Is the hypnotized subject complying?

Abstract

To examine the role of compliance in responses to hypnotic suggestions, the authors administered a number of suggestions in the standard hypnotic manner and, also, with urging to comply. Participants' overt behavioral responses were noted, and they were questioned about their subjective experience of the suggestions, with electrodermal skin conductance responses providing a measure of the truthfulness of their reports. Results indicated that, although behavioral and verbal responses were consistent with the hypnotic suggestions under both instructional sets, responses in the standard hypnotic setting appeared to be experienced as genuine. That is, reports of subjective experiences met the criterion for truthfulness, whereas reports of suggested experiences administered with urging to comply did not meet the criterion for truthfulness.