The Transparent Hypnotist

How’s that for over intellectualizing something? LOL. I have begun the perusal over the topic of hypnotizing animals. Though I mentioned in an earlier post about a rambunctious cat that relaxed when he was around humans who were in the Alpha state, this is not what often immediately comes to mind when one thinks about animals being hypnotized. It is usually the old deer in the headlights.

So, is it true that indeed the lights are hypnotizing said animal? Andre M. Weitzenhoffer does not think so, as he wrote in his book The Practice of Hypnotism. He list ten ideas as to why what we tend to call animal hypnosis is not related to human hypnosis. I will paraphrase a few:

1. Muscles changes that occur in animals (the rigidity?) do not occur in humans when they are hypnotized. He also cites Charcot’s experiments as having similarities, but mentions that those ideas have been done away.
2. Immobility (tonic rigidity) is what happens to these animals during this state. Humans do not necessarily do this and can move during hypnosis. Also, the immobility last until the state is terminated.
3. Within animals, this is not a state where suggestions can be applied.

So, there you go - Weitzenhoffer feels that in terms of the deer in the headlight analogy, this is not hypnosis. I would tend to agree.

However, it does not explain my cat experiment, so perhaps I will continue on in this research.

Source: The Practice of Hypnotism