Personal identity, multiple personality, and hypnosis

Abstract

The concept of multiple personality ia critically examined in the light of its historical development. Various conceptions of multiple personality are considered: aa a diagnostic fashion; aa a product of shaping in therapy; as a product of hypnotic suggestion; as simulation; and aa an extension of characteristica found in “normal” personslitiea. These considerations lead to the conclusion that the significant altera- tions of personality characterizing the syndrome are losa of self-reference memoriea and confusions and delusions about particular identity in time and place. The parallels in multiple personality and hypnotic phenomena lead to the heuristic hypothesis that degreea of proneness to multiple personality are predictive of degrees of hypnotizability.