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Abstract
Prior to receiving the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) of Shor & E. Orne (1962), 423 naive volunteer Ss were asked to predict their behavioral response to each of the 12 constituent HCSHS: A suggestions. Another 418 Ss made no prior predictions. The relationships between predicted and actual hypnotic responsiveness were significant for HGSHS:A as a whole (r = .34) and for many of the individual items (though all r < .22). Ss who received prior information concerning the contents of HGSHS:A scored significantly lower than those Ss who were uninformed. This difference was apparent for 9 of the 12 individual HGSHS:A items (all p < .Ol), although it was most apparent for the posthypnotic amnesia suggestion. Although Ss' expectations are significant determinants of hypnotic responsiveness, there is also considerable surprise and disappointment on their part. Implications of the results for the distinction between aptitude and attitude contributions to hypnotic responsiveness, and between suggested amnesia and ordinary forgetting, are discussed.