children, suggestions to the mimic muscles are better, and in adults, to the muscles of the hands. It has to do with corticalization. Suggestion is directly correlated with corticalization. Also, suggestion is most effective on the zones of physiological or pathological dominants. Suggestions work best in amputated limbs. Suggestions can be realized well, difficultly, not realized at all, and realized in the opposite way.
I. Velvovsky in 1984 defined the anti-suggestive barrier as an installation that prevents suggestion. This barrier depends on the ability to verify the truth of the suggestible, if it is impossible to verify or objective criteria, or knowledge is not enough, then countersuggestibility decreases.
Kandyba identifies the following factors that contribute to suggestion:

Organizational - posture, presuggestion, lack of interference, etc.
Acting on the first signal system - music, hand passes, lighting, metronome, smells, etc.
Acting on the second signaling system - verbal suggestion of drowsiness and sleep, counting up to 10, suggestive and therapeutic texts, pedagogical correction, coding, post-suggestion, etc.
Psychophysiological factors - muscle relaxation, psychological peace and the absence of extraneous thoughts, concentration on the words of the hypnotist, breathing exercises, etc.
Establishing suggestive contact (rapport) with the hypnotic and transferring his attention, feeling certain parts of his body, etc.
Pharmacological (psychedelic) - the use of special pharmacological drugs that inhibit the activity of the hypnotic cerebral cortex and cause passivity, drowsiness and sleep,
Narcotic - the use of drugs (LSD, etc.) to induce drug hypnosis.
Poisonous - the use of alcohol, poisons, toxins, etc. to cause a state of stupor, inhibition, "high", etc.
Emotional - factors acting on emotions: religious, ecstatic, through works of art, etc.
A particularly important factor is pre-setting - an expectation based on personal experience, knowledge, faith, etc.

E. Coue noted that if those who are highly suggestible resist suggestion, then the suggestion fails. From this he concludes that there is no suggestion, but only self-hypnosis. In my opinion, suggestion is a social process and perhaps there is a competition of different suggestions, different emotional significance.
They also note an increased suggestibility of children under 12 years of age, women experiencing prolonged deprivation. Suggestibility is noted in a state of stress, fatigue, relaxation. In a state of anxiety, suggestibility is reduced. People with an analytical, logical and synthetic mindset are less suggestible. Considering the research of E. Coue, it can be assumed that suggestibility depends directly on the system of attitudes and skills of the individual. In one way or another, the current states can be the result of previously inspired attitudes.

Suggestion
Goncharov G.A., like many others, believe that one of the main criteria for suggestion and hypnotic thinking is emotional imagination. As L.S. Vygotsky realistic thinking and imagination are closely related and both can be very emotional. “Essential for the imagination is the direction of consciousness, which consists in a departure from reality into a known relatively autonomous activity of consciousness, which differs from direct cognition of reality.” So, trance does not cause emotionality. Emotionality can cause confusion when emotions clash and induce trance, but this is a different way. According to L.S. For Vygotsky, imagination itself leads away from reality if it does not interact with reality. And, suppose, it moves the individual into the inner reality of inner meanings. We have two parallel processes of cognition of reality: sensual go active and through imagination. Moreover, imagination is a higher process, which under certain circumstances (stress, shock, shock) can block the reality of what is happening, that is, the information that comes from the senses. At the expense of imagination, a person can create and invent something new in reality, but first, before the verification of reality, this must become internally real. Thus, it turns out that we have an internal reality, as attitudes, ideas, meanings, and an external one, as a means of realizing internal attitudes. Children, cognizing reality, form on the basis of its inner space of the psyche, operating with which they receive new elements of reality. We have two mutually directed processes of perception, such as the formation of internal representations and the creation of something new in reality. But between them we have two more connecting the imaginary with the real. One of them is aimed at mixing internal representations according to internal laws and the production of internally new, and the second is aimed at checking the correspondence of the internal with the real and correcting the internal. I artificially divided these processes, since in reality they go on simultaneously. And often a person himself does not know what is reality and what is his inner fiction, until the inner collides with an external contradiction. In pathology, when reality does not have its corrective effect on the inner world, the inner world can replace the outer one.
For the analysis of hypnotic suggestions, I took the Ericksonian model of hypnosis. Since this practice reflects the gradual process and at the same time reflects the social nature of suggestion. It uses everyday methods of communication between people. There are many disputes and distinctions between Ericksonian and clinical hypnosis. In this case, I will refer to the authority of hypnology - A. Weizenhoffer. In 1992, one of the most respected elders of American hypnology, A. Weizenhoffer, spoke at a conference on Ericksonian hypnosis and psychotherapy. Its theme was "Erickson and the Unity of Hypnotism". A. Weizenhoffer considers Bernheim's doctrine the foundation of hypnotism of the 20th century. The doctrine includes the following provisions.

Suggestion is the leading agent that determines all hypnotic phenomena, including hypnosis, that is, suggested sleep.
Hypnosis, like suggested sleep, is a kind of sleep.
Hypnosis does not generate suggestion, but enhances it.
In general, any states that enhance suggestibility are components of the state of hypnosis.
Hypnosis, as a state of sleep, is characterized by depth, and suggestibility manifests the latter.
Suggestibility is manifested through a holistic behavioral class of features that can be classified as "automatisms" and are reflexes in nature.
"Ideomotor action", which is the reflex transformation of thought into action, is the leading automatism underlying all suggested phenomena.
All automatisms express "internal psychism", which is opposed to "external psychism", which is the focus of all consciousness, arbitrary acts.
All hypnotic behavior belongs to the realm of normal behavior, normal psychology.

Later, I. Bernheim defined hypnosis as the induction of a specific physical state that increases suggestibility.
I. Bernheim made several attempts to define suggestion. In 1886, he argued that suggestion is the intense influence of an idea that has been suggested and accepted by the mind. In 1903, that all ideas are perceived by the brain through suggestions. All suggestions tend to become actions, to manifest themselves. Bernheim was not the first to associate the phenomenon of hypnosis with suggestion. Among his predecessors, A. Weizenhoffer names Faria, Braid, Philips. In the concept of ideomotor action in response to suggestion, Bernheim is also not original. Its predecessors are Carpenter, Braid, Chevril.
As can be seen from the report, A. Weizenhoffer believes that Erickson only combined those methods that were practiced before him in ordinary hypnosis. Therefore, one can consider Erickson's set of techniques as the sum of hypnotic techniques.
Several techniques are used when inducing hypnotic trance. The most common is fixation of attention, when the hypnotized fixes attention on something and listens to the voice of the hypnotist. As many authors describe this process, there is fatigue of attention and a transition to a state of sleep (active imagination) with the formation of a report to the voice. The flow of the imagination can be controlled by the voice. In this process, the hypnotized person cooperates with the hypnotist, has a positive attitude towards this process, believes that this will help him, feels safe. This process can be explained as fatigue of attention control, so in children attention is constantly moving, in this state, attention moves to the inner sphere and goes into sleep. There are folk methods of falling asleep - counting sheep, about the same. In fact, suggestion by attention fatigue is more difficult to explain, and certain physiological studies are needed. Therefore, my only correction in this is that there is a breakthrough of the imagination, after a long concentration. The imagination actively transforms the internal parameters to the words of the hypnotist. In this case, the hypnotist's words are a corrector of internal meanings. And they are the only source of information currently available. As several authors write, suggestibility increases after isolation, in conditions of insufficient information.
The second method of suggestion is confusion, when a person's expectations are seriously out of step with reality. It is possible that stereotypes operate in ordinary behavior, which in themselves are internal meanings, and it takes time and a resource of consciousness to restructure the internal meaning. Therefore, at the moment of active correction of internal meanings, one can pick up the direction of their correction.
The next way to saturate or overload information. If at first a person can still perceive and correct the inner reality with respect to new information, then over time there are too many new inputs. The conversion speed of the internal does not keep up with the speed of the new data. If a person tries to understand this, he goes completely into the restructuring of internal meanings, losing even new data. In this case, there is a contradiction between what you need to listen to and uncomfortable to leave. At the same time, generalizing words are used as the main technique for deepening the trance, when you can substitute synonyms from your experience instead. For example, "you take a tool", the person represents a hammer or screwdriver, but something specific. Thus, the barrier of distrust is removed, since it turns out that the hypnotist does not contradict anything.
There is also a counting method, but you can count in different ways. As a rule, the purpose of the account is to transfer a person to a state of correction of internal meanings. Given that the numbers themselves are abstract and when not attached to anything, they are a means of reflecting the inner reality. That is, the goal of all hypnosis techniques is to transfer attention to the inner content of consciousness.
Direct suggestions may not be accepted, as they may cause resistance or unavailability of the hypnotist. Perhaps the voice of the hypnotist and your own are identified. Most of the thoughts of inner phrases are outer phrases that someone has said or a person has read. Most behavior is shaped by words, words are especially good at influencing new behavior. Galperin offers double verbal accompaniment during the formation of a skill. All activity, except automatic, is often accompanied by words. When a person ponders a thought, most often he reinforces it internally verbally. It can be concluded that the change in internal meanings occurs with no small share of the participation of words. And all development from an early age teaches control of activity, attention with the help of the word. We can also correct the words themselves and change their meaning. What processes occur in this case in the nervous system remains a mystery. If we take into consideration the theory of B.F. Porshnev, then most of our behavior is the learned control of our behavior by others, and on this basis we ourselves can already be subjects of our consciousness. Erickson singled out the "sequence of acceptance" when a setting for a positive response is formed. A series of questions, the answer to which is positive, leads to a propensity for a positive answer to the next question. This can be explained through the contrast illusion in Uznadze's installation, but this effect itself has not been explained. It is only known that after a series of experiments with balls of different weight or volume, identical balls continue to be perceived as in previous experiments. Perhaps this is due to the formation and use of stereotypes in thinking.
M. Erickson owns the method of suggestion by implication, when the fact of what will happen is stated through the possibility. For example, "as soon as you understand, you immediately do it." This is more like not a suggestion, but a manipulation - a play on words. There is no right to be misunderstood in this statement. On the other hand, sooner or later everything can be understood. The only choice left is to do it or not to do it. But if there are no serious attitudes on the way to action, a person will do it. Here, due to some mechanism, the truth of the first statement merges with the second. Perhaps this can be explained through the concept of B.F. Porshnev, but so far I can’t do it.
The implied indication - consists of three components:

