What is an ideo motor/sensory response? ….
In the physical world an ideo motor response is a reaction driven by the sub-conscious as a response mechanism usually to protect us from a further consequence or as a reaction to a physical event. The involuntary, automatic physical responses to a given situation, more often than not to “a startle” or similar can be considered to be ideo motor responses as they are driven by the subconscious. For example if another goes to strike you, punch you, your most likely ideo motor response would be to put your hands up to ward off the blow. So this gives an easy indication as to what an ideo motor response is.
In hypnosis an ideo motor responses (IMR) are a physical response that is elicited from the subconscious from a subject during and whilst in a trance state. This is achieved by asking the subconscious to give a sign to represent “Yes” and another to represent “No” both these signs will typically be the raising of a hand or a finger. One can also add to other commands these being, “I don’t know” and “I do not want to answer”. Repetition will probably be required to elicit the required response, by this I mean in asking the subconscious to indicate an ideo motor response for “Yes” during the set up of the command structure it may take several repeats of the questions before the visible signal is seen. Once the pathway has been established to the subconscious, the subconscious can then directly respond to questions that require a yes or no answer or other as required.
An ideo sensory response is also an automated response driven by a sub conscious reaction such as, for example blushing. It is possible to elicit an ideo sensory response in a variety of other ways and this can be tested. To demonstrate try the itchy, scratchy routine in company and watch how others will start to follow. Start to scratch the back of your head and other places around the body as if you have an itch and before long members of your group will involuntarily be doing the same. Similarly, you could describe to an audience the process of cutting up a bowl of plump, fresh lemons into segments and then making them into lemonade – it could be almost guaranteed the audience will start to salivate as you describe beautiful, juicy, succulent lemons, fresh from the tree and ripe with the warmth of the sun which are being lovingly sliced to release the maximum amount of pure, irresistible lemon juice mingled with glistening ice cubes and sprigs of fresh mint. It is almost certain some members of your audience will be salivating before you reach the end of your narration.
In summation, more examples of ideo motor responses are: driving, if a hazardous situation occurs the last thing you want is to have to rely on the conscious mind, so if a child steps out in front of you whilst you are driving then the sub conscious goes into over drive and makes you hit the brakes – an ideo motor response. Say you bit hard on a rib bone whilst enjoying a barbeque and that jolts a sensitive tooth, the resulting grasp to your jaw line is an ideo motor response but the painful moan that follows on is an ideo sensory response. Each action was involuntary so therefore they were driven by the sub conscious.