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Possiblo Fallibility of Folygraph Tosting of Subjects in Posthypnotic States 11

1. Q. On the basis of your kowladge of hypnolog', do you think that it would be possible to induce a postpypnotio state on a subject in such a way that hia re-.iy aotions to polygraph teating would bo aignifioantly altered?:

A. My offhand opinion ia that this would be quite posoiblo. Of course it would be very simple to conduct oxperimonts tmich could definitely dooide this queation one way or anothor, but on the asaumption that such experlments have not yet been carried out, I should like to comment briefly on the possibilities to be considored.

As I understand it, the polygraph measures unconsciovs physlcal reactions to tha atimli of the mental disturbances cauaed by the talling of deliberate lios. Thereforo, it would appear posaible that a subject, could possibly nvoid these re aotions if he wore. interrogated whlo in a posthypnotic state and thus-oatabligh. his innooence for som incririnating aots or asaociations. This might be done by the inductlon of posthypnotic amosia for the incrininating epioodes and'tho substitution of en alibi aituation by the establislument of false rocollections. In order words, the tubject would be corvinced that he wes actually telling the truth and would not have the poychosomatio dioturbances nacessary for a polygraph,reaction. In addition to this, complete amnesia of the hypnotións itself can'be effected and an affectivo dofenee can be set up against rehypnotization by another hypnotist. Furthermoro, the subjeat's reaoticns to other quostione used in teating the polygraphability of a subjectb would probably be normali

2. (Collector'a Noto: In addition to the corments reportad above, scurco suggestad (and supplied roference matorial which he felt might provide some background information on this subject. A brief review of soma of this liforature was undortaken by the colleotor and the ccmente listed below were abatracted. Although they ofton support source's opiniona, thoy are by no means direotly attributable to him, nor can the conclusions renched bo ccnatrued as bearing his endorsement. Abrief reviow of recent volumes of Psycholorical Abotrata (Abstracta) (later tlian 1950) rovealed no articlos describing esperirents involving posthypnotic bohavior in relation to the polygraph machine. Therafore the following coments inolude other references wiich the colleotor considera as poasibly spplicable to the problem.)

a. The Hature cf the Poethypnotic réxt State -- In the firat place, thoro still seems to bo a gront deal of confusion about the actual nature of tho posthypnotic atate itself and about the scope of influence of tho operator in the subject's reaotions when awaka. Those questions were cited by lienry Ouse of Long Island Univora: who points cut that they have plagued investigatora for many years and havs received no clarity.in intarprstation. He goes on to.say that perhape even mora corplex isv the question as to how a subjoct responds to the fact that he 1s behaving in a way which is different from his usual bohavior, (1) Ho explains that the "poothypnotio

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ect will often have in it an aspect of remombrance as to the suggeation given in. the trance" but he adds, "Of course, some phenomena of s posthypnotio natura, such as hallucinatory experience, mar be adcepted by the subjeot as being of unquestionable authenticity."

b.Hypnoais and Antisocial Conduct -- Doopite an active controversy on the subjeot, tharelis much evidence that hypnotiam can induce antisocial behavior. (2) In this conmection it should be brought out that such acts can be'acoomplished in the posthypnotio state with no apparent knowledge or feeling on the part of the subject. Several experiments have showm that such "subjects handled peculiarities in their posthypnotio activities by accepting them as congrous sspeota of their behavior.: (3) Such "acceptance"or the antisocial act of lying might well preclude any physical reaotions which would be measurable by the polygraph.