Introduction related to time;
An implied reference to something that is going on inside the client;
A behavioral response that signals that an implied instruction has been carried out.

Stephen Gilligan has classified the questions a hypnotist asks. Questions can evoke whole mental processes from memory, for example, a trance state, even deep hypnosis can be induced if a person has experienced this state and feels safe now. The questions are based on the ability test challenge or the self-test challenge. "Can you?" "When did you have your deepest trance?" These questions force a person to turn to his memory. Re-experience those states. Other questions and either these are alternative or ability tests (Can you fix your attention on a dot).
It is also possible to use denial as a suggestion. "Don't think about the white monkey." According to B.F. Porshnev sees the denial as an operation of logic occurred later, so in order not to do it, you must first do it.
Reinforcement and acceptance. The method involves the transfer of positive emotion to the whole context: "Today is a wonderful evening, let's go fishing!" or "You can continue, you did a good job".
Contingent (continuous) suggestions - attaching the suggestion to some process that will take place. “You breathe and with each exhalation you relax.”
Truisms or platitudes are statements that a person subscribes to because he cannot refute. For example, proverbs and sayings. “You can’t even catch a fish from a pond without labor.” For example, to cheer up a person: “We all noticed how someonesmiles at his thoughts, and oftensmiled in response to their smile. A pleasant state is called from memory.
Suggestions related to time can be postponed indefinitely.
Open suggestion - it is said that something will happen, but it is not said what exactly. "Your unconscious can harmonize... everything that needs to be harmonized."
Metaphor as a means of influence is also used in literature. Before the advent of novels and literature, the bulk of stories were metaphorical stories. The word metaphor is formed from two Greek roots:'meta' means 'through' and 'fore' means 'transfer'. In Ericksonian hypnosis, it is used as a story close to the client's situation, with the expectation that this story is not about the client, but the client will see the features of his situation in the story. Erickson says that the metaphor may take a long time to work; it is a long-term tool.
As practitioners of hypnosis note, an important point of hypnosis is the specific trance of the therapist himself. As M. Erickson says: "If the client does not have signs of a trance, behave as if the client is in a trance." The hypnotist must be confident in himself and in the success of the suggestion. Perhaps this is directly related to emotional infection and the complex of emotions of the hypnotist (trance hypnotist) is transmitted to the client through imitation.
As R.D. Tukaev's conventional hypnosis and Ericksonian are divided due to the fact that Ericksonians consider the method of clinical hypnosis to be too authoritarian and harsh. In fact, in science, Ericksonian hypnosis and clinical hypnosis are identified. Ericksonian hypnosis is distinguished by the gradual and smooth entry into a trance, which exposes the mechanisms of suggestion in ordinary human communication. According to the described techniques of inducing trance and suggestion, one can notice that the words and concepts are extremely vague, it can be said that the meaning of which is not fully defined. These words are always generalizations, eg unconscious, resources. Perhaps, because of such vagueness and generalization, the brain works in the right hemisphere mode, since it cannot create clear logical sequences or highlight something specific, which is mainly done by the left hemisphere. I looked into binary logic - that's why logic is binary, which operates with two opposite values. And when an element can have many values, binary logic stops working and another more ancient operation of thinking works. Or if the probability of an intermediate event is greater, that is, the synthesis of positions than their isolation from each other, then the logic does not work in its pure form. White and black are not mutually exclusive, if these are paints and their composition gives gray color, is there no logic in this example? And there is either experience or creative synthesis. Logic operates with the concepts of true and false. In the case of suggestion, truth is truth, pleasure, security, as a biologically significant truth. With correct information, the animal retains strength, life, and enjoys. Lying is just the opposite - associated with avoidance, danger, not self-interest. Truth can be designated in nervous processes as reinforcement, pleasure, desire for repetition. Lies as inhibition, avoidance, negative reinforcement. It follows from the biological situation that the laws of logic will operate if true and false, and, consequently, logical operations concern one object and only it, with one value, maximally specified. But with ambiguity and blurring, it turns out that everything is true. Two mutually exclusive processes have nowhere to meet. In such a situation, an internal focus on pleasure begins to reinforce the suggestions of the hypnotist. If there is no positive direction, then the animal will not survive. It turns out that the less experienced the body, the easier it is to inspire something. Until there is a collision with objective reality, which will force us to differentiate internal information.
Suggestion and the state of hypnosis are also explained using the installation according to Uznadze. However, the mechanisms of setting occurrence have not been studied enough. And perhaps the suggestion itself, relying on other attitudes, itself forms the attitude.
Psychological attitudes have the following characteristics:

Excitability of a fixed set (how many repetitions are required for a set to occur).
The strength of a fixed installation.
Set variability (different days may require a different number of repetitions to develop the same set).

Any human behavior is divided into operations that help him achieve a given goal. Thus, operational attitudes appear, which in ordinary life operate in situations that are standard for a person, determining the habitual nature of behavior. For example, the tram controller during the working day performed the same actions, checked tickets. If, instead of a ticket, a colored piece of paper is handed to him, he will hesitate for a while, as the sensory perception system will fail. Thus, the norms of evaluations and relations during repetitive actions are introduced into consciousness and, acting in the form of operational attitudes that meet the standard range of conditions, guide a person in everyday life, eliminating the need to decide every time what actions need to be performed. . Thus, Academician D.N. Uznadze showed that the unconscious psyche consists of many attitudes. At the same time, it must be remembered that, despite the fact that all attitudes (primary, target, impulsive, semantic and operational) are in interaction and mutual influence on each other, the advantage of older attitudes is still more noticeable.
The suggestibility and hypnotizability of a person depend on psychological attitudes. The emergence of an unconscious psychological attitude to suggestibility has an impact on hypnotizability. Under the influence of a positive attitude to suggestion, a mechanism is unconsciously triggered that excludes behavior that is contrary to this attitude. Thus, the last restraining motive that controls behavior disappears, and a hypnotic state sets in, in which verbal information from the hypnotist is perceived without criticism of consciousness.

1.4 Neuropsychological mechanisms.

Most authors refer to the works of I.P. Pavlova. I.P. Pavlov notes that suggestion is due to inhibition of the cortex and the emergence of a paradoxical state, when weak impulses from the words of the hypnotist are stronger than external stimuli. As shown above, this theory contradicts practice, since the deepening of the hypnotic state often leads to a decrease in suggestibility. But still, further research is still needed, since it may turn out that zones separating noise factors must be involved in speech perception.
The second neurophysiological theory of hypnotism and suggestion is based on the right hemispheric asymmetry of the EEG. According to this theory, the right hemisphere is responsible for imaginative thinking, holistic perception, irrationality, and the left hemisphere for logic, consistency, and speech. However, according to V.S. Rotenberg data on the work of the right hemisphere are quite controversial. An interesting fact is that the function of speech is developed in the right hemisphere at the level of a preschooler. To this we can recall the guesses of B.F. Porshnev that the mechanism of suggestion was formed alternately in the hemispheres.
The very mechanism of the execution of suggestions and, in general, of all conscious activity and the activity of carrying out instructions, tasks, orders is attributed to the activity of the frontal lobes of the brain. The fMRI studies of the University of Geneva showed that in the state of hypnosis the activity of the zones responsible for attention, memory and task control changes.

findings

At the moment, suggestion is a phenomenon, since the process of its occurrence is poorly understood. But the data obtained from the literature, therefore, and related issues, give reason to believe that suggestibility is due not only to biological, hereditary causes. Not a small influence has a way of thinking. This gives the right to believe that the alternative view of B.F. Porshneva gives great scope for the study of suggestibility as a social mechanism. For my part, I assume the presence of features of the cognitive process in the process of suggestion. The very basis of suggestion must be hidden in the development of thinking, attention, memory and emotions, and the interaction of all these processes. Particularly interesting in this process is the study of prelogical thinking and neurophysiological processes associated with it. It is also the phenomenon of diplasia according to B.F. Porshnev. It is possible that suggestions of different “depth” are formed during life. And more "deeper" suggestions have an impact on life and behavior.

Conclusion

This work shows the lack of versatility of research. Most of the research on suggestion is born out of the hands-on approach of therapists. This analysis shows that the phenomenon of suggestion is much broader than the interaction between the client and the therapist. The phenomenon of suggestion is closely connected with other social, little-studied phenomena. At this stage of studying the phenomenon of suggestion, suggestion cannot be applied en masse in the learning process, since the consequences can be unpredictable. In this paper, the assumption was made that the basis of suggestion are the mechanisms of thinking. To fully understand the phenomenon of suggestion, one should study the formation of thought processes and these processes themselves. In connection with the development of the processes of memory, attention and affective sphere. It should also be compared with pathological cases of these processes in children and adults. Magnetic resonance imaging studies of these processes hold great promise.

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The power of the gaze

American tourists John Gelfreich and Otto Buteshude traveled through the jungles of the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso. Having spent the night somehow on the bank of the Xingu River, in the morning they began to prepare breakfast. Buteshude went for water. He did not appear for a long time, and Gelfreich went to look for a comrade. He found him near the water. Otto walked slowly towards the thick bushes, his movements were like those of a robot, his head motionlessly directed towards the thickets. Following the direction of his gaze, Gelfreich saw the head of a snake sticking out of the bush. John's reaction was lightning fast: with a shot from a pistol, he killed a reptile. Otto suddenly started and laughed nervously. Later he said: by the water he felt someone’s eyes on him, but he doesn’t remember what happened next.

I remember one picture seen by the author in childhood: in the zoo - a boa constrictor feeding. A mouse was released into the terrarium. The boa constrictor stared at her without blinking. The mouse became numb, and then slowly began to move straight into the mouth of the boa constrictor. At the same time, the hind legs pushed it forward, and the front legs rested. Unforgettable in its drama spectacle!

Both cases described show that one's own gaze can subjugate both a person and an animal, impose certain actions on them.

Gaze

In the business world, a closer look has practical applications. The president of McDonald's fast food chain said: “Our restaurants in Moscow feed fifty thousand people every day. And we give individual attention to each visitor. We say to him, looking into his eyes: "Come to us again."

The story told earlier about how Senator Robert Kennedy greeted shows that politicians also skillfully use gaze to suggest attraction to oneself.

Magic look

Around direct gaze a mystical halo has long been formed. It is even called the “magic look”. Naturally, there are learning recipes. Igor Vostokov tells about one of them in his book “Secrets of Healers of the East”.

“Take a typewritten sheet and in the center of it draw in ink or black ink a circle the size of a two-kopeck coin (1.5 cm).

Hang this sheet at a distance of 2-2.5 m from you and for 15 minutes continuously and without blinking look at this black circle (the circle must be shaded in black).

By doing this daily, you will develop a “magic look” in yourself. If a woman, for example, looks at a man with such a look in order to bewitch him to herself, then he will forever become hers.

Another way is with a mirror. Slightly relaxing the muscles of the face, look at your reflection. Look into your eyes or the bridge of your nose. Avoiding frequent mania, look at the point for 20-25 seconds.

In everyday life, a gaze should not be abused, because people under it begin to get nervous. Usually, during a conversation, it is customary to periodically look away so as not to embarrass.

If you want to unbalance the interlocutor, choose a weak spot on his body or clothes (for example, crooked legs, bad teeth, dirty nails, uncleaned shoes, a stain, fly, etc.) and stare intently there. Your interlocutor will immediately become nervous. Well, if you, in addition, portray a barely noticeable caustic smile and arrogantly throw your head back, then only a very reserved person will be able to maintain composure. A distracted or directed past the eyes of the interlocutor (at the ear, forehead, chin, lips) will do the same, but in a more delicate and gentle form.

word suggestion

Words are the main tool of suggestion. Visual techniques are auxiliary, facilitating the achievement of the goal. The crushing power of the tongue is reflected in the Epistle of James (3:5, 6, 8):

So the tongue is a small member, but it does a lot ...

Language is fire, embellishment of untruth...

It is an unstoppable evil: it is full of deadly poison.

Since ancient times, it has been known that the treatment of the body and soul of a person rests on three foundations: a knife, grass and a word. The knife is used in surgery; the use of herbs led to the emergence of medicines; the word is the main "tool of labor" of the psychologist and psychotherapist. But not only them. A good doctor is one whose one visit already alleviates the patient's condition.

Elderly people complain that doctors now have no time even to listen to the patient properly. Doctors, who find the opportunity to patiently listen to complaints, encourage, inspire hope for improvement, enjoy the greatest respect among this contingent.

“The word kills” - quite rightly stated in the proverb. This is exactly what often happened when a sorcerer cast a spell on a particular person, piercing his image with a sharp object, and by the appointed time the person really fell ill and died. Some mothers still believe that the “evil eye” can harm their child. In such cases, we are dealing with mechanisms of direct or indirect suggestion.

direct suggestion

It is directly related to the speech of the influencing person. As an example of direct suggestion, let us recall the case of the death of a patient described by us earlier immediately after the death of the specialist who treated her, who “calmed” her with the words: “You will die after me.”

indirect suggestion

With indirect suggestion, some intermediate action or stimulus is used to enhance its effect (for example, pierce with a nail or burn the image of a person on whom a spell has been cast). Often, indirect suggestion is more effective than direct one, because it does not act “on the forehead” and therefore does not cause internal resistance in the suggested.

Let us illustrate the power of indirect suggestion with the data of three experiments. In one of them, conducted in a psychiatric clinic in the United States, patients were divided into two groups: the first underwent psychotherapy for six months, while the second was awaiting treatment at that time. When the results were compared, it turned out that the percentage of improvement was the same in both groups. The hope of a cure was equal to the cure itself.

