Defining hypnosis as a trance vs. cooperation: hypnotic inductions, suggestibility, and performance standards

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Hypnotic suggestibility scales are crucial tools for assessing hypnotic responsivity.
• Previous research has explored various factors influencing suggestibility, including participant expectations and instructions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of specific scale administration variations on hypnotic suggestibility.
• To compare the effects of removing cooperation cues, removing the induction phase, and altering participant mindset (altered state vs. standard induction).

Main Methods:

• Four groups of participants (N=129 total) were administered modified versions of the CURSS hypnotic suggestibility scale.
• Conditions included: standard induction (SI), cooperation removed (CR), no induction (NI), and altered state set (AS).
• Objective and subjective measures of hypnotic suggestibility were assessed.

Main Results:

• Removing cooperation instructions significantly decreased objective suggestibility (CR < SI) but did not affect subjective suggestibility.
• Removing the hypnotic induction had no significant effect on any measure of hypnotic responsivity.
• Participants in the altered state condition showed lower suggestibility than those in the standard induction condition, aligning with performance standards theory.

Conclusions:

• Cooperation instructions play a role in objective hypnotic suggestibility, while subjective experience may be less affected.
• The hypnotic induction itself may not be as critical as perceived for suggestibility.
• Participant mindset and expectations, particularly the focus on an 'altered state,' can significantly modulate hypnotic responsivity.