Correlation between Rotter's I-E scale and the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility under three sets of instructions.

Abstract

While there has been little success in finding personality characteristics which are related to hypnosis, the search continues. Recently Young, Pilling, and Dunn ( 1973) using Rotter's (1966) Internal-External (I-E) Locus of Control Scale found that internally controlled Ss (I-E score 6 or lower) scored higher and were more consistent hypnotic Ss than externally controlled Ss (I-E score 10 or higher) under two sets of instructions. The first set of instructions informed S that success in hypnosis depends largely on S's willingness and cooperation, while the second set specified that success depended on the hypnotist's ability. Internals scored moderately high (Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form A) for both sets of instructions. While externals also scored moderately high on the instructions specifying S's responsibility, they scored significantly lower when told that success depended on the hypnotist. These results are consistent with Shor, Orne, and O'Connell's (1962) suggestion that Ss of low susceptibility when encountering hypnosis are more influenced by situational variables, such as instructions. Moreover, the Young, et al. study points to the possibility of a relationship between the internal-external locus of control personality characteristic and hypnotic susceptibility. The present research sought to explore this possibility further. Whereas Young, et al. did not use Ss scoring in the middle range of the locus of control variable (Ss scoring 7 to 9 on the I-E scale were excluded), this research explored the relationship between hypnotic susceptibility and the full range of scores of the I-E scale under three sets of instructions (one neutral set and the two sets used in the Young, et al. study). Three undergraduate psychology classes (designated Groups 1, 2, and 3) were administered the Rotter I-E scale. Following this, all groups were administered the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility on audio-tape. The procedure was the same for all groups with the exception that prior to the hypnotic administration for Groups 1 and 2, the instructions administered by Young, et al. were followed exactly: Group 1 was told hypnosis depends on the hypnotist, Group 2 was told hypnosis depended on Ss ability. Group 3 was read only the instructions found in the tesr manual. The results showed very little relationship between locus of control and susceptibility to hypnosis as indicated by Pearson product-moment correlation. The values were for Group 1 (hypnotist's ability in instructions) n = 26, r = .lo; Group 2 (S's ability in instructions) n = 40, T = .16; Group 3 (manual's instructions) n = 33, r = .18. These results indicated that over the total range of I-E scores and under three sets of instructions locus of control had little relationship to S's ability to become hypnotized. It may be that the locus of control variable affects ability to be hypnotized only for extreme scorers (high external-high internal).