{{short description|Pseudo-scientific intellectual framework}} {{multiple issues| {{More citations needed|date = May 2011}} {{Howto|date=August 2017}} {{fringe|date=August 2017}} {{synthesis|date=August 2017}} }} '''Covert hypnosis''' is an attempt to communicate with another person's [[unconscious mind]] without informing the subject that they will be hypnotized. It is also known as '''conversational hypnosis''' or '''sleight of mouth'''.<ref name=cov_8>{{cite book | last=Dilts | first=Robert | title = Sleight of Mouth: The Magic of Conversational Belief Change | year=1999 | publisher=Meta Publications | isbn=978-0-916990-43-5}}</ref> (although both '''Conversational Hypnosis''' and '''Slight of Mouth''' can also be done overtly). It is a term largely used by proponents of [[neuro-linguistic programming]] (NLP), a pseudoscientific approach to communication and interaction.<ref name="Thyer">{{Cite book |title=Science and Pseudoscience in Social Work Practice |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nE9FCQAAQBAJ&q=nlp&pg=PA166 |publisher=Springer Publishing Company |year=2015 |isbn=978-0-8261-7769-8 |first1=Bruce A. |last1=Thyer |first2=Monica G. |last2=Pignotti |pages=56–57, 165–167 |quote=As NLP became more popular, some research was conducted and reviews of such research have concluded that there is no scientific basis for its theories about representational systems and eye movements.}}</ref><ref name="Von Bergen 1997">{{cite journal |last=von Bergen |first=C. W. |author2=Gary, Barlow Soper |author3=Rosenthal, T. |author4=Wilkinson, Lamar V. |title=Selected alternative training techniques in HRD |journal=Human Resource Development Quarterly |year=1997 |volume=8 |issue=4 |pages=281–294 |doi=10.1002/hrdq.3920080403}}</ref><ref name="Druckman 2004">{{cite journal|author1-link=Daniel Druckman |last=Druckman |first=Daniel |title=Be All That You Can Be: Enhancing Human Performance |journal=Journal of Applied Social Psychology |date=1 November 2004 |volume=34 |issue=11 |pages=2234–2260 |doi=10.1111/j.1559-1816.2004.tb01975.x}}</ref><ref name="Witkowski 2010">{{cite journal |last=Witkowski |first=Tomasz |title=Thirty-Five Years of Research on Neuro-Linguistic Programming. NLP Research Data Base. State of the Art or Pseudoscientific Decoration? |journal=Polish Psychological Bulletin |date=1 January 2010 |volume=41 |issue=2 |doi=10.2478/v10059-010-0008-0|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Sharpley 1987">{{cite journal |last=Sharpley |first=Christopher F. |title=Research findings on neurolinguistic programming: Nonsupportive data or an untestable theory? |journal=Journal of Counseling Psychology |date=1 January 1987 |volume=34 |issue=1 |pages=103–107 |doi=10.1037/0022-0167.34.1.103}}</ref>
The objective is to change the person's behavior [[subconscious]]ly so that the target believes that they changed their mind of their own volition. When or if performed successfully, the target is unaware that they were [[Hypnosis|hypnotized]] or that anything unusual has occurred. Arguably there is a debate about ''what'' hypnosis is, and how covert hypnosis should be classified. "Standard" hypnosis requires the focus and attention of the subject, while covert hypnosis seems to focus on "softening" the subject by using confusion, fatigue, directed attention, and interrupted sentences. This is most similar to salesmen talking to customers when they are tired. Critical thinking and questioning of statements likely requires mental effort.<ref name=":0">Burkley, E. (2008). The role of self-control in resistance to persuasion. ''Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 34,'' 419–431.</ref>{{synthesis inline|date=August 2017}} The theme of "covert hypnosis" appears to be along the lines of causing the subject to enter "down time".<ref>{{Cite book|title=Introducing Neuro Linguistic Programming|last=O'Connor|first=Joseph|publisher=Harper Element|year=2002}}</ref> Regardless of whether "covert hypnosis" fits the standard definition of hypnosis, fatigue appears to impair critical thinking.<ref name=":0" /> This might explain why interrogation, military training, and cult-recruitment practices prefer to deprive their new recruits of sleep.<ref>{{Cite book | doi=10.1007/978-3-642-73875-3_20| title=Suggestion and Suggestibility| pages=255–261| chapter=Some Historical and Cultural Aspects of Suggestion <!-- publisher=Springer|location=Berlin, Heidelberg -->| isbn=978-3642738777 | year=1989| last1=Jahoda| first1=G.}}</ref> {{Neuro-linguistic programming|expanded=topics}}
== Technique == Covert hypnosis is a [[phenomenon]] similar to indirect hypnosis, as derived from [[Milton H. Erickson]] and popularized as "The Milton Model"<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=776 MiltonModel|url=http://nlpuniversitypress.com/html2/Mi-My08.html|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Systemic Neuro-Linguistic Programming and NLP New Coding|publisher=NLP University Press|access-date=21 May 2012|author=Robert B. Dilts|author2=Judith A. Delozier|format=Online encyclopedia|year=2000}}</ref> in style,<ref name=cov_1>{{cite book | last = Erickson | first = Milton H. | author-link = Milton H. Erickson | title = Hypnotic Realities: The Induction of Clinical Hypnosis and Forms of Indirect Suggestion | url = https://archive.org/details/hypnoticrealitie00ericrich | url-access = registration |year=1976 | publisher = Irvington Publishers | isbn = 978-0470151693 }}</ref> but the defining feature is that the hypnotized individual subsequently engages in hypnotic phenomena without conscious effort or choice. Covert hypnosis, like "Ericksonian Hypnosis",{{clarify|date=June 2012}} "operates through covert and subtle means... to reach deeper levels of consciousness than are touched by the surface structure of language".<ref name=cov_17>{{cite book | last = Cohen | first = Michael H. | title = A Question of Time | page = 8 }}</ref> It is the concept that an individual, 'the hypnotist,' can control another individual's behavior via gaining [[rapport]].<ref name=cov_16>{{cite book | title = Trancework: An Introduction to the Practice of Clinical Hypnosis | page=37 }}</ref> During hypnosis, the operator or hypnotist makes suggestions. The subject is intended to not be completely aware, on a conscious level, of the suggestions.
