Catalepsy, Memory and Suggestion in Psychological Automatism: Total Automatism by Janet, Pierre; , Craparo, Giuseppe; , Crabtree, Adam; , Van Der Hart, Onno; , Osei-Bonsu, Sarah

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Occult Philosophy

Catalepsy, Memory and Suggestion in Psychological Automatism: Total Automatism

Name: Catalepsy, Memory and Suggestion in Psychological Automatism: Total Automatism
Price: 190.00 USD
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Rating: 4.5 (2 reviews)
Author: Janet, Pierre; , Craparo, Giuseppe; , Crabtree, Adam; , Van Der Hart, Onno; , Osei-Bonsu, Sarah
ISBN: 9780367254162

Janet, Pierre; , Craparo, Giuseppe; , Crabtree, Adam; , Van Der Hart, Onno; , Osei-Bonsu, Sarah

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📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Unearth the forgotten origins of trauma psychology in this foundational, newly translated text.

Delve into the foundational insights of Pierre Janet's groundbreaking 1889 treatise, now available for the first time in English. This initial volume meticulously explores the subtle mechanisms of psychological automatism, a concept critical to understanding trauma and dissociation. Janet dissects phenomena like catalepsy, the intricate relationship between memory and forgetting in altered states, and the profound influence of suggestion on the psyche. It's an indispensable work for tracing the historical roots of modern psychological thought on trauma-related conditions.

Key themes

Catalepsy & Somnambulism Explored Memory, Amnesia, and Trauma Suggestion and the Psyche

Historical context

This volume anchors the historical lineage of psychological automatism and trauma theory within the late 19th-century esoteric and scientific discourse on altered states of consciousness. It bridges the gap between occult studies of suggestion and the emerging clinical frameworks of dissociation.

Janet, Pierre; , Craparo, Giuseppe; , Crabtree, Adam; , Van Der Hart, Onno; , Osei-Bonsu, Sarah

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🏛 Routledge 📅 2021 📖 158 pages 📔 Hardcover 📐 Hardcover ISBN: 9780367254162

Fun fact

This long-awaited English translation is a monumental achievement, finally making Janet's foundational insights accessible. It meticulously dissects the core mechanics of automatism, offering an unparalleled glimpse into early trauma psychology. While not a guide to contemporary clinical practice, its rigorous experimental approach is invaluable for tracing the intellectual lineage of dissociation studies. Those expecting a quick read will be challenged, but serious scholars will find it an indispensable cornerstone for understanding the origins of modern psychological thought.

📝 Description: Catalepsy, Memory and Suggestion in Psychological Automatism: Total Automatism

Pierre Janet's L'Automatisme psychologique, originally published in 1889, is one of the earliest and most important books written on the study of trauma and dissociation. Here it is made available, in two volumes, in English for the first time, with a new preface by Giuseppe Craparo and Onno van der Hart. Catalepsy, Memory, and Suggestion in Psychological Automatism, the first volume, examines three aspects of trauma and dissociation. Janet first explores catalepsy and analogous states, including comparing catalepsy to somnambulism, then discusses somnambulism, memory, and forgetting. Finally, Janet considers suggestion, amnesia, and distraction, as well as considering characteristics of suggestible individuals. Janet's work is an unsurpassed experimental study of human actions in their simplest and most rudimentary forms, and a fundamental contribution to our understanding of trauma-related dissociation. This seminal work will be of great interest to researchers and students of psychoanalysis, philosophy, and modernism, as well as psychotherapists and psychoanalysts working with clients who have experienced trauma. It is accompanied by Subconscious Acts, Anesthesias, and Psychological Disaggregation in Psychological Automatism: Partial Automatism.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This translation serves as a vital primary source for historians of psychology and occultism, meticulously detailing Janet’s early exploration of automatism. However, it does not suit casual readers seeking narrative engagement or practical self-help advice; the text is dense, theoretical, and focused on historical analysis rather than accessibility. Those expecting a modern psychological manual will likely find its 19th-century academic tone and complex terminology impenetrable. It is strictly for those willing to engage with difficult, foundational material to understand the origins of their field.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers deeply invested in the genealogy of trauma psychology and the occult roots of mental health will find this newly translated text indispensable. It offers a rare, unmediated access to Pierre Janet’s foundational insights into psychological automatism, allowing scholars and enthusiasts to trace the precise mechanisms of catalepsy, memory fragmentation, and suggestion that underpin modern dissociative theory. This work is essential for those seeking to understand the historical intersection of esoteric practices and clinical observation, providing a crucial link in the development of contemporary thought on altered states and trauma.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the historical origins of trauma studies, a student of psychoanalysis, or a practitioner working with dissociation, this seminal volume offers unparalleled insight. Scholars of philosophy and modernism will also find its exploration of the human mind profoundly illuminating.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This translation serves as a vital primary source for historians of psychology and occultism, meticulously detailing Janet’s early exploration of automatism. However, it does not suit casual readers seeking narrative engagement or practical self-help advice; the text is dense, theoretical, and focused on historical analysis rather than accessibility. Those expecting a modern psychological manual will likely find its 19th-century academic tone and complex terminology impenetrable. It is strictly for those willing to engage with difficult, foundational material to understand the origins of their field.

❓ Frequently asked questions

It's the first English translation of a foundational text, offering contemporary readers direct access to Janet's original, groundbreaking research on dissociation and trauma that has long been inaccessible.

This first volume focuses on catalepsy and related states, the intricate relationship between memory and forgetting, and the profound mechanisms of psychological suggestion.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Catalepsy & Somnambulism Explored

Janet systematically investigates catalepsy, comparing it to somnambulism and other trance-like conditions. He meticulously details these states as manifestations of automatism, providing early experimental observations on how the mind can operate outside conscious control, laying groundwork for understanding non-ordinary states of consciousness.

Memory, Amnesia, and Trauma

The book delves into the complex interplay between memory and forgetting, especially in the context of traumatic experiences. Janet examines how memories can become fragmented or inaccessible, and how amnesia relates to dissociated states, offering crucial early insights into the psychological impact of trauma on cognitive functions.

Suggestion and the Psyche

Janet rigorously analyzes the concept of suggestion, exploring its role in psychological automatism and its connection to amnesia and distraction. He identifies characteristics of individuals susceptible to suggestion, revealing its profound influence on mental processes and its potential implications for therapeutic intervention.

💬 Quotes from the book

“The observation of catalepsy reveals a profound disjunction, where the body's machinery operates with a strange independence from conscious will.”

“Memory, in its fragmented and elusive forms under suggestion, demonstrates the mind's remarkable capacity for both construction and oblivion.”

📜 Historical context

Originally published in 1889, this work predates much of modern psychoanalysis, yet it laid essential groundwork for understanding psychological trauma and dissociation. Janet’s meticulous experimental approach established a scientific framework for studying the 'subconscious' mind, profoundly influencing early 20th-century psychological thought and shaping the trajectory of subsequent trauma research.

📚 Glossary

Catalepsy
Psychological Automatism
Dissociation

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might the insights on catalepsy and automatism challenge or expand your current understanding of human consciousness and free will?
Consider a time when your actions or thoughts seemed to operate independently of your conscious intention. How does Janet's concept of psychological automatism shed light on such experiences?
In what ways do you see the power of suggestion operating in contemporary society, and how might understanding its mechanisms from Janet's perspective be beneficial?