| In this article I shall be talking about suggestibility | | | | listening to the hypnotist's suggestion that the hands |
| tests. The main reason any hypnotist would ever | | | | are super-glued together or locked in place. |
| choose to utilize suggestibility testing is to get some | | | | Another more visually identifiable technique would |
| indication as to how suggestible a person or persons | | | | have a person hold both hands out, palms up, and |
| may be to hypnosis. | | | | then imagining that they have something very heavy |
| In clinical practice, suggestibility testing isn't generally | | | | in one hand, like a bowling ball or a pile of books, |
| used, because it's of little relevance. Our therapy isn't | | | | while they have something very light in the other |
| based on achieving hypnosis rapidly, nor do we seek | | | | hand, like a feather or a helium balloon. The theory is |
| to make any kind of point or impression about | | | | that the hand holding the imaginary books will start to |
| hypnosis. | | | | collapse. A hypnotist can then measure how quickly |
| It is in the venue of stage hypnosis where | | | | or how readily the suggestion was taken in by the |
| suggestibility tests can be very useful. When a stage | | | | person. This gives an indication of their level of |
| hypnotist is preparing to put on a show, it helps him | | | | susceptibility to hypnosis. |
| greatly if he has a way to identify which persons will | | | | I might use suggestibility testing to get some |
| be most suggestible. He will want to make these | | | | indication about how suggestible a client may be, but |
| determinations as quickly as possible. Stage | | | | generally, in the therapeutic setting, it's not |
| hypnotists still use suggestibility testing regularly. An | | | | necessary. I've used it on children, because they like |
| experienced hypnotist can test a group of people | | | | that sort of thing, and sure, it serves as proof of the |
| together, and within a few seconds, identify the | | | | power of the mind, but I wouldn't use it for that |
| ones that stand out as good hypnotic subjects for a | | | | purpose. I don't generally have the need to use |
| stage show. This means pinpointing people who will | | | | testing. |
| be relatively easy to hypnotize and who will take on | | | | There are lots of tests, involving the physical body |
| suggestion quite readily. | | | | and the imagination and the sensory systems. There |
| There are various techniques to determine | | | | may be many reasons to use suggestibility testing, |
| suggestibility. Some common tests include having the | | | | but generally, the tests are used to give a hypnotist |
| person clasp their hands together tightly, while | | | | some indication of how suggestible a person may be. |