In 1969 Herbert Krugman studied the effects of television and advertising extensively. Kriugman’s interest was in the effects television has on the choices and daily lives of people who watch it. In order to understand the full effects of hypnotic television, we must first understand a bit about the brain and hypnosis.
Brain Wave States
We measure brainwaves in Hertz (HZ) frequency. Here are the possible brainwave states that a human encounters:
Infra Low (<.5 HZ)
Ultra slow brain waves that we know little about. May take a role in brain timing and network function.
Delta Waves (.5 to 3HZ)
Slow, loud brainwaves found in the very deepest meditations and dreamless sleep. This is a state of regeneration and healing, also called restorative sleep.
Theta Waves (3 to 8HZ)
Most often it is twighlight – that special time between consciousness and sleep where you are lucid but not yet sleeping. This is the realm of the subconscious mind.
Alpha Waves (8 to 12HZ)
This is a brain resting state with thoughts that flow quietly. It is characterized by a calm, alert state in which it is easy to learn.
Beta Waves (12 to 38HZ)
This is our normal waking consciousness. We are alert and actively making decisions. In the high end of this state we may have some anxiety occurring.
Gamma Waves (38 to 42HZ)
In this state, the highest state, a person may be having an epiphany – a universal love experience or an experience of bliss and or spirituality. This is the state of expanded consciousness.
Which Brainwave State are you in?
According to research, one minute of television can take a person from the Beta wave state to the Alpha wave state, or, in other words, from a waking conscious alert state to a quiet, easy learning brain wave state. Most of the logical functioning of the brain is turned off during the Alpha state. What does this mean exactly?
Hypnosis occurs in that Alpha and Theta brainwave states. This means that television can make people much more susceptible to suggestions while watching, thus, television “programming.” It means that advertising becomes much more effective. Most advertisers even use subliminal cues in their commercials to make them more effective. You see this all the time in alcohol advertising, in which subliminal sexual references are rampant. Paid experts are hired to find the most effective methods to “hook” you.
Did you ever see a food commercial and get hungry? Have you played the Logo’s game where you guess the logo of a brand without the words? It is usually a genuine surprise to find out how many logos you recognize, but were unaware that you knew! Once in a state of hypnosis, any suggestions, positive or negative, become more likely to affect our subconscious, and therefore our lives. Most of the time it will not even be clear to us, consciously, why we might choose one item over another at the grocery store, or buy an item we have never bought before. And, as if the hypnotizing effects of television in and of themselves are not enough, there is more.
Programming the Subconscious through Emotion
Hypnosis as related to television has another tool, emotion. The subconscious works closely with emotion. Emotional trauma in early years, as referenced below, can lead to programs that last a lifetime. The more emotional a person is, the closer they are to trauma, the more affected their subconscious.
While watching a television program where the characters become like family, as so many of us binge watchers do these days, emotional states of empathy are created. There is a certain emotional connection with the characters. When something happens to that character it feels very personal. Thus we may cry when our favorite character gets hurt or dies, and we may feel the joy when something wonderful happens for one of the characters. These high emotional states also contribute to the hypnotic effects of television. It is very easy for the writer to slip in their own opinions or skewed viewpoints, and for the watcher to be influenced by them.
Programming the Subconscious through Repetition
One can achieve subconscious programming through REPETITION, as well. Have you ever heard a commercial so often that you can actually repeat the words as they are being said? Many pharma companies have this one down to a science. Watching the same theme or message over and over again can be the equivalent of what we in hypnosis call “programming,” but some might call it, on the other side of the coin, “brainwashing”. How many times do you see food commercials during the Super Bowl? How many calories do you think you consume on the average Super Bowl Sunday? In fact, Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving for calorie consumption, and at 2400 calories for the average American. Are the repetitious food commercials contributing the the calorie consumption, or do we call it a coincidence?
Your Children are more Vulnerable to Programming
Are you children being programmed? When it comes to television there is a very important hypnotic consideration, and that is children. We subject our children to television, most at a very early age. Children of a certain age are actually more susceptible to programming than adults. Here’s why:
From birth to age 7 or 8, all children are already in a Theta wave brain state. This is mother nature’s way of helping to protect us as we grow up. When we touch a hot pan it hurts. It is embedded in our subconscious, so that hot pans in the future will automatically trigger a danger response. In this way it allows the conscious mind to conserve energy by not having to think about and re-learn this lesson over and over. And although being in this brain wave state is perfectly natural for children, it should definitely make us think twice about what they are watching. They are receiving a hypnotic dose of that program that could stay with them for life!
Conclusions about Hypnotic Television Programming
In conclusion, television has become a major part and factor in almost all of our lives. It is an extremely useful medium and a wonderful technological advancement. But as with any form of technology, it is important that we use it wisely. Imagine the effects of frequent and repeated violence entering into our subconscious. Think about the effects of subliminal advertising on the youth of our country. Imagine the effects of opinionated programming and how that affects us as individuals and a nation. As consumers and Americans it is important for us to gauge and monitor our hypnotic television consumption. We must be vigilant of what is enters our minds, just as we are vigilant about what enters our bodies, creating positive, educational experiences when possible.
For more information regarding hypnotherapy contact me.
By Tammie Mohn, MBA
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
