Effects of verbal and experiential expectancy manipulations on hypnotic susceptibility.

The hypothesis that an expectancy manipulation based on direct experience would have a greater effect on hypnotic behavior than one based on verbal persuasion was tested. Consistent with this hypothesis, the experiential expectancy manipulation was more effective than the verbal manipulation in enhancing hypnotizability. A combination of the 2 expectancy manipulations resulted in a sample in which 73% of the Ss scored as highly hypnotizable, 27% as moderately hypnotizable, and none as low hypnotizable on Form C of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale. These data support I. Kirsch's (see record 1986-13702-001) response expectancy hypothesis. They also suggest that R. H. Fazio and M. P. Zanna's (1981) contention that attitudes formed via direct experience are more consistent with behavior may hold for expectancy–behavior consistency as well. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)