The Carleton University Responsiveness to Suggestion Scale: Relationship with other Measures of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Expectancies, and Absorption

Abstract

The Carleton University Responsiveness to Suggestion Scale (CURSS) yields scores on three suggestibility dimensions. Objective (CURSS:0) scores and subjective (CURSS:S) scores reflect overt and experiential response to suggestion, respectively. Objective-Involuntariness (CURSS:OI) scores indicate the number of objective responses rated as feeling involuntary. Study 1 indicated that all three suggestibility dimensions correlated significantly with the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, and Study 2 showed the three Catleton suggestibility dimensions correlated significantly with Form C of the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale. The majority of subjects who obtained high scores on the Stanford:C also scored high on the Carleton suggestibility dimensions. Like the Harvard:A and Stanford:C the three Carleton suggestibility dimensions also correlated significantly with attitude/expectancy measures, absorption, and Field's (1965) “hypnotic experiences” inventory. CURSS:VC (voluntary-cooperation) scores reflect the number of objective responses rated as feeling primarily voluntary rather than involuntary. CURSS:VC scores did not correlate significantly with attitude/expectancy variables, absorption or “hypnotic experiences.” Theoretical implications are discussed.