A comparative study of the subjective experiences of hypnosis and meditation amongst a student sample

Abstract

This study reports oi: the nature of subjective experiences of hypnosis and meditation in a sample of volunteer University of the Western Cape students (N = 12). Historical developments in the field of psychology dictated that much of the research conducted during the past three decades into the phenomena of hypnosis and meditation, was concerned with physiological changes. The measurement of physiological responses is more amenable to scientific investigation, in comparison to the measurement of subjective experiences. As a result, investigations into the nature of subjective experiences during hypnosis and meditation, as well as comparisons between the two, remain areas where continued research is encouraged.