Activating Posthypnotic Conflict: Emergent Uncovering Psychopathology Repression, and Psychopathology

Abstract

An attempt was made to observe the process of repression and symptom formation. Emergent uncovering techniques were used to weaken a spontaneous repression that was produced by the posthypnotic activation of sexual impulses stemming from an implanted oedipal paramnesia. Twelve hypnotic and ten simulating subjects were used in a modified real-simulator design. Although it was not possible to 'lift' the spontaneous repression of derivatives of oedipal strivings in the course of uncovering via visual imagery, a wide variety of spontaneous symptoms were produced in the hypnotically conditioned subjects. The type of symptom was shown to be related to the degree of repression. Simulating subjects produced only a few symptoms. The manifestation of a symptom was concomitant with an increase in the GSR, but not the blatancy of drive representation. These findings were consistent with the phenomena observed using free imagery in emergent uncovering psychotherapy.