Hypnosis and Imagination

Abstract

Hypnosis involves the use of verbal suggestion to modulate behaviour and experience. Hypnosis and imagination have long been associated and the view that hypnotic suggestion effects changes in experience through imagination is a persistent one. In this review, we first present a brief overview of hypnosis and then turn to its potential relationship to imagery and imagination. We consider whether individual differences in imagination may relate to hypnotic suggestibility and the extent to which imagery is recruited during response to hypnotic suggestions in psychological and neuroimaging studies. Finally, we briefly consider the roles of imagery and suggestion in clinical applications of hypnosis. We conclude that whilst hypnotic suggestibility may relate to variability in imagination, hypnotic suggestion and voluntary forms of imagery are subserved by dissimilar neurocognitive mechanisms.

Can Hypnotic Susceptibility be Explained by Bifactor Models? Structural Equation Modeling of the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility - Form A

“…For instance, some participants might heavily rely on cognitive simulation and others on top-down sensory adaptation. This proposition is in line with findings, showing there are different groups of the high-hypnotic-suggestibles who might rely distinguishably on different cognitive processes for responding to suggestions (Terhune, 2015; Terhune & Hedman, 2017; Terhune & Oakley, 2020).…”

Myths and misconceptions about hypnosis and suggestion: Separating fact and fiction

“…It is widely believed that hypnosis involves a state of focused attention or relies on imaginative abilities; however, multiple high‐powered studies have failed to find support for atypical attentional abilities in highly suggestible individuals (e.g., Dienes et al, 2009), and the evidence for superior imaginative abilities in this group is mixed (Terhune & Oakley, 2020). By contrast, multiple studies have reported negative associations between working or short‐term memory and hypnotic suggestibility, such that highly suggestible individuals display poorer memory performance (e.g., Farvolden & Woody, 2004).…”

Assessing responsiveness to direct verbal suggestions in depersonalization-derealization disorder

“…Responsiveness to suggestion does not reliably correlate with imagery, and the two seem to recruit distinct neurocognitive mechanisms. 75 However, there is evidence that individuals with poor imagery are less responsive to suggestion, implying that some imagery capacity is necessary, but not sufficient, to respond to suggestions. 75,76 We observed a significant positive correlation between suggestibility and vividness of visual imagery in the total sample, with a trend-level effect in controls but not in patients.…”

“…75 However, there is evidence that individuals with poor imagery are less responsive to suggestion, implying that some imagery capacity is necessary, but not sufficient, to respond to suggestions. 75,76 We observed a significant positive correlation between suggestibility and vividness of visual imagery in the total sample, with a trend-level effect in controls but not in patients. This potentially aligns with previous research demonstrating evidence for a low dissociative, highly suggestible subtype with superior visual imagery.…”