Recent Practice and Theory PDF
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IMAGERY Volume 4 Recent Practice and Theory IMAGERY Volume 1 Its Many Dimensions and Applications Edited by Joseph E. Shorr, Gail E. Sobel, Pennee Robin, and Jack A. Connella Volume 2 Concepts, Results, and Applications Edited by Eric Klinger Volume 3 Theoretical and Clinical Applications Edited by Joseph E. Shorr, Gail Sobel-Whittington, Pennee Robin, and Jack A. Connella Volume 4 Recent Practice and Theory Edited by Milton Wolpin, Joseph E. Shorr, and Lisa Krueger A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring delivery of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon actual shipment. For further information please contact the publisher. IMAGERY Volurne4 Recent Practice and Theory Edited by Milton Wolpin University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Joseph E. Shorr Institute for Psycho-Imagination Therapy Los Angeles, California and Lisa Krueger University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Plenum Press . New York and London ISBN 978-1-4684-5148-1 ISBN 978-1-4684-5146-7 (eBook) DOl 10.1007/978-1-4684-5146-7 Proceedings of the Fourth Annual Conference of the American Association for the Study of Mental Imagery, held June 25-27, 1982, in Los Angeles, California © 1986 Plenum Press, New York Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 1986 A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation 233 Spring Street, New York, N.Y. 10013 All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher PREFACE In this volume are papers selected from the 1982 Annual Confer ence of the American Association for the Study of Mental Imagery, as well as several others that were later invited. This conference, a yearly one, was held at the University of Southern California. Participants and invited speakers come from around the country and present current material on the status of theory, research and practice involving imagery. These conferences began in 1979 and typically have attracted two hundred or more persons. In the opening paper by Paul Bakan we have a discussion of imagery from an historical perspective. He traces the various attitudes toward imagery starting with biblical times and argues that the behaviorist revolution and its antagonism towards imagery were likely reflective of more than a negative ·attitude toward imagery as a consequence of its being associated with consciousness and mental istic concepts. We have apparently been ambivalent towards imagery over the millenia. He closes with some suggestions of how we may more happily resolve this situation. Helen Crawford discusses the literature on imagery processing during hypnosis and its relationship to hypnotizability and cognitive strategies. Differential hemispheric functioning during imagery is considered leading to suggestions as to the underlying physiological bases for differences in hypnotizability and the use of various cognitive strategies. She suggests that "the theoretical model of cerebral lateralization can successfully address imagery, hypnosis, effortlessness and holistic versus detail strategy" and in this context discuss some of her recent research on the influence of hypnosis upon hemispheric specificity. Steve Shindell, in the first part of his paper, discusses the history of synesthesia--"the pairing of non-tangible sense percepts with the presence of imagined presence of a stimulus" such as spontaneously seeing a color when hearing a certain tone. Research on synesthesia, he indicates, goes back to Pythagoras and the sixth century and has fascinated researchers since then. In the latter part he reports some research on the frequency of synesthesia. The v PREFACE question that arises from these editors is whether there is any relationship of synesthesia to metaphors on the one hand, that would relate it to Paul Bahan's paper and hypnotizability and varied func tioning of the left and right hemispheres that might also tie it in with Helen Crawford's. In the second section, on the uses of imagery in psychotherapy, we find a wide array of approaches. Joseph Shorr writes about the use of imagery in group psychotherapy, something that we seldom find mention of in the- literature. In addition to considering the utility of a group approach and the bases for it, Shorr also discusses the many different types of imagery that he has successfully employed in such a setting, including sexual imagery, body imagery and cathartic imagery. There is consideration of the ways to introduce imagery into a group and ways of combining it with psychodrama. In addition there is a discussion of the personality theory, i.e., Sullivanian, that undergirds the general approach. Sexual jealousy is likely something that only too many of us are familiar with. It is hard to imagine anyone not wanting to be rid of such a burden. Penee Robin discuses the treatment of the sexually jealous person. She starts by making distinctions between jealousy and envy, which can sometimes be confusing. She then considers normal and neurotic jealousy, what to do about the guilt that the jealous person experiences, and the problem of imagined infidelity. The latter part of this paper considers the nature of the partner of the jealous person, origins and underlying causes of jealousy, and of the jealous person. Psycho-Imagination Sandplay, as described by David Tansey, combines play and imagery in an unusual way. Sandplay is a technique developed by Dora Kalff, whose clinical orientation stems from the work of Margaret Lowenfeld and C. G. Jung. In this paper Tansey discusses how clients work with sand in a tray, including the discus sion about the construction that the client has made and the ensuing photograph of the construction. This includes eventually a series of photographs as the work progresses and a permanent record of the work showing how it has evolved. Tansey combines this approach with Psycho-Imagination Therapy, a therapeutic method devised by Joseph Shorr. Examples of the work are described in the text. Therapy that uses imagery is not uncommonly brief. Michael Hoyt discusses imagery where the intention is to be highly focused and short-term. The general approach, Hoyt indicates, goes back to the work of Breuer and Freud and their patient Dora, where their focus at that time was on images (something that was to change in later years), Hoyt considers the various stages of short-term dynamic psychotherapy, i.e., pre-therapy selection. the beginning of treatment, working through, termination, and the post-therapy stages. Various examples illuminate the process. Emphasis is placed on the need to recognize the power of imagery-based methods and the concomitant need for a guiding theory. PREFACE vii One way of categorizing imagery has to do with whether the imagery literally represents something of concern or rather is used in a more symbolic and disguised fashion. Gary Prouty gives us a description of how symbols change in the course of using them when dealing with hallucinations in a person experiencing a schizophrenic reaction. He focuses on what he refers to as the "pre-symbolic structure"--the "pre-symbol," as he puts it, being "inseparable from that which is symbolized"--the "hallucinatory mode of symbolizing experience." In a vivid example we have a demonstration of how contact between the self and the hallucination can lead to rapid and marked change. Psychosomatic disorders, because changes in them are often so readily visible, can be a useful focus when attempting to get a grasp at the various processes, especially with imagery, that enhance change. Marvin Berenson discusses in detail the varied uses of imagery with such conditions. He specifies the assumptions he makes regarding the causes of psychosomatic symptoms and how imagery can be used to modify both the symptoms and the emotional responses to these symptoms. It is interesting to observe once again the varied use of imagery symbolically and the insight, understanding and intuitiveness needed by clinicians working in this way. One of the areas of work that involves imagery routinely is art therapy and one of the areas of concern that is being emphasized at present is work with the elderly. In a pilot study Sheila Fling utilized a variety of procedures over a period of ten weeks, including training in exercise, moscule relaxation, regulated breathing, imagery techniques, affirmations and sensory awareness. These were combined with art activities and a group situation that was suppor tive. The results suggest that it is possible, in this manner, to decrease depression and to increase self-esteem and life satisfaction, as well as to make some obvious dramatic impact on some individuals. Modeling of behavior has been shown to be an effective inter vention for behavior change. More recently covert modeling has begun to be intensively researched with considerable evidence to suggest its value as an agent of change. Alan Kazdin discusses the nature of covert modeling and considers the literature with respect to its efficacy and the populations with which it has been shown to be effective. There is an in-depth discussion of the important parameters of treatment, e.g., client-covert model similarity. The latter part of the chapter considers some current issues in covert modeling, e.g., whether operant conditioning principles can account for observed changes when the consequences of a given behavior are imagined rather than administered overtly. The next paper, on "Imagery in the Schools" by Beverly-Coleene Gaylean, discusses methods that have been tested in various schools for markedly enhancing learning and growth. Imagery has been used to (a) relax, center and focus students, (b) accelerate and expand cognitive mastery. (c) deepen affective growth and awareness of inner viii PREFACE processes, and Cd) enhance transpersonal awareness. This latter may sound a bit mystical, but the reports about it are intriguing involv ing as they do such phenomena as "heightened sensory precept ion" and expanded "methaphoric thinking." The area of sport psychology is represented in a paper by Errol Korn. There is a discussion and integration of several aspects of functioning and concern, i.e., relaxation, performance enhancement, the development of muscle strength and pain and injury control. Various types of imagery, used for different concerns are discussed in significant detail with suggestions, especially with respect to pain control, about guidelines for using imagery. Once again, we find a close tie-in with imagery and hypnosis. The papers by Paul Bahan and Helen Crawford seem especially relevant to this work. In the final section, Milton Wolpin, William Faunce and Patricia Gross in one study, and William Faunce and Milton Wolpin in another, report on two research projects concerning the relation .ship between imagery and olfactory stimulation. The first study indicates that images are indeed a likely response to aromas.· In this study they were the most frequent, thoughs the next most frequent, and body sensations and other reactions the least. In addition to discussing other findings, they indicate that their data support the anecdotal literature that odors can elicit memories both recent and remote. In the other study the results suggest that odors can modify the images one is experiencing as well as the relaxation developed. Suggestions are made as to the possible processes involved, as well as implications regarding therapeutic interventions. We feel there is considerable evidence to suggest that the study and utilization of imagery is growing rapidly. We would like to alert the reader to several additional volumes on imagery, based on previous conferences and to look forward to further ones in this exciting field of endeavor. Milton Wolpin, Ph.D. Psychology Department University of Southern California Joseph Shorr, Ph.D. Los Angeles, California Lisa Krueger, M.A. Psychology Department University of Southern California CONTENTS SOME GENERAL ISSUES Imagery: A Historical Perspective . 3 Paul Bakan Imagery Processing During Hypnosis: Relationships to Hypnotizability and Cognitive Strategies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Helen J. Crawford History and Frequency of Reported Synesthesia 33 Steve M. Shindell THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS The Use of Imagery in Group Psychotherapy 51 Jospeh E. Shorr The Clinical Use of Psycho-Imagination Therapy in the Treatment of Sexual Jealousy 69 Pennee Robin Psycho-Imagination Sandplay 79 David A. Tansey Mental-Imagery Methods in Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy .......... . 89 Michael E. Hoyt The Pre-Symbolic Structure and Therapeutic Transformation of Hallucinations . . 99 Garry Prouty Imagery in the Psychotherapeutic Treatment of Psychosomatic Disorders ..... ....... . 107 Marvin H. Berenson
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