Highway hypnosis

Highway hypnosis is a mental state in which the person can drive an automobilegreat distances, responding to external events in the expected manner, with no recollection having consciously done so. In this state the conscious is clearly divided between the driving task and a person?s thoughts on other matters. It is considered to be common and normal in the sense that it is not unusual to experience it.

Building on the theories of Ernest Hilgard(1986, 1992) that hypnosisis an altered state of awareness; some theorists hold that the consciousnesscan develop hypnotic dissociation. In the example of highway hypnosis; one stream of consciousness is driving the car while the other stream of consciousness is dealing with other matters. Amnesiacan even develop for the dissociated consciousness that drove the automobile.

While highway hypnosis may be a common experience, common sensesuggests that when driving the full weight of consciousness is brought to bear on the task at hand. In some parts of the American South, it is called "White Line Fever", in reference to the white lines painted on asphalt.

The addition of penalty switcheson cruise controlscould help this.

References

• Weiten, Wayne 2004 (pp 200) Psychology Themes and Variations Sixth Edition Wadsworth/Thomson Learning, Belmont, CA, USA ISBN 0-534-59769-6

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It uses material from the http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highway+hypnosis Wikipedia article Highway hypnosis.