How many times in our lives have we realized that we have been influenced by someone or something? Of a strong personality that convinced us of his firm statement, or of a fact that we have interpreted in a certain way without bothering to verify its accuracy.
Every day we feel attracted to what surrounds us: a book, an image, a snack near the supermarket checkouts. We are constantly subject to suggestions, in many cases directed at interests that are not always declared, just as in advertising. In reality, suggestion is a completely natural mechanism of human beings. In this Psychology-Online article, we are going to discover What is suggestion, the different types and some examples.
What is suggestion
The word suggestion is derived from the Latin word “suggestus”, which is based on the word “suggestive”, which means to provide. Its original use was in the sense of hint at a thought, idea, or impressionunder the careful care of attention, in the inner consciousness of the individual. The word, as generally used, indicates the use of mentioning something by indirectly drawing attention to the rest.
Beyond this use, a secondary and more subtle use of the word has been born, that is, in the sense of a furtive hint of an idea, in such a way that the listener does not even understand that he is receiving a signal, but is inclined to think that the idea was born in your mind, created by him or herself.
What is suggesting a person? Among psychologists the word began to take on a new meaning: introduce something indirectly into the mind of another, in an indirect and argumentative way. Later, in the field of psychology, the term began to be used in an even broader sense, that is, that of the impression on the mind made by other objects, such as gestures, signs, words, speeches, physical sensations, environment. , etc.
What is suggestion for?
Mental suggestion has a very important role in research into the psyche and in all types of therapy. The first scholar to show that the results of psychological research are influenced unconsciously by researchers was Martin Orne in the 60s of the 20th century. Since then, other scholars have confirmed the suggestion effect on the results of research in human psychology: one of the most recent and interesting studies is that of “good subject effect“made in 2008.
Regarding psychotherapy, it will be enough to remember a single, very significant fact: he even abandoned hypnosis to avoid the patient’s suggestion, he maintained several times that he had distinguished himself by the detached and non-influential attitude of the therapist, He was forced to admit in On at least two occasions, psychoanalysis also used, in addition to the already known techniques, the force of suggestion.
Thus, the suggestion effect exists and has a highly relevant role in psychology and in all types of therapy, although there is still much to understand and measure. Learn to suggest to the other it’s a way of lead us to think and perceive as we would like.
In fact, everything is evaluated in order to suggest to the other a certain vision of things, to promote a need or a desire. It consists of managing to induce this suggestion below the person’s attention threshold. If I can convince people to buy a car model so that they feel its safety and reliability, without talking about cars, I am simply trying to suggest to people.
Types of suggestion
In this article, we are going to list the main types of mental suggestion recognized by psychologists:
- direct suggestion: it is due to the authority of a person over whom it is suggested. In this case, the authority gives an order and the other person, without asking why, executes it.
- indirect suggestion: If direct suggestion has an immediate effect, indirect suggestion does not, but is more subtle. Made by behaviors of the suggester to induce the suggested person to do what he wants. This makes the other person go in one direction instead of the other, but never says it explicitly.
- Hypnotic suggestion: is the state of mental suggestion that is achieved with a hypnotic session, whose methods may vary. The worst part is the post-hypnotic suggestion, that is, the things that continue to be done after the hypnosis session, which are often decisive in a person’s life.
- Autosuggestion: suggestions that a person imposes on himself, then executing them accordingly. In practice, it is the self-conviction that something is true and this is repeated mentally until it begins to be considered true. There is an autosuggestion volunteer (repeating “this is true” consciously to convince yourself of it) and a involuntaryin which we do not realize that we come to think what we want, perhaps because you have read it somewhere or someone else has said it.
Suggestion techniques
When an idea is put in a person’s mind through suggestion, it is always done through these three mental suggestion techniques:
- Suggestion when impressing the fact on the mind with firm authoritative statements or repetitions in which suggestion acts like a seal on molten wax.
- Suggestion inducing the idea in the mind with indirect induction, for example random signs or mentionsin which the mind is surprised and instinctive resistance escapes.
- Suggestion, usually along the lines of association, where the external appearances, objects, or environment They act both to impress and to induce the idea in the mind.
Of course, there are cases in which several of these three methods are associated or combined, but careful analysis will show that one or more of the three are always in evidence in all cases of suggestion.
Suggestion channels
The three types of suggestion mentioned above can be considered differently depending on the channels with which they reach the individual. We can divide these channels of mental suggestion into five classes, that is:
- Suggestion by .
- Suggestion by Association.
- Suggestion by Habit.
- Suggestion by Repetition.
- Suggestion by .
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to Suggestion: what it is, types and exampleswe recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Atkinson, W. W. (2020). Suggestion and autosuggestion. Milan: Edizioni Parole d’Argento.
- Gamba, E. (2020). Suggestion and autosuggestion. Retrieved from: https://www.enricogamba.org/psicologo-milano-blog/suggestione-e-autosuggestione
- Guiggi, V. (2017). Suggestions: cos’è e quali sono four typologies. Retrieved from: https://psico.it/suggestione-cose-quali-le-quattro-tipologie/2017/11/
- Le Demenze in Medicina Generale (2020). How important is the suggestion in psychological research and in psychotherapy? Retrieved from: https://www.demenzemedicinagenerale.net/mens-sana/le-grandi-ricerche/97-quanto-e-importante-la-suggestione-nella-ricerca-psicologica-e-nella-psico-terapia