In experimanta with the hypnotio and post-hypnotio produotion of antisocial behavior, attampts are often made by eperimantera to break the induced atats of posthypnotio ammesia several deys after the experimental antisocial act or aots have been comdtted by the subjact. The accusations brought out in these interrogations usually arouse epparently righteous indignation or diebelief on the part of the "guilty" subject. In one suoh experiment a young female subjeet, had been induced under hypnosis to steal money.from ths pocket of a stranger'a coat after awakening from her trance. (l) She was given posthypnotic ameaia for the source of the compulaion. She stole the dollar,and latar Bpent it." When confronted with the facts soveral days later ahe did not beliove then, On the baais of her reactions the experimenter reported as follovsi"Thesé comments are included to indicate the difficulties a crossexaminer would moet in attempting to wring a confession fromra criminal'hypnotic subject. Miss A's mamner betrayed not the subtlèst evidence or consoiouaness of guilt. I cannot say, of oourse, what might have been her reaotion to a lie-detector or thierd-degree methods."-

Subeequently this subject was again hypnotized and her amesia for thé inoident removed.Miss A was then asked whether ahs thought she could in hypnosis be induced to comit more serious crimes-such as to ateal inportant govarnment papera were she a secretary in Washington. She said, Ies, I think so.' She held to this belief both in the trance and normal atates.

o. Training and Testing - In case posthypnotio compulsion were utilized in an attempt to circumvent lie detection, the neoessarily complete control over the posthypnotic behavior of a subject would require  period of intensive training and testing. Subjects vary widaly in the hypnotizability. In other words, one person might show little initial resiatance to trance induction but the operator might find that he would show a great deal more resistance to illusion creation or to one or more of the standard oriteria for meaauring the depth of hypnosis. (Such criteria include (1) hypnotic analgeaia to painful stimuli, (2) mixed olfaotory hallucinationa, (3) age repression control, (h) posthypnotic amesia,.(5) ability to cary out posthypnotic pz suggestions and the rapid indiction of trance through an unrelated poathypnotio signal. (5) Aa Braxman pointed out, "To achieve the best results, one must utilize the individugi characteristics of each subject. (6) Through patient experimantation with derious auggestions used to ciroumvent the points of resiatance, very deep BRENMAN

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hypnoais can usually be obtained in a willing aubject. It should then be possible to predict the effects which the subject'e own peculiar pepbonality and hypnotisability characteristics will play in the posthypnotio state. The ultimate goal of the training would be tha arsation of a state of hypnotizability whereby the operator could rapidly induce a posthypnotio state in whioh the subject would have no xuo conscious knowledge or memory of his incriminating activities or conneotions.

In addition to the above goal, it would be alao possible to induce in the subject a facility for autohypnosis, Leslie M. LeCrom of Los Angeles, stated that it is difficult to hypnotize onesolf at all doeply unleas a post hypnotic suggestion has been given during hetero-inducad hypnosis to the effect that the person.can thareafter hopnotise himsefl." (7)

d.: Detection of Posthypnotio State by Polygraph  As far as polygraph detoction of the poat hypnotic state itaelf is ooncerned, this ssems unlikely in the'light of the negative and inconolusive resulta of experiments conducted by True and Stephenson which corrolated electroencephalogram, pulse and planter reflaxos in hypnoais with age regreasion and induced emotional atates. (8)

(1) Guse, Hianry. "Posthypnotio Behavior and Personality," Porsonality, Vol.l, No. 3, Nov. 1951,. page 232.
(2) Eatabrooks, O.R., The Possible Antisocial Use of Hypnotiam," PERSONALITY,
Vol. 1, No. 3, Hor 1951, page 29h-299.
(3) Ouse, op cit page 236.

(4) Bre man, Margaret, "Experirnnts in the Hypnotio Production of Antisocial,and Selr-Injurious Behavior,".PSYCHLATRY, Vol 3, No. 1, Feb 42, Pp 90-51

Trua, Robert M. and Stephenson, Charles W., "Controlled Experinents Corralating Electroencephalogram, Pulse and Planter Reflexss with-Lypnotie.Aga Regresaion and Induoed Emotionai States,"PERSONALITT, Vol 1, No 3, Nov 51, page 293. Breman?,.op cit, page 52

(7) LeCrom, Lealie H., "A Study of the HYPNOTIZABLLITY of liypnotists," PERSOHALITY Vol 1, No 3, Nov 51, page 301.

(8). True and Stephenaon, op cit pp 252-262