Hypnosis as Role-enactment: The Effect of Positive Information about Hypnosis on Self-role Congruence

Abstract

The affect on self-role congruence of providing favorable information about hypnosis while establishing rapport on the SHSS, A was evaluated. Role theory would predict that the function of furnishing positive information before hypnosis is to increase the congruence between the subject's perception of himself and the requirements of the hypnotic role. By so doing, hypnotic responsiveness should increase. A questionnaire was developed to assess the subject's congruence with the hypnotic role before they were hypnotized. The subjects were divided into high, medium, and low congruence samples then one-half of each sample was randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (a) Information condition subjects were administered the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A (SHSS-A) in the standardized manner, (b) No-information subjects were administered the SHSS-A with the usual rapport section omitted. All subjects were re-assessed with the self-role congruence questionnaire before they were hyptonized. The results showed that positive information had no significant effect on congruence scores. Also of interest was the finding that positive information had no effect on hypnotic susceptibility. Possible explanations of the findings and suggestions for further research are discussed.