In another experiment, patients with neurosis were given sugar pills (completely useless in terms of treatment) instead of drugs, with the assurance that they would "help in the same way as other drugs." A group of fourteen people took sugar pills three times a day for a week, after which thirteen patients improved on all criteria ...

A similar effect is widely known in medicine under the name "placebo effect" (that is, pacifiers).

In the third experiment, two groups of students with psychological problems were formed. Professional psychologists and psychiatrists worked on one side, and college teachers who were popular with students on the other. These teachers had to say everything that came to mind in the process of work, with the aim of “helping”. Similar sessions were held 2-3 times a week for three months. The percentage of improvement was the same in both groups.

Suggestibility

It is purely individual for each person. You can determine the level of suggestibility with the help of special tests, they are called “samples”. These tests are necessarily carried out by hypnotists, selecting for themselves the appropriate “material” for the session.

But before giving a description of these trials, let us express some information about suggestibility as such. When suggesting, they appeal mainly to the feelings of the listener and count on an uncritical perception of information. Therefore, children are the most suggestible. Since women tend to be much more emotional than men, it is they who are more amenable to suggestion.

Less educated people are easier to suggest, as well as those who are accustomed to do what the boss orders in the service.

In general, activities related to the fulfillment of orders and requirements (soldiers, athletes, party functionaries) develop suggestibility.

Fatigue and stress also increase it.

Alcoholics and drug addicts are even more suggestible. Easily suggestible crowd. She has "a lot of heads, but few brains."

The more massive the audience of listeners, the more weak-willed and suggestible it is. It is difficult to say to the first: “But the king is naked!” And, since everyone is silent, the illusion is created that everyone is in favor. The ideologues of totalitarian political systems used this phenomenon to simulate "support" for their decisions. So it turned out: each individually - "against", and all together - "for".

"Fight fire with fire"

One poorly educated woman inspired herself that a real toad had settled in her stomach: as if, after drinking water from a pond, she swallowed its embryo, which grew and now does not allow the poor woman to breathe.

No arguments could convince her of the absurdity of these statements. And she went to a well-known doctor, who practiced privately, with a request to “drive out” the toad: after talking with her, he understood what was the matter, and did not argue, but appointed the next day an “operation to extract” the damned creature. He told the woman to eat more all this time. He himself asked the neighbor boys to catch a toad for him for a decent reward. Soon the captured creature was already languishing in the bank.

The “operation” consisted in the fact that the doctor gave the patient a strong emetic and sat her down over the large pelvis. A long exhausting vomiting dulled the sufferer's vigilance, and a toad was placed in her pelvis, unnoticed by her.

Seeing her, the patient exclaimed: “Here! I told you! Doctor, you saved me. I am so relieved now!”

suggestion mechanism

When suggesting, the effect on a person is built in such a way that first a strong excitation is caused in a limited area of \u200b\u200bthe brain with simultaneous inhibition in the rest of it, and then a purposeful discharge is performed, which fixes the suggestible thought in the mind.

Tests for suggestibility

Braid's welcome. The subject focuses his gaze on a shiny object presented to him (a metal ball, the tip of a medical hammer, etc.), fixed opposite and slightly above his bridge of the nose (for stronger eye muscle tension). After a long concentration of attention, fatigue of the visual analyzer and sleep may occur.

Receptions of Coué and Baudouin.

First experience: a standing person is offered to stay straight so that his heels are his main support; you can also ask to throw back your head. This is a position of unstable equilibrium in which any push will lead to a fall. At the same time, it is calmly but firmly suggested: “You are falling back, you are being pulled back, you are already falling, falling ...” Most people do fall, so the hypnotist must stand behind the person in order to catch him in time. To enhance the effect of the test with the palm located opposite the forehead, you can slightly push the patient or, touching the back of his head with the palm of your hand, gradually move your hand back, which also causes an imbalance in the body. If the test worked, then the person begins to experience much more “respect” and trust in relation to the hypnotist, which will subsequently have a positive effect on the results of the session itself.

Second experience: the subject is placed in front of the hypnotist; the center of gravity of the body this time is shifted to the toes. Both look at each other, into the eyes (experienced specialists, in order to less tire their eyesight, look at the bridge of the nose). Then the person conducting the test stretches his palms forward so as to reach the temples of the ward, and says: “You are already falling, falling ...” When performing this technique, you can touch the temples of the subject (the fingers should be cold).

Carrying out such techniques requires compliance with certain rules that ensure the physical safety of the subject: he must be without glasses; you need to remove nearby objects with sharp corners; the hypnotist must have sufficient strength to hold the person in the event of a fall.

Third experience: the subject is given a thread with a heavy object at the end, they are offered to close their eyes and persistently think about the circle. Very soon the pendulum begins to describe circular motions. If the patient is told to think about an oval, then the pendulum begins to rotate along an oval trajectory. So the “device” by which “negative energy” is determined has its predecessor, but in a completely different field of application.

“Healing” accessories

Belief in the healing properties of magnetic (and other) bracelets, plates, earrings, amulets, and talismans is widely spread. Remember "Keep me, my talisman"?

Impressive results in the 18th century were achieved by the Viennese doctor F. Mesmer. At first, he was sure that the magnet helped to cure various ailments, and achieved excellent results by applying a horseshoe-shaped magnet to the diseased organ of the patient. In the future, Mesmer magnetized various objects with which the patients subsequently came into contact. He "charged" the water in which the patients bathed, the dishes they used, the beds in which they slept. “Magnetic energy” was collected even in special accumulators, from which sufferers subsequently “scooped” it during wellness procedures.

Subsequently, F. Mesmer came to the conclusion about the absence of a certain healing force in the magnet - “fluid”. Frankly admitting his delusions, he focused his attention on the study of "nerve currents" in the human body itself, which can be strengthened through suggestion.

The doctor repented of his past delusions, which cannot be said about many modern “magicians” who continue to allegedly “charge” creams, ointments, newspapers, magazines and mislead millions of people (this issue will be discussed in more detail below). There seems to be an outward resemblance to some psychotherapeutic procedures (recall the “placebo effect”), however, the mass character, lack of spirituality and pronounced commercial background of all these procedures do not allow treating the authors with respect.

traditional healers

Believing in something better really leads to something better happening. Experienced healers are characterized by skillful observance and subtle use of these psychological patterns. Well-written folk conspiracies for various diseases have much in common with the suggestions adopted in modern psychotherapy. They begin, as a rule, with the psychological setting of the patient to “receive” the impact, then the main part follows - the actual suggestion with the requirement to “drive the disease out” from the human body. The use of various figurative representations in this part of the conspiracy (“I drive the disease of such and such into a rotten swamp, into loose sands ...”) allows you to more fully involve various perception systems (visual, kinesthetic, etc.), strengthen and consolidate suggestion. In the final part, phrases can be pronounced with the aim of prolonging the conspiracy in the future, thereby contributing to the deployment of healing processes in the patient's body.

Religious beliefs

The positive influence that faith in God has on people is based on similar principles. Believers see in the image of God an inexhaustible source of love and kindness and, as it were, draw energy from this well. In fact, energy is replenished by each of its own reserves. Simply with the help of faith in God, it is easier to get “access keys”, since God, in the view of believers, is an ideal, omnipotent and “energetically inexhaustible” being (in contrast to religious ideas about a person as a being, often sinful and weak).

This is the ingenious find of the founding fathers of the doctrines of God (Christ, Mohammed, Buddha) - to create the opportunity to draw from one's own source, thinking that they are taking from the divine. How not to remember: God is within us.

Another find - a suggestion about the insignificance of man - allows the holy fathers to lead the flock on behalf of God.

Suggestibility natural and situational

We have seen that suggestibility is an individual trait and varies widely. It is given to each by nature, upbringing, education, life experience. Let's call it natural suggestibility for brevity.

