Disruption of Hypnotic Behavior

Abstract

Hypnosis has often been considered a mysterious phenomenon. In recent decades, procedures have been developed that have allowed us to explain this behavior in terms of variables of social or cognitive theories. However, previous approaches have not permitted formulating or delimiting the conditions that are responsible for following suggestions or their explanation in terms of involuntariness. For this purpose, two experiments were performed. In the first one, two hypnotic protocols were compared, the differences of which were aimed at influencing the voluntary and involuntary explanation of following suggestions and the effect of multiple exposure to both protocols. In the second experiment, four procedures to facilitate the voluntary interpretation of behavior were incorporated. The results of the first experiment yielded no statistically significant differences. However, in the second experiment, it was noted that changing the assessment questionnaire of the hypnotic experiences decreased following suggestions by 26%, and together with this, the use of explicit instructions did so by 67%. These results are discussed with regard to changes in rule-governed or instructional behavior in the so-called hypnotic phenomenon. Key words: hypnosis, hypnotic susceptibility, rule-following, behavior-behavior relations.