A Deeper Understanding of Hypnosis: Its Secrets, Its Nature, Its Essence

Abstract

Numerous research projects converge on the conclusion that there are three major types of very good or highly responsive hypnotic subjects: (a) fantasy-prone individuals who have secretly spent much of their time since childhood fantasizing vividly and realistically; (b) amnesia-prone individuals who have developed special abilities for mentally repressing or compartmentalizing undesired memories, thoughts, and emotions; and (c) positively-set individuals who are maximally ready to cooperate, think-with, and imagine what is suggested to the best of their ability while letting go of contrary thoughts. The major principle that provides a deep understanding of hypnosis and hypnotic phenomena is that all hypnotic subjects are affected, albeit in different ways for different types of subjects, by four powerful behavior-determining factors that can be potentially maximized in hypnotic situations: (a) socialfactors that obligate the socialized subject to cooperate and try to actualize or realize the hypnotist's expectations and explicit suggestions; (b) the hypnotist's unique skills and personal characteristics (including creative ideas, communicative ability, and interpersonal efficacy) and the nature of the hypnotist-subject interpersonal relationship; (c) the effectiveness of the induction procedure in guiding the subject to think-with the suggestions; and (d) the depth of meaning, creativity, and “force” or “power” of the suggested ideas.