Ambroise August Liébeault and Psychic Phenomena

American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis, Oct 2009 by Alvarado, Carlos S

Abstract

Some nineteenth-century hypnosis researchers did not limit their interest to the study of the conventional psychological and behavioral aspects of hypnosis, but also studied and wrote about psychic phenomena such as mental suggestion and clairvoyance. One example, and the topic of this paper, was French physician Ambroise August Li�beault (1823-1904), who influenced the Nancy school of hypnosis. Li�beault wrote about mental suggestion, clairvoyance, mediumship, and even so-called poltergeists. Some of his writings provide conventional explanations of the phenomena. Still of interest today, Li�beault's writings about psychic phenomena illustrate the overlap that existed during the nineteenthcentury between hypnosis and psychic phenomena - an overlap related to the potentials of the mind and its subconscious activity.

Keywords: Ambroise August Li�beault; hypnosis; history of hypnosis; hypnosis and psychic phenomena; mental suggestion; clairvoyance; mediumship; psychical research.

In this paper, I will discuss aspects of Li�beault's interests, which more broadly conceived, are consistent with a portion of modern historical writings on hypnosis (Gauld, 1992; Crabtree, 1993; M�heust, 1999a; Pias, 2000). Not only was seemingly "psychic phenomena" a part of the history of psychology and hypnosis, but the investigation of such phenomena, among other factors, contributed to the development of concepts such as dissociation and the subconscious mind (Alvarado, 2002; Ellenberger, 1970; LeMal�fan, 1999; Shamdasani, 1993).

Hypnosis was one of the developments of the nineteenth-century that led a variety of individuals to explore the potentials of the mind, including the existence of the subconscious, the capabilities of memory and its alteration, and the influence of the mind over the body (Crabtree, 1993; Gauld, 1992). In fact, hypnosis was considered a particularly useful exploratory tool for these concerns. In the words of physiologist Henry Beaunis (1830-1921), "hypnotism constitutes ... a true method of experimental psychology; it is for the philosopher what vivisection is for the physiologist" (Beaunis, 1887, p. 115). Such interest consisted mainly in the therapeutic use of hypnosis and in the study of a variety of cognitive, sensory-motor, and physiological functions and processes. Nonetheless, a small part of that hypnosis movement included phenomena that were referred to at the time as supernormal, psychic, or what some French called the "marvelous" (Durand (de Gros), 1894). This paper will focus on Li�beault's observations about these phenomena as they have received little attention. This is due, in part, to the fact that they represented a small part of his overall contributions to hypnosis.

Most contemporary psychologists and students of hypnosis are generally not interested in such phenomena today. Others may take a stronger stance and maintain that the only proper attitude toward psychic phenomena is one of dismissive skepticism. I believe that the history of hypnosis - and the history of psychology - should be more than an evaluation of the validity and "reality" of past research findings and theory. To have a complete history of our subject we need to pay attention to the so-called marginal and unorthodox. That was the direction of Ellenberger ( 1 970) in his study of the influence of mesmerism on the concept of the unconscious mind. Attention to all topics and movements important to the individuals we study has led to a more complex and complete history of psychology and hypnosis (e.g., Alvarado, 2002; Crabtree, 1993; Gauld, 1992; Pias, 2000). Li�beault believed psychic phenomena to be a proper part of the intellectual environment of the individuals he studied. A summary of his writings on psychic phenomena ought to contribute to a broadening of our understanding of what was then considered, by some, to be an acceptable topic of discussion. Willingness to seriously examine Li�beault's concepts and thinking about the so-called psychic phenomena may also reveal a process by which scientific thought evolves.

Hypnosis and Psychic Phenomena

The mesmeric literature contains many descriptions of these phenomena including such manifestations as healing, clairvoyance, and mental suggestion (Crabtree, 1993; Dingwall, 1967-68; Gauld, 1992; M�heust, 1999a). The hypnosis movement also showed an overlap with psychic phenomena. The Society for Psychical Research (SPR), founded in London in 1882 to study phenomena such as thought-transference, mediumship and apparitions, published in their Proceedings much about hypnosis (Gurney, 1884; Gurney & Myers, 1885).1 The writings of Frederic WH. Myers ( 1 843- 1 90 1 ) were particularly important regarding the theoretical interface of the supernormal and the hypnotic (e.g., Gurney & Myers, 1885; Myers, 1886).

Journals such as the Revue de l 'hypnotisme et deh psychologie physiologique published papers about such topics as lucidity (De Rochas, 1889), mental suggestion (Joire, 1898), and mediumship (Lombroso, 1 892). Indications of this interest include a section in Max Dessoir's (18671 947) Bibliographie des modernen Hypnotismus (1888, Chapter 7) that presented references which mention the remote action of medicines and drugs, mental suggestion, and telepathy or thoughttransference. Many books about hypnosis - such as the writings of Azam (1893, pp. 347-355), BinetandF�r�(1887,pp. 40-44), Crocq(1900, Chapters 11, 12, 18, 19), and Moll (1890, pp. 362-366)referred to some of these phenomena, even if many authors were skeptical of such manifestations.