HYPNOPERFORMANCE: AN EVOLUTIONARY, NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL, AND BEHAVIORAL MODEL OF TRANCE REGULATION

Current models of hypnosis are predominantly based on verbal suggestion, complex metaphors, and preliminary attunement to the patient's state. However, they do not account for the evolutionary nature of trance as a mechanism of emergency behavioral synchronization within a group, aimed at conserving the brain's energy resources under conditions of uncertainty.
This paper proposes Hypnoperformance — a regulatory model in which the primary trigger of trance is a non-verbal signal (emanating from a leader or group), acting through brainstem and limbic structures and activating one of three evolutionarily established reflex patterns: freeze, flight, or aggression. The verbal component plays a secondary role, channeling the physiological response into the area of activity chosen by the therapist.
Keywords: hypnosis, trance, evolution, defense cascade, freeze-flight-fight, non-verbal communication, dominance, brainstem, energy conservation