Hypnotically induced emotional numbing

Abstract

This study investigated the utility of a hypnotic suggestion to inhibit emotional response. High and low hypnotizable participants (N = 53) were administered a hypnotic induction, and half the participants were then administered a suggestion for emotional numbing. Participants were then presented with slides depicting neutral or disfigured faces. Participants who received the emotional numbing suggestion reported less responsivity to the disfigured faces than did those in the control condition, and this pattern was stronger for high than for low hypnotizable participants. Highs in the numbing condition displayed less overall distress in their facial expressions in response to the disfigured slides relative to those in the control condition. These findings suggest that hypnotic emotional numbing may be a useful paradigm in which to explore processes in emotion inhibition.