The dissociation of a personality : a biographical study in abnormal psychology / by Morton Prince.

  • Morton Prince
Date:
1905
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The dissociation of a personality : a biographical study in abnormal psychology / by Morton Prince. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    product of suggestion, originated and persisted against my protests and in spite of my scepticism. In view, there- fore, of my own lack of preparedness, this complete change of attitude of the hypnotic self is noteworthy. I hastened to follow up the lead offered and asked, as if in ignorance of her meaning, who “ She ” was. The hypnotic self was unable to give a satisfactory reply. “You are ‘ She,’ ” I said. . “ No, I am not.” “ I say you are.” Again a denial. Feeling at the time that this distinction was artificial, and that the hypnotic self was making it for a purpose, I made up my mind that such an artifact should not be allowed to develop. I pursued her relentlessly in my numerous ex- aminations, treated the idea as nonsense, and refused to accept it, but with what success will be noted. Finally: “ Why are you not ‘ She ’ ? ” “ Because ‘ She ’ does not know the same things that I do.” “ But you both have the same arms and legs, have n’t you ? ” “ Yes, but arms and legs do not make us the same.” “Well, if you are different persons, what are your names?” Here she was puzzled, for she evidently saw that, accord- ing to her notion, if the hypnotic self that was talking with me was Miss Beauchamp, the waking self was not Miss Beauchamp, and vice versa. She appeared to be between the horns of a dilemma, was evasive, unable to answer, and made every effort not to commit herself. On another occa- sion, in answer to the question why she (the apparently hypnotic state) insisted that Miss Beauchamp in her wak- ing state was a different person from herself at that mo-