LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM STABILITY OF BEHAVIORAL AND SUBJECTIVE INDEXES OF HYPNOTIZABILITY

A longitudinal study was conducted of behavioral and subjective indexe s of hypnotizability as assessed with the Carleton University Responsi veness to Suggestion Scale. Hypnotizability exhibited a high degree of stability in subjects retested after a short interval and a moderate degree of stability in subjects retested after 7 to 10 years. Means fo r objective hypnotizability scores did not change, whereas means for r eported involuntariness of responding increased in subjects retested a fter a short interval but decreased in those retested after a long int erval. Absorption scores failed to correlate significantly with hypnot izability in either group, whereas expectancies assessed in the second session correlated significantly with hypnotizability scores in both test sessions and for both groups. Implications are discussed. (C) 199 4 Academic Press, Inc.