ABSTRACT
The presence of developmental factors in hypnosis became evident in the course of an interviewing program at the Stanford laboratory in 1960. The first published communication bore the title “Developmental-Interactive Aspects of Hypnosis” (J. Hilgard and E. Hilgard, 1962). These interviews were conducted with college students who were about to experience hypnosis or had just experienced it. Events that had happened in their childhood appeared to be related to their present responses in hypnosis. It was stated:
Specific experiences of early childhood will have a central role in providing readiness for hypnotic experience, and this readiness will take specialized forms depending upon later childhood as well (p. 149).
