A B C D E F-G H I-J-K L-M-N O P-Q R S T U-Z

Self-Actualization: The full development of personal potential, especially emotional potential.

Self-Hypnosis: Hypnosis induced by oneself. The ability to influence positive self-improvement through the inner processes of focused awareness.

Semantics: The science of the meaning of words. Technique for sharpening the accuracy of thinking; emphasizes the need for operational definitions of words and the importance of avoiding the tendency to regard words as things rather than as mere names for concepts.

Semantic Conditioning: Refers to the formation of conditioned responses to the meanings of verbal stimuli rather than their physical attributes (i.e. the sound of a word).

Sensation: The un-interpreted experience accompanying afferent activity that reaches the cortical level.

Sensitization: A change in behavior or biological response by an organism that is produced by delivering a strong, generally noxious, stimulus.

Shaman: In various cultures the one who would heal, assist, or help others through certain conditions using techniques of known and unknown origin.

Short-Term Memory: A phase of memory in which a limited amount of information may be held for several seconds to minutes.

Simile: A way of directly and consciously comparing two different images.

Somnambulism: In everyday usage the term somnambulism is used for sleepwalking, however in the lexicon of hypnotism, somnamblism is used to designate the deepest state of hypnosis. Eyes may be open without waking; complete amnesia may result.

Stimulus: A change brought about in a receptor by a signal from the environment.

Subconscious Mind: The psychic processes of which an individual is not conscious. They are often associated with the part of the mind involving imagination, memory and creativity. The subconscious mind is particularly accessible through hypnotic suggestion.

Subject: This term denotes an individual submitting to an induction of hypnosis. If hypnosis is being used for hypnotherapy the term client should be used.

Subjective Time: Time as perceived by a subject (as opposed to real time).

Suggestibility: The capacity to respond to suggestion. The propensity of a subject to accept and act on suggestion.

Suggestion: Hypnotic communication. An idea conveyed to the mind by an action or through the spoken word.

Symbol: An image, object or activity that represents and can be substituted for something else. For example, words and numbers.

Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS): Division of the ANS that is active in emergency conditions of extreme cold, violent effort or exercise and states of fear or rage.

Synapse: A gap between two neurons that functions as the site of information transfer from one neuron to another.