Final answer:
Autogenic training is a relaxation technique similar to meditation and is not purely a form of self-hypnosis. It involves repeating visualizations and affirmations for stress reduction, whereas hypnosis focuses on altering behaviors and perceptions through suggestibility. The correct option is 2.
Step-by-step explanation:
When discussing whether autogenic training is a form of self-hypnosis, it is important to note the distinctive characteristics of both practices. Autogenic training is a technique designed for relaxation and stress reduction where an individual induces a state of relaxation by repeating a set of visualizations and affirmations.
While it shares similarities with self-hypnosis in terms of inducing a relaxed state, autogenic training is more akin to meditation and focuses on self-induced suggestive formulas to produce the desired effect. In contrast, hypnosis, either guided by a therapist or as self-hypnosis, involves heightened suggestibility with the aim of altering perceptions and behaviors.
The key difference lies in the intention behind these practices. Autogenic training's main objective is relaxation and self-regulation, whereas hypnosis often aims at specific behavioral or psychological changes, which may include therapeutic goals. Therefore, autogenic training is not purely a form of self-hypnosis but rather a relaxation technique that can utilize similar principles of suggested changes of behavior and experience found in hypnotherapy.