Contrasting Stage and Clinical Hypnosis

Abstract

Although both are labeled hypnosis, the experience, behaviors, and effects of hypnosis in stage and clinical settings differ dramatically. These differences can be conceptualized within the framework of nonvolitional response expectancy. Two methods were used to gather information for this study: observation of the contrasting styles, strategies and situations in both stage and clinical hypnosis; and interviews with individuals who had experienced trance in both clinical and stage settings. There are significant differences in hypnotist style, subject attribution of causality, trance depth, trance behavior, and outcome. Situation, subject's role, and subject's perception of hypnotizability are used to contrast the differing response expectancies of stage and clinical hypnosis.