Suggestibility is not a constant. It is influenced by the environment and the momentary state of the person.
It is known that in a crowd a person is more suggestible. The same is true of stress. Panic (that is, hypertrophied feelings of fear) often flares up precisely in the crowd: firstly, due to the effect of mental infection, and secondly, under the influence of stress, which often occurs due to minor danger. Under the pressure of group opinion, participants are more likely to agree with the judgment suggested to them.

Thus, it is possible to create an environment in which suggestibility as a reaction to the situation (that is, situational suggestibility) will increase dramatically.

Suggestion (and any other control action) largely depends on “background support”, that is, from the psychological state of the interlocutors and the surrounding background. In this regard, a number of background states can be distinguished.

Relaxation

The simplest and most reliable background for a conversation is muscular relaxation(relaxation). Its essence lies in the fact that during relaxation, the human cerebral cortex is to a certain extent freed from side effects and prepared for speech perception. This happens best when the interviewers are in a comfortable environment and sit in a relaxed position facing each other (on the couch, at the coffee table). This is facilitated by soft and dim light, comfortable furniture, the absence of strong sounds and the availability of sufficient time. The poses of the interlocutors should be natural. A special case of relaxation is a state of trance in the addressee of the impact.

suspense

The figure bent over the table, bent legs, wandering eyes, wrinkles on the forehead and vertical wrinkles on the bridge of the nose indicate tense condition. Emotional tension also enhances the perception of the speaker's ideas. In this case, of course, the methods of suggestion for these two states will be different.

An outstanding master of creating tense expectation among the audience was the American film director A. Hitchcock. He proceeded from the rule: it is not the shot itself that is terrible, but the expectation of it. In the "horror films" staged by this master, there are very few crimes (compared especially with current action films), but the director kept the audience in a state of intense expectation for so long that it shocked them more than bloody murders.

"Explosion"

In psychology, this technique is known as an instant personality restructuring under the influence of strong emotional experiences. The phenomenon of "explosion" is described in detail in fiction (the re-education of Jean Valjean, the hero of V. Hugo's novel "Les Misérables"). The scientific substantiation of the “explosion” technique was given by the outstanding teacher A. S. Makarenko.

The use of "explosion" requires the creation of a special environment in which feelings would arise that could amaze a person with their unexpectedness and unusualness. In such an environment, a collision of nervous processes occurs in a person. An unexpected stimulus (spectacle, information, etc.) causes confusion in him. This leads to a radical change in views on events, individuals and even the world as a whole. For example, information about the infidelity of one of the spouses in "prosperous" families can lead the other to the brink of disaster. In families where infidelity is regarded as a prank, this does not happen.

Says the master of vocational school. He had a student in his group who, with his antics, exhausted the soul of the teachers.

Of course, the master was especially hard hit - both from the administration, and from fellow teachers, and from the parents of the affected students.

There was no control over this fool. And then one day, after some especially vile trick of his, the master found him in the boiler room. Blood rushed to his head, his rage was so great that, having lost all self-control, the master grabbed the teenager and dragged him to the firebox, shouting: “That's it, bastard, say goodbye to life. I have no more strength! I’ll go to court, but I’ll save everyone from such a reptile!!”

The teenager turned white, broke out in a cold sweat and screamed: “Don't! No need! I won't do it again! Sorry! Aaa!”

Throwing him to the ground, the master ran out.

Since the teenager was replaced, he no longer did dirty tricks.

"Scene"

In contrast to the spontaneous "explosion" "scene" can be produced intentionally. André Maurois said: "The best scenes are created deliberately and with great skill." As an example, let us cite one story from the time of the Napoleonic campaigns. Lyonne, one of the marshals of Napoleon's army, had a certain "strangeness". Being a very even and self-possessed man, he sometimes lost his temper in front of his subordinates, tore off his cocked hat, threw it on the ground and trampled it in a rage.

These outbursts of anger always happened at moments when it was necessary to move subordinates to a difficult decision.

And only the batman noticed such a pattern - every time the day before, the marshal told him: "Jacques, bring my old cocked hat." The marshal was from the common people and could not trample on an expensive headdress. No wonder they say: "The best impromptu is the one that is well prepared."

These plots demonstrate the effectiveness of persuasive actions that combine the techniques of “suspense” and “explosion”.

Identification

If the interlocutor does not show any obvious signs of relaxation or tension, then mutual understanding with him can be achieved against the background of identification, that is, on the idea of mutual experience of some circumstances.

It is known that people who have a certain commonality among themselves are more likely to like each other. Thus, a doctor with a doctor, a merchant with a merchant, an engineer with an engineer, and so on. find common ground faster. And if they also have a certain common destiny, then the achievement of attraction will be even more accelerated. For most people, a fellow sufferer (the same illness, common grief, etc.) becomes closer. One of the reasons for the resounding success of Anatoly Kashpirovsky's television shows was the identification of those who wanted to get rid of their illnesses with those lucky ones who were already lucky: “If they are, then why not me”?

Telesessions of A. M. Kashpirovsky

The name of Anatoly Mikhailovich Kashpirovsky in the recent past was on the lips of many. And almost everyone watched his TV shows.

The success of this talented psychotherapist, which caused controversy in medical circles, was the result of a combination of several factors.

The main role was played by his chosen method of influencing the audience, very similar to that which in psychotherapy is named after two scientists - Kretschmer and Erickson. The technology of the method lies in the absence of “direct” pressure on the participants in the session. The therapist "knits a mesh of words" and only intermittently inserts a phrase whose content is a direct suggestion. Against the background of “indifferent” stimuli, such a phrase works with particular force, since the listeners get the impression of a joint involvement with the psychotherapist in the treatment process. Here is a good example of one of the variants of hypnotic influence according to this method (sentences representing direct suggestion are in bold in the text).

“You can do what you want: sit or move, you can listen to me or not, you can keep your eyes closed or open. Sit comfortably in a chair and relax. You can think about something pleasant, remember pleasant events from your life. You can ignore me at all. Treatment has already begun. you can sleep; if you don't want to, don't sleep but your eyelids are heavy. The reserves of your body are endless. It is not the doctor's power that works, but your own abilities. You are now relaxed, your breathing is even, your heart is beating evenly and calmly. I do not impose anything on you, I do not inspire anything. You yourself will choose from my words everything that you need. But the environment does not bother you anymore; it faded into the background, dissolved. You can take a break from my words for a while, imagine yourself on the seashore. The sun pleasantly warms you, your body is warm and heavy. You don't have to sleep, but it's so nice. You just want to relax and sleep.”

This method, suitable external data and competent construction of the session helped many viewers to activate the internal reserves of the body, which we have already talked about. First of all, easily suggestible and emotional people were able to do this. The main number of "healings" falls on their share.

During the televised sessions, high numbers of cures for various diseases were cited. Although in relation to the total number of possible viewers, this percentage is small, but the figure strengthened faith in Anatoly Mikhailovich. First, he confidently held himself in front of the TV cameras, while managing to retain the external accessories of the hypnotist: the appropriate look, posture, gestures, voice timbre, intonation. Secondly, the vast majority of the population did not know anything at all about the work of psychotherapists, so many TV sessions were perceived as a “magical action”, which, of course, increased their effect. Thirdly, the unusual behavior of some people in the hall had a considerable indirect effect on the perception of the audience. As the cameramen showed, some turned their heads, others waved their arms, others slowly, as if dancing, moved around the hall. Such actions of easily suggestible spectators due to their boundless faith in the possibilities of A. Kashpirovsky caused the so-called induction among those present, infecting them with the same feelings.

Sessions by A. Chumak

In the light of the foregoing, the effects that A. Chumak achieved by “charging” water, cream, ointments, newspapers and magazines are easily explained. Of course, it wasn't the objects that were "charged", the minds of the viewers were "charged". Those who had increased suggestibility and ardently believed in A. Chumak received positive changes in their state of health, since “charged” objects brought a pronounced “placebo effect”.

Those who treated the “recharging” procedure (or A. Chumak himself) sharply negatively received evidence of the harm of such sessions through self-hypnosis. In both cases, the mechanism of influence was the same and was inside the people themselves, and their fierce disputes only created good publicity for A. Chumak.

