Hypnosis, Dissociation, and Simultaneous Task Performance

We contrasted the simultaneous task performance of participants high and low (simulators) in hypnotizability and high and low in dissociative ability across hypnosis, divided attention, and passive waking conditions. Findings were not consistent with neodissociation or revised neodissociation theory. Task interference was comparable in hypnotic and passive waking conditions; both conditions enhanced performance (i.e., speed) relative to divided attention. However, hypnosis also yielded more omission errors than divided attention and more commission errors than divided attention or passive waking. Hypnotized participants also made more commission errors than simulators. Hypnosis generated reports of less task awareness, effort, and interference and of more success than comparison conditions. Simulators, however, responded comparably, consistent with a sociocognitive model. Dissociative ability affected neither task performance nor subjective reports.