Hypnosis and distraction differ in their effects on cold presser pain

On the bases of Hilgard's neodissociation theory and Spano's (1982) socioco gnitive theory, volunteers stringently selected for high (N = 10) and low ( N = 10) hypnotizability were exposed to a cold presser pain test during cou nterbalanced conditions of waking relaxation, distraction, and hypnosis. To better discriminate between hypnosis and distraction conditions, a new dis traction procedure was developed involving the memorization of a sequence o f colored lights. High hypnotizables showed significantly greater pain reli ef for hypnosis versus distraction or waking relaxation conditions. High hy pnotizables also demonstrated significantly greater pain relief than low hy pnotizables in response to hypnosis. Quantitative electroencephalographic ( EEG) findings showed significantly greater high theta (5.5 - 7.5 Hz) activi ty for highs as compared to lows at parietal (P3) and occipital (01) sites during both hypnosis and waking relaxation conditions. The findings fail to support the socio-cognitive conceptualization of hypnotic behavior while p roviding additional evidence supporting the neo-dissociation theory and sta te based theories of hypnosis in general.