Psychics

The influx of sorcerers, magicians and psychics that followed the speeches of A. Kashpirovsky was, in fact, a perversion of the foundations of scientific psychology and psychotherapy, since it was based on the elementary illiteracy of people and their habit of creating another idol.

Minsk psychologist Leonid Levit gives the following advice to overly gullible people: “When meeting with another psychic, ask him a specific question (for example, what tooth do you have a crown on or what did you suffer from in childhood) and carefully observe the reaction of the interlocutor. Much will become clear to you in the first few seconds. If you are more embarrassed by the situation of exposing such a “healer” than he is, then at least do not trust him with your personality and your health - the most precious thing you have.

About the dangers and benefits of swearing

From time to time one has to come across statements that plants “feel” when they are going to “do something bad”, “understand” the words that portend danger for them.

Does the word have a similar physical force? Linguists from the Moscow Research Institute of Linguistics, together with biologists, finally decided to answer this question and conducted an experiment on plants. Arabidopsis, which acts as a guinea pig in botany, was cursed. The Evil Fury was replaced by a wave generator, which increased the emotional intensity of ordinary words to the stage of white heat. It turned out that in terms of the strength of the impact, swearing was compared with powerful radiation: DNA chains broke, chromosomes broke up and genes got mixed up. Most of the seeds died, and those that survived mutated. The most interesting thing is that the result did not depend on the sound volume at all. I immediately remembered the sorcerers who whisper their conspiracies.

There has long been a belief among the people: an envious, evil person with a bad word can cause harm. For such, they even composed a saying: “Pip on your tongue!”.

If swearing has such a power that even unconscious plants can catch it, then the question arises: what role do swearing have on human health?

The fact that they bring harm to the one they fall upon is clear. It is no coincidence that we react painfully to abuse addressed to us. And for the health of the cursing themselves?

Not so long ago, linguists found an “ideal” society - these are the Himalayan Sherpas: they have forbidden fights, murders, violence, swearing. However, as it turned out, this seemingly prosperous nation is the most uncomfortable in the world. Sherpas are like a bomb ready to explode. Once a year, they are allowed to cross the line of what is permitted in the language in competitions in rhetoric, and this turns into many days of bloody brawls.

It turns out that swear words are a valve through which the body gets rid of destructive energy.

We need obscene and swear words like milk to a growing organism. Without profanity, our energy would burn us from the inside. The Institute of Linguistics advised: if you want to swear, then it’s better not to hold back, but to bury yourself in a corner or fence so as not to spray harmful waves, and swear hard. And for the offenders, you need to keep the formula at the ready: “I wish you the same.” Harmless to others, but in fact - "tit for tat". But we must remember that curses also have a reverse connection: the one who pronounces them brings trouble on his own head.

Coding

It represents nothing more than a kind of directive suggestion, a command. If a person does not want to stop drinking, and his will resists the doctor's will, then there will be no effect from coding. Such a procedure helps, first of all, those people who really decide to “tie up”. In order to increase the level of suggestibility of patients before and during coding, various frightening “rituals” can be used. (Recall that in a state of nervous stress, a person's criticality to incoming information decreases and, accordingly, suggestibility increases.)

So, one resourceful psychotherapist put two hefty guys dressed in white coats at the door of the office in which coding took place. "Protection" drilled with the eyes of each visitor entering the office, creating a stressful state in him. At the end of the coding, the doctor "for medical purposes" irrigated the patient's mouth with a solution that formed blisters. When such a person with "foam at the mouth" left the office, it made a strong impression on those who were still waiting for their turn. Needless to say, the effect of coding was very great!

In developed countries, such directive methods in psychology and psychotherapy are now fading into the background, giving way to group psychotherapy and NLP (neuro-linguistic programming; read about it below). The reason is that in democratic states human freedom is one of the main values. In our country, entire generations have been brought up in such a way that they are ready (and even willing) to obey orders.

Suggestion via computer

In 1998, Japan was rocked by a scandal over showing cartoons for children. The alternation of bright red flashes led to the fact that the children lost their appetite, became withdrawn, irritable, some even ended up in the hospital with a diagnosis of “nervous exhaustion”. This cartoon was made on a computer.

“Bewitching” programs on computers appeared in the late 80s, when the first color monitors went on sale. One of the most popular programs of the time was written in the USA, called "Dazzle" and was installed on tens of thousands of computers. It is doubtful that its creators pursued any malicious goals. It was a beautiful screensaver that could decorate the interior while the computer was not working. Colored stripes ran across the screen, forming intricate patterns that never repeat. However, specialists in the psychophysical influence of “Dazzle” rather quickly improved it, streamlining the change of pictures, choosing the right color scheme for them and special music. The program began to hypnotize the viewer, put him into a trance.

“A friend gave me a floppy disk with this program, he only warned me not to turn it on at full capacity,” said Igor Serov, one of those who study the “side” effects of new computer programs. - I remember well my state when I sat down in a chair in front of the monitor and clicked on the “mouse”. At first, I didn’t seem to notice anything, and then it began to seem to me that a funnel appeared in the middle of the screen, the walls in the room began to bend, the floor began to sway, and there was a wild pain in my eyes. I found the strength in myself to reach the “Power” button with the toe of my boot and cut off the current.

Such programs achieve the desired result by combining video and audio effects, causing resonance at the alpha frequency of the brain. Such screensavers are called psionic. However, there is no evidence that such programs have caused anything more than temporary health problems.

How do psionic programs get into a computer? You can buy it on a tray that sells "left", that is, pirated discs. Now there are a lot of programs offering to turn them on and relax, rest, “know yourself”. What is really written on them and what effect can be when running these programs is unknown. But most likely, such programs can get onto your computer along with a virus. And it is this technology of transferring destructive software that will develop at a fantastic pace in the near future.

“I have not yet come across viruses that affect the psyche of someone who sits at a computer,” said Kirill Zhuchkov, manager of Kaspersky Lab. “However, lately, in the new generation of viruses, there has been a noticeable tendency not to destroy your programs, but to take control of what you do on your computer. For example, one of the most common viruses over the past month, Back Orifice, is engaged in removing passwords, addresses, and technical parameters from your machine without your knowledge. And then those who sent the virus to you get full access to your computer and are able to immediately monitor what commands you are executing, what texts you are typing.

Quite naturally, following the desire to control your computer, secret programmers may also want to control you. The development of technology provides truly unlimited possibilities for this. Already in the first years of the new millennium, computers should appear that are not inferior to humans in terms of data processing speed and intelligence. Further building up of such abilities will go exponentially.

There are great prospects for zombifying those who work on a computer, especially those connected to the Internet.

G hypnosis and crime detection

One of the first Russian criminologists who used hypnosis to solve crimes was the famous detective Nikolai Petrovich Arkharov, who headed the Moscow police at the end of the 18th century. As contemporaries recalled, “It was enough for Arkharov to look into the eyes of the person caught in the crime for him to admit his guilt or swear innocence.” In a calm conversation, Arkharov even managed to talk to the prisoner Emelyan Pugachev, who until now had been silent in the dungeons of the secret political police.

At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th century, the metropolitan police often turned to the famous Russian psychiatrist Vladimir Mikhailovich Bekhterev for advice. Using hypnosis and other techniques, Bekhterev gave conclusions about the sanity and character of the most dangerous murderers, rapists, swindlers and other criminals. Bekhterev collaborated with the "authorities" under the Soviet regime as well.

One of the best students of Bekhterev and part-time employee of the Special Department at the OGPU, engaged in secret developments in the field of secret sciences, was Alexander Vasilyevich Barchenko. In the 1920s, he made several secret trips to Siberia and Altai to get acquainted with the psychic abilities of shamans and Buddhist monks. Bit by bit, Barchenko also collected the secret knowledge of the Russian sects eunuchs, runners, whips, etc., who widely practiced hypnosis. He developed for the OGPU methods of psychological influence on the arrested, which were then used to prepare the trials of "enemies of the people" - with their public repentance. In 1937, Barchenko was arrested and shot, along with the head of the Special Department, Gleb Bokiy. And his archive was confiscated by the secret services and, according to information leaked to the press, was used for practical purposes until the 1990s.

