Repression, Psychopathology and Drive Representation: An Experimental Hypnotic Investigation of Impulse Inhibition

Abstract

A hypnotically induced paramnesia involving hostile impulses was activated posthypnotically at three levels of conflict-intensity by the tachistoscopic presentation of words related to the paramnesia. Ss who achieved awareness into the induced impulses upon conflict-word recognition and who eventually carried out the destructive urge constituted the Poor Repressor group. The Good Repressor group did not act upon the induced impulses and verbalized less awareness of them. All Ss had responded initially to a set of 10 TAT cards which were scored for drive representation, drive integration, and drive socialization. The Poor Repressors expressed more drive-related content, better integration of the drive, and less socialization of the drive than the Good Repressors. The latter also tended to manifest more symptoms of a somatic character. Both groups differed from simulating Ss.