(1) Those who study hypnosis agree that its power resides not in the hypnotist but in the subject’s openness to suggestion. To some extent, nearly everyone is suggestible. When people standing upright with their eyes closed are told repeatedly that they are swaying back and forth, most will indeed sway a little. In fact, postural sway is one of the items on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale that assesses a person’s hypnotizability. During the assessment, a hypnotist gives a brief hypnotic induction and then presents a series of suggested experiences that range from easy (one’s outstretched arms will move together) to difficult (with eyes open one will see a nonexistent person). (2) Those who are highly hypnotizable - say, the 20 percent who can carry out a suggestion not to smell or react to a bottle of ammonia held under the nose - are still likely to be the most hypnotizable 25 years later. These hypnotically susceptible people, frequently become deeply absorbed in imaginative activities. Typically, they have rich fantasy lives and easily become absorbed in the imaginary events of a novel or movie. Many researchers therefore refer to hypnotic. What can we understand about hypnosis?
What can we understand about hypnosis?