When is an “instruction” an “instruction”?

Abstract

Abstract In the course of validating with 100 Ss the concept of a “classical suggestion-effect,” i.e., the existence of a class of non-voluntary behaviors elicited by communications intended to serve as traditional “suggestions,” evidence has been incidentally obtained which clearly shows that many so-called “instructions” given to presumably hypnotized Ss also function like “suggestions.” The data show that in these circumstances it is not possible to state a priori that a verbal communication will function as an “instruction” in contrast to being a “suggestion.” Such a statement can be made with certainty only a posteriori, on the basis of the nature of the resulting behavior. This finding has implications both for research and for the clinical uses of hypno-suggestive phenomena.