Modulation des représentations corporelles par l’hypnose

Jury 

• Présidente : Elisabeth PACHERIE (Institut Jean Nicod)
• Rapporteur : Steven LYNN (Binghamton University)
• Rapporteur : Andrea SERINO (University Hospital of Lausanne)
• Examinateur : Jérôme SACKUR (Laboratoire de Sciences Cognitives et Psycholinguistique)
• Examinateur : Devin TERHUNE (Goldsmith University of London)
• Directrice de thèse : Frédérique de VIGNEMONT (Institut Jean Nicod)

Abstract

Body representations are informed by both sensory signals and cognitive factors. Whereas extensive research has been allocated to uncovering the properties of these representations by altering sensory inputs, modulation through cognitive manipulation has seldom been used. Hypnotic suggestion represents a case example of cognitive manipulation which proved to be effective in altering many processes, from the feeling of agency to pain perception. In my doctoral work, I compared the effect of hypnotic suggestion to a classic illusion used to modulate the perceived size of the body (Lackner illusion) and to a simple imagery instruction. I also tested how body representations react to veridical sensory inputs of the body and incongruent hypnotic suggestion (that the body is bigger/smaller) simultaneously. In my defence, I will argue that hypnotic suggestion is a genuine (and non-trivial) case of cognitive manipulation, before outlining a model of body-size representations informed by both sensory and cognitive factors.