HYPNOSIS, DISSOCIATION, AND SIMULTANEOUS TASK-PERFORMANCE

We contrasted the simultaneous task performance of participants high a nd low (simulators) in hypnotizability and high and low in dissociativ e ability across hypnosis, divided attention, and passive waking condi tions. Findings were not consistent with neodissociation or revised ne odissociation 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 error s than divided attention or passive waking. Hypnotized participants al so made more commission errors than simulators. Hypnosis generated rep orts of less task awareness, effort, and interference and of more succ ess than comparison conditions. Simulators, however, responded compara bly, consistent with a sociocognitive model. Dissociative ability affe cted neither task performance nor subjective reports.