Hypnosis and Distraction Differ in Their Effects on Cold Pressor Pain

Abstract

On the bases of Hilgard's neodissociation theory and Spano's (1982) socio-cognitive theory, volunteers stringently selected for high (N = 10) and low (N = 10) hypnotizability were exposed to a cold pressor pain test during counterbalanced conditions of waking relaxation, distraction, and hypnosis. To better discriminate between hypnosis and distraction conditions, a new distraction procedure was developed involving the memorization of a sequence of colored lights. High hypnotizables showed significantly greater pain relief for hypnosis versus distraction or waking relaxation conditions. High hypnotizables also demonstrated significantly greater pain relief than low hypnotizables in response to hypnosis. Quantitative electroencephalographic (EEG) findings showed significantly greater high theta (5.5–7.5 Hz) activity for highs as compared to lows at parietal (P3) and occipital (01) sites during both hypnosis and waking relaxation conditions. The findings fail to support the socio-cognitive conceptualization of hypnotic behavior while providing additional evidence supporting the neo-dissociation theory and state based theories of hypnosis in general.