Contextual influences on the relationship between absorption and hypnotic ability

Council, Kirsch, and Hafner (1986) have argued that the relationship between absorption and hypnotic ability might depend on the context in which the measures are administered. We employed a sample of 88 university students and replicated the context effect, finding both a significant difference in the correlation between a measure of absorption and hypnotic ability across contexts and a change in the regression slope across contexts when absorption is used as a predictor of hypnotic ability. No context effects were found for a measure of dissociative experiences which was included as a control. These results are somewhat difficult to reconcile with the expectancy theory described by Council, Kirsch and Hafner (1986). An alternative explanation in terms of S's interpretations of absorption items is discussed. Copyright © 1996 British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis