Barber and his colleagues challenge the long assumed and traditional viewpoint that subjects manifest "hypnotic" behavior when they are in a special state - "hypnotic trance." They offer a totally new cognitive-behavioral theory which views concepts such as hypnotized, hypnosis, hypnotic state and hypnotic trance as misleading, and not helpful in explaining behaviors historically associated with hypnotism. This is the first book-length discussion of Dr. Barbers's views on hypnosis since the late 1960's. The book critically evaluates a series of seemingly extraordinary hypnotic phenomena e.g., production of perceptual and physiological alterations, age regression, visual hallucinations, and unusual cognitive processes. The authors explain the factors involved in "hypnotism" that are effective in reducing pain during surgery; in addition there are chapter-length discussions of acupuncture, and the mechanics of stage hypnotism. The last section shows how the viewpoint presented in the text gives rise to a broadened conseption of human potentialities. Methods are pesented that can be used to teach individuals to tolerate pain, to relax, to experience age regression and other useful phenomena that have been traditionally associated with hypnotism. The final chapter asks, Where do we go from here? The limitations of present-day knowledge are stated and a series of investigations are proposed that can enhance our understanding of behavior.