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Hypnotic susceptibility order effects in waking analgesia
J B Brodeur1, R M Kurtz, M J Strube
1Department of Psychology, Washington, University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
Summary
This study investigated hypnotic susceptibility and pain reduction. Findings indicate that the order of testing does not influence the relationship between hypnotic responsiveness and pain relief, challenging previous theories.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Pain Research
Background:
- Previous research suggested that the order of administering hypnotic susceptibility tests and pain stimuli influences results.
- Spanos, Hodgins, Stam, and Gwynn (1984) proposed that order effects create a link between waking analgesia and hypnotic responsiveness.
Purpose of the Study:
- To reexamine the contention that susceptibility testing order effects influence the relationship between pain reduction and hypnotic responsiveness.
- To investigate the role of design-generated expectancies in explaining hypnotic analgesia.
Main Methods:
- Undergraduate volunteers (n=138) with no prior hypnosis experience were randomly assigned to two groups.
- Group 1 underwent a cold pressor pain protocol before the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C).
- Group 2 completed the SHSS:C before the cold pressor pain protocol.
Main Results:
- The study's findings do not support the hypothesis that order effects influence the relationship between waking analgesia and hypnotic responsiveness.
- Significant partial correlation coefficients were found between the SHSS:C and nonhypnotic pain reduction, irrespective of the testing order.
Conclusions:
- The order of susceptibility testing does not generate the observed relationship between hypnotic responsiveness and waking analgesia.
- The findings question the adequacy of design-generated expectancies as the sole explanation for hypnotic analgesia phenomena.