Hypnosis crimes

There are many legends about hypnotist criminals. But few people know that all these stories are not just stories. A few years ago, the leadership of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation created a unit at its research institute, which one would like to call the “department for combating hypnotism”. It includes several major hypnotist specialists who help operatives solve crimes related to the use of suggestion. Professor, Colonel of the Medical Service, Doctor of Medical Sciences Leonid Grimak works in this department as the chief researcher. And based on the materials of criminal cases, he wrote the book “Hypnosis and Crime”.

– Leonid Pavlovich, where did the idea of creating your department come from?

- In the early 90s, many psychics appeared who claimed that they could find missing people, cars, solve murders. The Ministry of Internal Affairs instructed us to deal with them in order to understand whether it is possible to work with them seriously. And we gradually noticed amazing things. For example, in February 1993, one of the psychics (by the way, a senior police sergeant) managed to solve 16 crimes in a row. He came to the Yekaterinburg pre-trial detention center, and people under investigation were called to him. He looked at everyone and almost immediately began to describe in detail the circumstances of the crime. These were mostly burglaries - and he described in detail the situation and the interior of the robbed houses. This case is documented, there is even filming. But when, three months later, we brought the psychic to Moscow to involve him in solving more complicated crimes, he could no longer do anything. Apparently, from time to time he fell into some borderline states. It was no longer possible to repeat the success, moreover, he went crazy ... Then a couple of times we came across similar phenomena, but it turned out to be impossible to streamline the process of solving crimes with the help of psychics, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs stopped working with them.

- Have you encountered criminal psychics?

“We have seen crimes committed with the help of hypnosis, but not only psychics have used it. These were school teachers, pop hypnotists, doctors. And most often they committed rape. For example, several years ago, not without our help, we managed to successfully complete the criminal case of a district doctor who practiced in a city in Central Russia. He hypnotized two schoolgirls who came to see him. He inspired them with complete obedience, ordered them to come to the clinic. And raped them on every visit. Now serving time.

In our production, there were several cases when pop hypnotists fished out especially suggestible girls from the hall where they performed and then simply sculpted from them, like their clay, whatever they wanted. Everything was revealed when one of the girls suddenly became pregnant. In general, it is very difficult to prove such a crime, since the victim does not remember anything. For example, there is a case when one boy, who accidentally noticed hypnotic abilities in himself, put his cousin into a trance for several years and seduced him. And everything was discovered by chance: someone caught him doing this.

Therefore, when Kashpirovsky's television bacchanalia took place in our country, I was very afraid that schoolchildren would massively use hypnosis to seduce classmates.

Fortunately, this did not happen. Although, perhaps, some cases are simply unknown to us.

“Weren’t banks robbed with the help of hypnosis?”

- Not in my memory, although such cases are described in the specialized literature. The criminals put the cashier into a trance, he himself gave them the money, and then he could not remember anything. We saw other crimes, for example, how some kind of camp urka subjugates inmates with the help of hypnosis.

- And how do criminals know hypnosis?

- They do not use scientific hypnosis, but the so-called “folk”, which has long been used in magic, divination. When some village old woman “removes damage” from a neighbor, she tries to neutralize one hypnotic suggestion with another. Thieves in law operate in similar ways. But they give other installations - for complete submission. By the way, I noticed that modern political image makers use similar techniques.

- Can a hypnotist completely establish power over another person?

- Usually, even in a deep trance, a person will not carry out the suggestion of a hypnotist if it goes against his moral principles. But there are groups of people who are ready to succumb to any foreign influence - criminals, homeless people, drug addicts.

– There is an opinion that neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a newfangled psychotechnology, allows you to do something similar with a person.

– This is a very serious technique, I use it to treat patients. A competent NLP master can put a person into hypnosis in any situation.

– Have you met with crimes committed with the help of NLP?

- I think no one can solve such crimes yet. They won't even notice. So I meet you, greet you, and while shaking hands, squeezing it in a special way, I put you into a trance. Then I clean your pockets. Then I give the command to you to forget all this and wake up. And you only remember that you said hello to someone, went on and suddenly found that the wallet had disappeared ...

- Do investigators use hypnosis to force a criminal to confess?

- From the point of view of the Criminal Code, this is illegal. However, there is an order from the Minister of the Interior that allows the use of hypnosis when interrogating witnesses or victims. Very often, the victims forget the signs of the offender, and we help them remember them. The accused can also fall under hypnosis, but only at a personal request. And testimony made under hypnosis has no legal force.

– Is it possible to turn a criminal into a normal person with the help of hypnosis?

- I think that a person commits crimes in a state of self-hypnosis. It is authentically known that it was with the help of hypnosis that primitive people were controlled. There is an element of hypnosis in any mass action - remember the Nazi marches or parades on Red Square. There are more hypnotic programs in human society than is commonly thought.

Have you practiced hypnosis yourself?

This is how I started my medical career. Before working at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I used hypnosis to conduct research with astronauts and test pilots.

- I heard that you treated Shchelokov, the former head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

- He had neuritis of the brachial nerve, I relieved his pain by suggestion. And look at this portrait - it was my most important patient.

- Kozhedub ?!
- Fifteen years treated - a severe disease of the cerebral vessels. Until the end of his life from time to time spent with him sessions of hypnotherapy.

Hypnosis and memory

In 1993, like thunder, America was rocked by the case of a certain Meryl A. An unfortunate old maid who had spent her young years caring for her adored father suddenly went to court demanding that he be found guilty of violence against her while she was a child and pay a multi-million dollar lawsuit. . A few days earlier, in a psychiatric center, under hypnosis, they helped her to bring to light the memories of her childhood. And Meryl remembered how, in the summer, in a clearing near the old garage, her father had committed indecent acts with her.

“Do you really have a villa in that place?” Mr. A. was asked in the courtroom.

– She was until Meryl was 4 years old.

“Is there a garage in the clearing?”

- Probably, yes, it was.

The court found the father guilty.

An avalanche of such lawsuits swept over not only America, but also the countries of Western Europe. “Modern psychoanalysts can lift the deepest layers of memory,” the newspapers wrote. And as a result, claims against parents from offended children in childhood began to grow like a snowball. It was enough for the courts to have one confirmation of the doctors in order to initiate criminal cases on the claims of those who went through hypnosis. On the resurrection of memories, tens of thousands of psychoanalysts have made their careers. Sobering up came only after the publication of a book called “Victims of Memory”, in which the accused father wrote: “I was found guilty of something that never happened. I have never offended my daughters.” Hundreds of stories about slandered parents were also collected there ... The society immediately asked the question: how could this happen?

The Canadian neurosurgeon Walter Penfield was the first to notice that if during the operation the scalpel touches certain areas in the temporal part of the brain, patients suddenly begin to remember the smallest details of long-standing events. As soon as the scalpel was removed, the visions stopped from the same moment. “We don’t forget anything at all!” - this sensation in the late 80s blew up the scientific community.

The case of a 62-year-old man was the first to thunder. The former bricklayer recalled that as a boy, helping to restore a church in one town, he laid the sixth brick with a crack in the fifth row. A meticulous psychiatrist went to this church and made sure that it is this brick that is split in two today. The next sensational report was that a certain Sibyl N., under hypnosis, remembered that her father, when she was a child, had killed an unfamiliar woman in front of her eyes. The police brigade that went to the indicated place found a buried corpse under an apple tree. Sibylla's father was condemned.

“Sometimes children manage to instruct the brain to forget information,” comments Konstantin Anokhin, head of the joint Russian-British laboratory for the neuroscience of memory. - This can happen when the opposite concepts of "father" and "rapist" or "father" and "murderer" do not fit in the children's imagination. This is a defense mechanism that takes information to the subconscious so that the child can become a normal person. But the reverse process can also occur: the brain, as a result of an unknown failure, produces pseudo-memories.

