Published as a separate and in The Jeurnal of Prychology, 1960, 49, 117-121. AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF SOMNAMBULIST HYPNOSIS* Centro de Psiguiatria Experimental, Universidad de Chile Junto M. Drrrsorn ano Vitma AnMENoot! A. Prosiem ‘A method has been described which quantifies the entry into a state of suggested sleep in 8s that are highly responsive to the body sway test and in whom very definite expectations have been inserted (1, 2). With one ex- ception, all Ss awoke from this kind of sleep after the operator's verbal intervention, “This naturally led to the following question: what would be the behaviour of a given S if, as well as the expectation of sleep, the expec~ tation of able to speak without awakening were instilled in him? B. Susyects anp MetHop Seven healthy young men of about the same age who were serving in the Chilean army in 1958 were used as Ss? All had in common the capacity to attain suggested sleep, that is to say, they were unable to respond to 18 sue- cessive light signals within the first 100 to be perceived in the test given to them. ‘The experiment was performed while the $ was lying on a couch in a soundproof room with the operator observing and controlling the test instru- ments from an adjoining room, ‘Apart from the expectation of sleep, the expectation of being able to speak without awakening was instilled into the individual Ss before the start of each experiment. -A good understanding of the situation aimed at is im- portant if clear results are to be obtained. It was sometimes necessary to illustrate the requisite expectation by citing the very common experiences of people who talk in their steep. Precautions were taken to prevent communication among the Ss. After suggested sleep was attained, cach S was asked a simple question. ‘The questions called for a simple answer with meaning for the individual Ss, © Received im the Editorial Office on October 15, 1959, and published immediately u Provincetowm, Mawachusets, Copyright by The Jourbal Pres. 1 Egeal Rockefeller fellow. 2 hen $s belonged to the group of 12 on whom che experiment ia reference (2) 17 Copy right (c) 2003 ProQuest Information and Learning Company Copyright (¢) Heldref Publications