Ernest R. Hilgard

Ernest R. Hilgard was a renowned American psychologist best known for his research on consciousness and the phenomenon of hypnosis. He studied how the mind can divide into different parts, such as during hypnosis, where some thoughts or sensations become separate from conscious awareness. His work helped explain how the mind processes information and manages pain, influencing psychotherapy and our understanding of human cognition. Hilgard’s contributions have advanced psychology by showing that consciousness is not a single, unified experience but can be composed of multiple, interconnected parts.