From: raph@fnalnn.fnal.gov
Subject: Re: It seems kinda simple to me.
Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Lab
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 01:05:23 GMT

In article <1992Apr6.103809.1@wharton.upenn.edu>,
 millerl@wharton.upenn.edu writes:
> In article <6572@lee.SEAS.UCLA.EDU>, mitch@mott.seas.ucla.edu
 (Robert R. Mitchell (SEAS admin)) writes:
>> How about using a "control group" of people who claim _not_ to
>> have had an abduction experience or missing time episode?
>> Would they suddenly begin "remembering" such episodes when
>> placed under hypnosis?  A "false positive" result would certainly
>> cast aspersions on the value of hypnosis as a tool.
> 
> This has been done, and the abduction theorists claimed that the newly
> remembered abductions proved that the problem was even more widespread
> than they had thought. The same thing happens with hypnotic regression
> to recall satanist abuse, and hypnotic regression to remember childhood
> sexual abuse, and so on. Hypnosis is a powerful tool to change what
> people think; abduction theorists, among others, seem to forget this.
> 
> -- 
> whoah,
> +++++++++++++++++++++++23
> Loren Miller                  internet: MILLERL@wharton.upenn.edu


First off, I'm not a "UFO investigator," but I have come to know a number of
abductees rather well; and in our family we do have a psychoanalyst and a
degree or two in psychology.  What I have noticed from this thread is that one
element is omitted, which seems to be quite pivotal to the abduction
experience, and that is the traumatic shock, called PTSD in the psychiatrist's
DSM-III lingo.  You cannot find "control group" subjects normally running
around who are in a state of PTSD unless they have just been held hostage,
raped, or nearly been killed, or have been subjected to some other sort of
trauma.  

Not all of the phenomena come out under hypnosis; in fact, from the people I
have talked with, only two of them resorted to hypnosis; and they had very
vivid experiences that they remembered (and related) *before* going to a
professional hypnotist to help understand what happened to them.

With a little imagination, I am sure that many people can concoct a scenario
where they are taken aboard a UFO, or attended a satanic ritual, or were a spy
for the USSR, etc.  What I believe *cannot* be concocted is the post-traumatic
stress syndrome, which can last for months, and has distinct and vivid
symptoms.

Had it been true (as I supposed before getting to know these abductees) that
all abductees probably said to themselves, "Gee, I saw a really strange light
through my bedroom window last night; maybe I was abducted by a UFO!  I'll get
hypnotized and find out!"  Well, if that would be the typical case, I would
agree that hypnosis and UFO abductions were only hokum.  I have found out that
that is not the case, to my great surprise.

Selecting test and control subjects without selecting for the trauma in the
one group is extremely poor protocol, and will probably leave you with an
"apples and oranges" useless comparison.

                                        Cordially, Jim Hawtree

*************************************************************************
Disclaimer:  Neither the senior physicists nor the janitor's union at Fermilab
knows  about nor cares about (let alone endorses) my opinions and statements
above.
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"If anyone disagrees with anything I say, I am quite prepared not only to
retract it, but also to deny under oath that I ever said it."
                                -- Tom Lehrer
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