Is hypnotizability modifiable?

Electromyographic Feedback and Taped Relaxation Instructions to Modify Hypnotic Susceptibility and Amnesia

“…This raises the question of the effectiveness of routine taped relaxation instructions. Perry (1977) might attribute such change to subjects not having reached their plateau of susceptibility in initial testing or to a criterion shift on the part of subjects during posttesting. However, this would not explain why neither the control group nor the relaxation group changed in a similar fashion.…”

“…These claims have been based on high retest reliability of hypnotizability scores using the same hypnotist, different hypnotists, different induction procedures, and different item content of the hypnotizability tests (Perry, 1977). Diamond (1977) has argued that hypnotizability is a skill which can be 14 learned.…”

Effects of Electromyographic Feedback and Progressive Relaxation Training on Hypnotic Susceptibility: Disconfirming Results

“…Few studies to date report large increments in susceptibility, or increments for every S tested. Most attempts to modify hypnotic susceptibility have yielded statistically significant but small (e.g., 1 or 2 points on a 12-point scale) increments (Diamond, 1974(Diamond, , 1977aPerry, 1977). results are surprising not only because they are atypical of modification studies, but also because they are inconsistent with other evidence concerning the role of relaxation in hypnotic responding.…”

The Withheld Eye-Roll Sign

“…The study of these dimensions and whether they can be modified is the subject of extensive scholarly literature (Diamond, 1974(Diamond, , 1977a(Diamond, , 1977b(Diamond, , 1980(Diamond, , 1984Diamond, Gregory, Lenney, Steadman, & Talone, 1974;Diamond, Steadman, Hareda, & Rosenthal, 1975;Diamond & Taft, 1975;Hilgard, 1965Hilgard, , 1982bPerry, 1973Perry, , 1977Perry, Gelfand, & Marcovitch, 1979;Perry & Laurence, 1980;Perry & Sheehan, 1978;15 Shor, Orne, & O'Connell, 1962). Perry (1977) and Diamond (1977b) have summarized many relevant considerations, the former arguing that claims for modifiability must be treated with caution, and the latter suggesting that a skill-learning model of hypnotizability is plausible, and that the skill may be improvable. Perry (1977) noted that even if modification proves related to change in attitudinal variables unrelated to a skill component, it remains significant to understand how such change can be mediated through these attitudinal components.…”

“…Perry (1977) and Diamond (1977b) have summarized many relevant considerations, the former arguing that claims for modifiability must be treated with caution, and the latter suggesting that a skill-learning model of hypnotizability is plausible, and that the skill may be improvable. Perry (1977) noted that even if modification proves related to change in attitudinal variables unrelated to a skill component, it remains significant to understand how such change can be mediated through these attitudinal components. Diamond (1977b) suggests that the core components in modification are optimal learning factors, attitude and set factors, and cognitive strategy factors.…”