Absorption and dissociation mediate the relationship between direct verbal suggestibility and impulsivity/compulsivity.

Direct verbal suggestibility refers to the capacity for an individual to experience perceptual, motor, affective and cognitive changes in response to verbal suggestions. Suggestibility is characterized by pronounced, yet reliable, inter-individual differences. Previous research and theoretical considerations suggest that greater impulsivity and compulsivity is associated to higher suggestibility, but the characteristics and mediating factors of this association are poorly understood. Using established psychometric measures in an online sample, we found positive correlations between the domain comprising impulsivity, compulsivity and behavioural activation, and the domain of suggestibility, dissociation and absorption. We also observed that dissociation and absorption mediated the link between suggestibility and impulsivity, and between suggestibility and behavioural activation, respectively. These results confirm the positive link between suggestibility and the impulsivity/compulsivity domain and shed new light on the characterisation of traits associated with suggestibility.

The neurochemistry of hypnotic suggestion.

A diverse array of studies has been devoted to understanding the neurochemical systems supporting responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions, with implications for experimental and clinical applications of hypnosis. However, this body of research has only rarely been integrated and critically evaluated and the prospects for the reliable pharmacological manipulation of hypnotic suggestibility remain poorly understood. Here we draw on pharmacological, genotyping, neuroimaging, and electrophysiological research to synthesize current knowledge regarding the potential role of multiple widely-studied neurochemicals in response to suggestion. Although we reveal multiple limitations with this body of evidence, we identify converging results implicating different neurochemical systems in response to hypnotic suggestion. We conclude by assessing the extent to which different results align or diverge and outline multiple avenues for future research. Elucidating the neurochemical systems underlying response to suggestion has the potential to significantly advance our understanding of suggestion.

A Critical Review of Standardized Measures of Hypnotic Suggestibility.

The most well-established finding gleaned from decades of experimental hypnosis research is that individuals display marked variability in responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions. Insofar as this variability impacts both treatment outcome in therapeutic applications of hypnosis as well as responsiveness to suggestions in experimental contexts, it is imperative that clinicians and researchers use robust measures of hypnotic suggestibility. The current paper critically evaluates contemporary measures of hypnotic suggestibility. After reviewing the most widely used measures, we identify multiple properties of these instruments that result in the loss of valuable information, including binary scoring and single-trial sampling, and hinder their utility, such as the inclusion of suboptimal suggestion content. The scales are not well-suited for contemporary research questions and have outlived their usefulness. We conclude by outlining ways in which the measurement of hypnotic suggestibility can be advanced.