title: Transient positive and negative experiences accompanying stage hypnosis.
abstract: Frequency of positive and negative experiences accompanying stage hypnosis was assessed in follow-up interviews with 22 participants of university-sponsored performances. Most subjects described their experience positively (relaxing, interesting, exciting, satisfying, illuminating, and pleasurable), but some described it negatively (confusing, silly, annoying, and frightening). Five subjects (22.7%) reported partial or complete amnesia; all were highly responsive to the stage hypnosis suggestions. One subject was completely unable to breach amnesia and felt annoyed and frightened. Five subjects (22.7%) believed the hypnotist had control over their behavior. Participants (n = 15) tested subsequently on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (Weitzenhoffer & Hilgard, 1962) were mostly moderately to highly hypnotizable (M = 7.07), and the scores correlated significantly (r = .68) with the percentage of passed stage hypnosis suggestions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitner-Triolo
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Olesko
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal; D001290:Attitude; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall