Research source

Now the removal of shyness, or mauvaise honte, which hypnotic suggestion can effect, is in fact a purgation of…

Date of account: Published 1903
Source: Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death
Reference: Human Personality and Its Survival of Bodily Death · selected passage 151
Rights: public_domain
Language: English
Record updated: 2026-08-24

Record summary

Now the removal of shyness, or mauvaise honte, which hypnotic suggestion can effect, is in fact a purgation of memory,--inhibiting the recollection of previous failures, and setting free whatever group of aptitudes is for the moment required

Published source text

Read the available text below. Archive transcriptions may contain OCR errors; later context is labelled separately. A recorded claim is not a finding that it happened.

Source passage

Source text · mention only

Now the removal of shyness, or _mauvaise honte_, which hypnotic suggestion can effect, is in fact a _purgation of memory_,--inhibiting the recollection of previous failures, and setting free whatever group of aptitudes is for the moment required. Thus, for the boy called on to make an oration in a platform exhibition, hypnotisation sets free the _primary_ instinct of garrulity without the restraining fear of ridicule. For the musical executant, on the other hand, a similar suggestion will set free the _secondary_ instinct which the fingers have acquired, without the interference of the learner's puzzled, hesitating thoughts.

Historical context

Contextual commentary · mention only

This comes from historical psychical research. Methods, witness handling and standards of evidence differ from present-day research and should be assessed from the cited passage and edition.

Modern context

Contextual commentary · mention only

The passage can support a history of claims and recurring descriptions. It does not establish a paranormal mechanism, and competing psychological, social and physical explanations remain relevant.

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