Hypnotic susceptibility level and reading involvement

Abstract

The study investigated differences between high and low hypnotizable Ss in their involvement in imaginative versus nonimaginative reading material. 10 high and 8 low susceptible Ss read passages of high and low rated imaginativeness. Ss' involvement in the passages was measured by self-report and reaction time. High and low hypnotizable Ss differed only in their involvement in imaginative material, with good Ss expressing greater involvement. High susceptible Ss tended to report more involvement in high than in low imaginative material, confirming J.R. Hilgard's (1965, 1970) observations. The reaction-time measure failed to parallel self-report, yielding non-significant results.