... The idea of the experiment, the results of which again turned all ideas about memory, was born on a day when all of America was in shock from the Challenger disaster. A group of American psychologists asked university students to describe in detail the moment they heard about the catastrophe. Four years later, the same group was given the task of repeating their memories. And it turned out that each of the students confidently described ... a completely different situation.

Techniques and methods of psychological influence on people are the main part of practical psychology. Thanks to this, every day science discovers, studies, tests, generalizes and offers to use the psychological methods of influencing people on each other in their lives. It can be a family, industrial, labor and public sphere. All people, when communicating with each other, influence each other, on purpose or not, and use certain mechanisms in practice.

What are the techniques and methods of influencing a person?

Among the main ones, we highlight the following:

infection;
suggestion;
belief;
compulsion;
imitation;
promotion.

The most ancient of them is the mechanism of infection. It is a transfer of emotional and mental mood from one to another (laughter, panic). The effect of infection to a large extent depends on the intensity of the emotional state of the affected person.

Suggestion: a characteristic of the method

Suggestion underlies the appeal to the emotional-unconscious sphere of a person. It has a verbal character, which means it is carried out with the help of words.

That information, which is intended for suggestion, should be very short, but having the maximum meaning and richness. And also use the moment of expression so that a person instantly believes in what they are told. In addition, the influencing person should not be in an emotional trance, but must be of sound mind, feel confident, since the authority of the source of information is the basis of suggestion. If the influencer (inspirer) does not have authority for the perceiver (suggested), then the session will not end successfully.

It is important to remember that the effectiveness of suggestion may depend on the intonation of the person's voice. It should show the confidence, authority and importance of the words.

Methods of persuasion: the influence of external factors on a person

Every day we are confronted with persuasion. For example, food manufacturers want us to buy their butter and cheese, and film studios want us to attend the premiere of their films in theaters.

Since the methods of persuasion are the main component of our life, we often cannot always notice how we were influenced by them and the influence of external factors. This science has been studied since ancient times, its ultimate goal was to make the other person calmly assimilate a certain argument and accept a new judgment of the elements of his worldview system.

What are the main methods of persuasion and how effective are they?

Here are some highly effective persuasion techniques. In addition to them, they are also used: rewards, punishments, positive or negative experiences, an appeal to the moral qualities of a person.

Persuasion methods include:

Instruction. When the person being convinced is positively disposed towards the person who convinces (if he has authority), he instructs the listeners, convinces them to behave in a specific way that he needs. In the form of instruction, the director gives direct recommendations to his subordinates: "Do it in the following way, and we will achieve such and such results."
Commands and orders. These methods are used very often if there is authority in front of the audience. The main thing is that orders are carried out. But for success, the convinced should not criticize the tasks set. For example, at the request of parents or grandmother to collect toys, the baby will react differently if the mother is strict with him, and the grandmother is gentle.
Advice. When there is trust, closeness, understanding between people. Of course, you need to give advice correctly, and do it in such a way as not to offend a loved one.
Hint. This type of influence is indirect, since the information is not communicated directly, but in the form of a half-joke or comparison. For the most part, the hint is not aimed at the person’s thinking, but is addressed to his emotional state. It is best used when the person is in a playful, upbeat mood.
indirect approval. This technique can be used when a person as a whole is acting correctly. The main goal is not to let you turn off the right path. But why is the approval indirect? If a person is told everything directly and openly, it will look like flattery and can scare away. It is absolutely inappropriate to look a person straight in the eye and say: “You are great! That way you will get what you want." It would be better to use a persuasive phrase. For example: "This approach usually produces excellent results."
placebo. This effect has long been known to medicine. As a rule, the doctor gives the patient ordinary ascorbic acid instead of a serious medicine and says that this is a new generation drug, and it will help from all troubles. The patient believes in a good outcome of the treatment and is thus healed. You can also use this technique to convince the interlocutor that everything will work out for him. For example, give a child a talisman and say that as long as he keeps it, he will be able to achieve everything he dreams of. Sure, if you put in the effort. And you will see, the child will certainly succeed.

All these techniques are known to everyone, there is nothing amazing in them, the main thing is to use them correctly, and then success is guaranteed. There are psychological methods of persuasion, the main purpose of which is to influence the human mind and accept your point of view.

Psychological tricks

The method of persuasion, examples of which are presented in the article, is widely used by psychologists. Let's take a look at their basics:

Fundamental. Direct speech to the interlocutor, who is openly introduced to the necessary information, which serves as the basis for proving the truth.
Contradictions. Identification of inconsistencies in the arguments of the persuaded and a thorough check of personal arguments for consistency in order to prevent a counterattack.
Extracting conclusions. Arguments are not revealed immediately, but gradually. Seeking agreement at every step.
Pieces. The arguments of the persuaded are divided into strong, medium, weak. The former are mostly not concerned, the main goal is the latter.
Accent. Emphasizing certain points in the arguments given by the interlocutor (“you yourself are talking”).
Ignoring. It is used if the fact cited by the interlocutor cannot be refuted.
Bilateral argument. For persuasiveness, they first talk about the advantages, and then about the disadvantages of the proposed method for solving this issue.
boomerang method. The interlocutor is returned his own arguments, but directed in the other direction. Arguments "for" turn into arguments "against".

About coercion

Methods of persuasion and coercion require their correct use on the interlocutor. These two methods absolutely cannot be separated from each other, there is a dialectical connection between them, a single objectivity of character, and their use is determined by the level of development of relations in society.

The technique of coercion is a method of influence that has two factors: moral - psychological and physical. It is essentially similar to persuasion. Indeed, in both, the main task of the presenter is for the interlocutor to begin to think like him. As when using the method of persuasion, in coercion, a person first substantiates his immediate point of view, resorting to various evidence. Therefore, they are considered to be the main ways of psychological influence on your interlocutor.

The act of persuasion is almost one of the most difficult and requires certain rules. The main place in this process is the argumentation of the position and the desire to make it so that other people accept it. Methods of coercion and persuasion are designed to force the interlocutor to do what you need.

About promotion

It becomes definitely clear what the methods of persuasion are aimed at. Reward methods - are they a psychological impact on a person? The technique of this method is aimed at stimulating and consolidating the positive behavior of the student. But it is important to remember that encouragement should not turn into praise, as this will slow down the desire for activity. This is especially necessary for children of preschool, school and adolescence.

Psychologist O. Zaporozhets, having studied this method, came to the conclusion that encouragement and praise from teachers and relatives has a good effect on the activities of children. This influence includes two stages. On the first one, praise will act as a direct positive reinforcement of activity. At the second stage, direct reinforcement will acquire an internal, subconscious motivation for further actions. To apply this method, it is necessary to take into account objectivity and fairness. Also, do not forget about the age and individual characteristics of the pupil. The practice of rewarding a person with material means in the family often leads to big problems.

Incentive Requirements

You should pay attention to the following points:

It is necessary to encourage the actions of the child, which are an example for others.
With this method, age and personal characteristics must be taken into account.
Encouragement is effective only from authoritative persons or micro-society.
You can not apply the method in relation to the same children.

In this principle, the main thing is that children or employees feel a sense of pride and satisfaction for good results in work or study.

The relationship between persuasion and suggestion

Methods of suggestion and persuasion - what is the relationship between them? Sometimes it seems that in both cases there is an imposition of other people's thoughts or feelings on a person. Is there a difference between the two methods and what is it?

Persuasion is an element of a person's worldview that encourages them to act in a particular way (for example, not agreeing to intimacy on a first date because good girls behave like that). To influence a person in this case means to transfer the worldview to another person (to convince a friend that there is no sex on a date, because it is so right). Suggestion does not affect the person's belief system. Let's consider this in more detail.

Subtleties of the method of suggestion

Suggestion is another process, it is primarily an aggressive psychological impact. Bypassing the consciousness and critical thinking of a person, he is confidently imposed with an attitude that must be accepted. This process goes through the subconscious. Suggested blindly absorbs information. This can happen with the help of hypnosis, pressure or emotional-volitional manifestation. Many believe that it is possible to inspire a person with something even mentally.