A Historical Context for Understanding “An Eye Roll Test for Hypnotizability” by Herbert Spiegel, M.D.

Abstract

Herb Spiegel was known for many professional and scientific achievements. He may be best remembered for his discovery of the Eye Roll Sign (ERS) and its relation to innate trance capacity and the parallel creation and development of the Hypnotic Induction Profile (HIP). The present paper provides a historical context for understanding Herb’s 1972 publication of “An Eye Roll Test for Hypnotizability” which originally appeared in the American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 38 years ago and is reprinted in this journal issue.

This article is the republished version of:

A Historical Context for Understanding “An Eye Roll Test for Hypnotizability”

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Marcia Greenleaf, Ph.D., David Spiegel, M.D., and Laurie Lipman, M.D., who made many constructive and supportive comments during the preparation of this paper.