Hypnotically Induced Emotional Numbing:The Roles of Hypnosis and Hypnotizability

Abstract

This study investigated the roles of hypnotizability and hypnosis in suggested emotional numbing. Thirty-two high hypnotizable and 32 low hypnotizable participants were administered either a hypnotic or wake induction and were then presented with emotionally distressing and neutral images during a suggestion for emotional numbing or a control condition. Emotional response was indexed through self-report and EMG corrugator-muscle activity. High hypnotizable participants, in both the hypnosis and wake conditions, reported more diminished emotional responses on self-report and EMG corrugator-muscle activity than low hypnotizable participants during the emotional-numbing suggestion. These findings suggest that elevated hypnotic susceptibility, rather than hypnosis, is an important mediator of emotional numbing. The importance of individual differences in emotional numbing is discussed. 2This research was supported by a grant from the Australian Research Council.