| Abstract: | Experiments are reviewed that were designed to delineate the instrumental variables in eliciting objective and subjective responses to test suggestions of body immobility, analgesia, hallucination, deafness, selective amnesia, and so on, that is, in eliciting behaviors of the type traditionally termed "hypnotic." The question at the forefront of discussion is: In producing "hypnotic-like" behavior, what are the relative effects of (a) S's personality characteristics, and of instructional-situational variables, such as (b) defining the situation to S as "hypnosis" or "control," (c) administering task-motivational instructions, (d) administering suggestions of relaxation, drowsiness, and sleep, and (e) suggesting to S that he can now easily respond to test suggestions? (4 p. ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
