ABSTRACT
Can anyone be hypnotized? The complex issue of who can be hypnotized (and, likewise, who cannot) has been researched and written about at great length by some of the most respected people in the field. The net result is the conclusion that although the great majority of people can experience hypnosis to some degree, not everyone is equally responsive to hypnosis (E. Hilgard, 1965; Weitzenhoffer, 2000). Research subjects exposed to standardized and different forms of hypnotic induction and offered standardized and differing suggestions show variable levels of responsiveness across conditions (Spiegel & Spiegel, 1987; Lynn, Neufeld, & Matyi, 1987). Thus, many experts conclude that hypnotizability, generally defined in the research as an ability to respond positively to suggested experiences, is substantially more about personal factors than interpersonal or contextual ones. In this chapter, we will explore some of the characteristics of the individual (the intrapersonal factors) that may influence hypnotic responsiveness.
