The Role of Phenomenological Control in Experience
Current Directions in Psychological Science February 21, 2023 DOI: 10.1177/09637214221150521 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 18 |
| Key points | Argues that people have a capacity for "phenomenological control"—altering subjective experience to misrepresent reality in goal-consistent ways that can be sustained for at least minutes despite contrary evidence—and that this capacity can serve social demands or personal needs in situations such as hypnosis, psychological experiments, and religious experience. |
Abstract
To varying degrees, people have the capacity to alter their subjective experience such that it misrepresents reality in ways consistent with their goals and such that the misrepresentation can be sustained over at least minutes despite clear contrary evidence. In other words, people have a capacity for phenomenological control. People can use this capacity to fulfill requirements of social situations or personal needs. One such prominent situation is hypnosis. Another situation that psychologists often place people in is the psychological experiment, in which it is often clear to subjects what experiences are desired. Situations in life may also call for certain experiences, for example, encountering a spiritual world according to one’s religious beliefs. These experiences can be constructed so that they seem to confirm the beliefs of all the people involved.