Enhancing hypnotic susceptibility: interpersonal and rapport factors

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Hypnosis is conceptualized as modifiable social-cognitive skills and attitudes.
• Previous treatments focused on cognitive factors, with limited exploration of interpersonal dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of low-interpersonal versus high-interpersonal training for enhancing hypnotic susceptibility.
• To investigate the generalization of treatment gains to novel hypnotic suggestions.
• To assess the role of rapport in hypnotic responsiveness.

Main Methods:

• Two training conditions were compared: low-interpersonal and high-interpersonal.
• Subjects initially unhypnotizable or of medium susceptibility were treated.
• Hypnotic susceptibility was measured using the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility.
• Generalization of treatment gains was assessed using novel, demanding suggestions.

Main Results:

• High-interpersonal training converted 50% of unhypnotizable subjects to high susceptibles, compared to 25% in low-interpersonal training.
• 83% of medium susceptibles became high susceptibles in both conditions.
• Treatment gains generalized to novel suggestions, a first demonstration of such effects.
• Rapport ratings correlated significantly with hypnotic susceptibility and generalization.

Conclusions:

• Hypnosis training can be significantly enhanced by focusing on interpersonal factors, especially rapport.
• High-interpersonal training is more effective for increasing hypnotic susceptibility and skill generalization.
• Rapport is a critical component in improving hypnotic responsiveness and skill transfer.