Ability to be hypnotized = amenable for coercion

To get the most out of Evolver, create your profile now!
5
groks

Had a hypnotism class in Psych of Consciousness class today. We all know that hypnotism relies on the power of suggestion, and that the participant cannot do anything they wouldn't want to do... but why is that? The professor cited that through his research people who are organized, compulsive, and tidy are more amenable for hypnotism.
More to the point - people who pay attention to orders and carry them out efficiently are highly susceptible to hypnotism.

so what does this tell us? It is my opinion that people who are easily hypnotized simply have a compulsion for order, for normalcy, to not stir the pot, to comply... for that is what hypnotism is at its root- suggestion of an order and compliance of said suggestion. it strikes to the heart of society; that people have an innate compulsion to follow orders, for compliance of orders is what keeps the social contract afloat. We are "soft-wired" (soft-wired being a behavioral disposition rather that hard-wired/genetic), through generations of conditioning to comply with authority. For to not comply follows derision, punishment, banishment, ridicule. When entering into a state of susceptibility (meditative state entered during hypnosis) we reactively comply because someone in a position of power is prompting us to do so. It is our compulsion to satisfy any sense of authority we come across that yields success in hypnotism, not merely the power of suggestion.

take children, they are statistically higher in hypnotizability, until they hit puberty. as children they are locked into mode of pleasing parental figures, teachers, clergy, etc... it is only when puberty hits and they begin to sort out stuff on their own and lose the interest in pleasing everyone that hypnotism no longer is as effective.

I guess the reason i write this is in the fact that the professor seemed to merit those susceptible and sully those who are not, granted hypnotism is his bread and butter, i think it is the other way around. those that are susceptible are living with blinders, instead of using rationalism when making decisions rather relying on consensus-favored prompts.

Those that are not susceptible are those that are not locked into a singular mode of thought, those that are eccentric and above all else question authority and no predisposition or at least a lowered predisposition to feel the need to please everyone.

any thoughts?

Comments

Interesting...

I have been out under hypnosis...once, but it did not last very long, I came out of it and was not able to go back under. Just thought I'd share that and maybe you could shed some light as to why it happened for such a short amount of time? Maybe we are all susceptible on certain levels, we all follow direction and orders, some more than others.

well, there are a lot of

well, there are a lot of variables that factor into hypnotic susceptibility but people with attention difficulties often flutter in and out of hypnotic states, as they are often not able to focus on a singular mode of thought for an extended period of time.
but yes, we are all susceptible on certain levels.

It gets itchy when this theory enters the realm of consumerism, religion, politics, and war... all of which thrive on people following orders or prompts with little self-reflection wanted.

www.adamdodd.net
"A place where certain things certainly happen. "

Syndicate content

"Banish the word 'struggle' from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we have been waiting for." — Hopi elders

Sponsored by