The hypnotist gains rapport<ref name=cov_16/><ref name=cov_14>{{cite book | last = Haley | first = Jay | title = Uncommon Therapy | isbn=978-0-393-31031-3| year = 1993 | publisher = W. W. Norton & Company }}</ref> with the listener(s) and the hypnotist maintains psychological congruency<ref name=cov_13>{{cite book | last = Gavin | first = James | title = Lifestyle Fitness Coaching | page=41}}</ref> (the act of truly acting towards your goals without hesitation{{clarify|date=June 2012}}), both linguistically and in one's [[nonverbal communication]]. As the subject listens while feeling a psychological connection with the hypnotist and the hypnotist displaying behaviors such as confidence and understanding,<ref name=cov_16/> the hypnotist then presents linguistic data in the form of metaphor: {{quote|The Metaphor presents a surface structure of meaning in the actual words of the story, which activates an associated deep structure of meaning that is indirectly relevant to the listener, which activates a recovered deep structure of meaning that is directly relevant to the listener.<ref name=cov_15>{{cite book |author1=Norton, Robert |author2=Brenders, David | title = Communication and Consequences: Laws of Interaction | page=207 }}</ref>}}
In other words, this process builds most likely unconscious states within the listener, and then associates those states through [[covert conditioning]], also known as covert anchoring, thereby forming unconsciously controlled behaviors and thoughts. Often methods of tricking the listener to believe that the hypnotist is talking about something else other than the subject are employed, for instance, by shifting use of time and use of identity in language. One famous example is employed by Milton H. Erickson "and a tomato can be happy".<ref name=cov_15/>
===An example=== A state of [[forgetting|forgetfulness]] may be elicited by talking about what it feels like to be in that state in a manner that implies the other person is currently experiencing it. Once this state is at a heightened peak the hypnotist can then talk about that state, relating to a concept like the unsuspecting subject's name (a phenomenon called name [[amnesia]]), and the subject will suddenly be unaware of his/her name on questioning (provided the suggestions implied immediate effect and the subject is suggestible enough to be influenced in this way). The purpose of covert hypnosis is to shut down or at least reduce the analytical part of the subject's mind, lest they suspect something. This may be achieved fairly quickly by someone with practice.<ref name=cov_16/>
==In the media== Real estate trainer Glenn Twiddle in June 2010, appeared on the Australian television show ''[[A Current Affair (Australian TV series)|A Current Affair]]''. The segment explains how he teaches real-estate agents these techniques to use on unsuspecting buyers of property.<ref>{{cite news|title=Real estate agents use hypnosis to seal property deals|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/property/real-estate-agents-use-hypnosis-to-seal-property-deals/story-e6frequ6-1225877624121|access-date=21 May 2012|newspaper=The Courier Mail|date=9 June 2010|author=Geoff Shearer}}</ref>
== In fiction == In fiction "covert hypnosis" has been featured in television series, though rather overrepresented. In ''[[The Mentalist]]'', covert hypnosis is portrayed in an episode when a perpetrator uses it to control others and attempts to kill her employer.<ref>"[[The Mentalist (season 1)#Episodes|Russet Potatoes]]", ''The Mentalist'', Season 1.</ref> In an episode of ''[[The X-Files]]'', a man with a brain tumor gains additional skill in hypnosis, and he utilizes it to escape police captivity.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://listverse.com/2011/11/25/top-10-episodes-of-the-x-files/| title= Top 15 Episodes of The X-Files|date=2011-11-25|website=Listverse.com|access-date=2017-02-23}}</ref>
== See also == * [[Highway hypnosis]] * [[History of hypnosis]] * [[Hypnagogia]] * [[Hypnosis]] * [[Hypnosis in popular culture]] * [[Hypnotherapy]]
== References == {{Reflist}}
==Books== * {{Cite book | author=Kevin Hogan | title=Covert Hypnosis: An Operator's Manual | publisher=Network 3000 Publishing | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-9709321-4-3 | page=232 }} * {{Cite book | author=Kevin Hogan and James Speakman | title=Covert Persuasion: Psychological Tactics and Tricks to Win the Game | url=https://archive.org/details/covertpersuasion00hoga | url-access=limited | publisher=Wiley | year=2006 | isbn=978-0-470-05141-2 | page=[https://archive.org/details/covertpersuasion00hoga/page/n239 223] }} * {{Cite book | author=Glenn Twiddle | title=Advanced Hypnotic Selling | publisher=Glenn Twiddle Publishing. | year=2010 | pages=136 | isbn=978-0-9807711-0-7 }} * {{Cite book | author=Steven Peliari | title=The Art Of Covert Hypnosis. | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q9jTBZJOs3AC | year=2009 }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Covert Hypnosis}} [[Category:Neuro-linguistic programming]] [[Category:Hypnosis]] [[Category:Mind control]]