ABSTRACT
The fact that certain phases of the hypnotic state remain more or less stationary in man also occurs in dogs. In man, just as in animals, under certain external conditions and depending on the individuality of the nervous system, the hypnotic state rather quickly changes to complete sleep. In this chapter, the author elucidates in detail the important and fundamental question of the justification of applying to man the experimental data obtained on animals. While recognising the possibility of such application, he calls for the greatest possible discretion considering the fact that it is precisely the higher nervous activity that “sharply distinguishes man from animals”. The author raises the question of the peculiarities of man’s higher nervous activity, the role of the word, speech, as a new physiological stimulus inherent only in man. In examining questions of hypnosis and suggestion, Pavlov determines the peculiarities of these phenomena in man.
