Research Development Paper
Robert Trostel
PSY/335
February 2, 2015
Tiffany Cron

Research Development Paper
Amir Raz a brain researcher from the New York State Psychiatric Institute has shown through his finding that through hypnotic suggestion he is able to make some people undo automatic behaviors, such as understanding their native language. The method that he uses is the Stroop Color-Word Test. In this Test he shows each of the people taking this test a word with a different color font. The object of the test is for the person to read the color not the actual word. In this test he shows that people have a reflex to read the word rather than the different color font.
The video attention and consciousness-unlearning through hypnosis talks about using hypnosis in order to affect the anterior cingulated cortex of the brain. The brain was monitored while people were taking these tests the anterior cingulated cortex was lit up during this test. Some of the participants in the test under hypnosis performed better on the test when they were had gone through hypnosis. These patients viewed the words as foreign, and screened only for color and therefore did much better on the given task since their view of the word did not interact with the color. Raz was trying to suggest that the part of the brain that he was testing was involved with conflict and resolving conflict which would lesson activity. People who did well on this test viewed the world much differently.
Practical applications of this test would be most effective in conflict resolution. This could be helpful in abusive relationships, relationship therapy, and various other instances. Part of the problem in conflict is that the anterior cingulated cortex in the brain is the difference in people that are in conflict. Through hypnosis this would give people a different perspective in how the deal with conflict in their lives whether it is in the workplace, at home or among friends. I think that purpose of this tests allows people to search for the words that they are trying to use much easier, rather than jumping to a conclusion based on the stimuli that they have received.
Reading is a learned topic that becomes automatic. The purpose of this test also showed that learned behaviors such as smoking can become unlearned. This is only possible in people that are susceptible to hypnosis. In this test people under hypnosis viewed the words that they were seeing as foreign rather than learned like the way that we read. In the same sense smoking is something that is learned and almost becomes a second nature smoking after a person eats, when they first wake up, etc.
If had a research question it would be how is learned behavior present in individuals with addictive personalities or behavior. I have heard that alcoholism can be something that is hereditary but it can obviously be something that is learned. On the other hand there is also something in the brain that has an addictive quality, it could have been anything other than alcohol but that was the path the person choose. The first step would be to ask a question which is how is learned behavior present in individuals with addictive personalities or behavior. Next would be to do background research on this particular field in substance abuse, and also the affect in the anterior cingulated cortex. The next step would be to construct a hypothesis such as people with a history of alcoholism are more likely to participate in substance abuse. I would text this hypothesis by conducting surveys and doing research into the matter of substance abuse. I would then analyze the data and draw up a conclusion based on my findings. Lastly I would communicate my results to my peers.

References

Films Media Group (2008). Attention and Consciousness - Unlearning Through Hypnosis (01:34) From Title: Psychology Media Suite.