ABSTRACT
Experimental-clinical studies demonstrate that the human organism can be considerably influenced by self-suggestion. In addition to skin temperature changes, voluntary action on sensitivity to pain can also serve as a criterion of the degree of mastery of self-suggestion. This can be quite clearly seen in galvanic skin response (GSR) changes, for instance, in the absence or weakening of the GSR when painful stimuli are administered during a self-suggested decrease in pain sensitivity, or its pronounced manifestation during self-suggestion of sensitivity to pain. Complete development of the ability for self-suggestion can be determined by the ability to voluntarily achieve contrasting changes in the flow of one or another function of the organism, such as raising and lowering skin temperature, achieving insensitivity to pain, etc. Without doubt, any reliable research will help establish objective methods of measuring the changes taking place in the organism and of evaluating the degree to which the trainee has mastered self-suggestion.
