The Effects of Stimulating Symbiotic Fantasies on Manifest Pathology in Schizophrenics: A Revised Formulation

Abstract

Results were: a) the subliminal symbiotic stimulus produced improvement on one of the measures of pathology, replicating findings from previous studies; and b) unexpectedly, the “mommy and I are two” stimulus led to pathology reduction on both dependent measures and proved significantly more ameliorative than the oneness stimulus. Associations obtained from subjects on a post hoc basis, the relationship between responses of individual subjects to the two stimuli, and the way in which order of presentation of the critical stimuli affected results supported the view that the twoness message also gratified symbiotic wishes while simultaneously providing reassurance against dangers associated with boundary loss. Results were discussed with an eye toward sharpening and refining the formulation advanced in the past to account for the ameliorative effects of the “oneness” stimulus.