Trait phenomenological control predicts experience of mirror synaesthesia and the rubber hand illusion

Abstract In hypnotic responding, expectancies arising from imaginative suggestion drive striking experiential changes (e.g., hallucinations) — which are experienced as involuntary — according to a normally distributed and stable trait ability (hypnotisability). Such experiences can be triggered by implicit suggestion and occur outside the hypnotic context. In large sample studies (of 156, 404 and 353 participants), we report substantial relationships between hypnotisability and experimental measures of experiential change in mirror-sensory synaesthesia and the rubber hand illusion comparable to relationships between hypnotisability and individual hypnosis scale items. The control of phenomenology to meet expectancies arising from perceived task requirements can account for experiential change in psychological experiments.

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Phenomenological control: response to imaginative suggestion predicts measures of mirror touch synaesthesia, vicarious pain and the rubber hand illusion

10.31234/osf.io/82jav ◽

2019 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Peter Lush ◽

Vanessa Botan ◽

Ryan Bradley Scott ◽

Anil Seth ◽

Jamie Ward ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rubber Hand Illusion ◽

Top Down ◽

Rubber Hand ◽

Large Sample ◽

Psychological Science ◽

Task Requirements ◽

Control Response ◽

Psychological Experiments ◽

Psychological Studies ◽

Normally Distributed

[Published in Nature Communications as Trait phenomenological control predicts experience of mirror synaesthesia and the rubber hand illusion] The control of top down processes to generate experience has been studied within the context of hypnosis since the birth of psychological science. In hypnotic responding, expectancies arising from imaginative suggestion drive striking experiential changes (e.g., hallucinations) – which are experienced as involuntary – according to a normally distributed and stable trait ability (hypnotisability). Such experiences can be triggered by implicit suggestion and occur outside the hypnotic context. The possibility that they account for experiential change in psychological studies has been overlooked. In large sample studies (of 156, 404 and 353 participants) we report substantial relationships between hypnotisability and experimental measures of experiential change (mirror-sensory synaesthesia and the rubber hand illusion) comparable to relationships between hypnotisability and individual hypnosis scale items. The control of phenomenology to meet expectancies arising from perceived task requirements can account for experiential change in psychological experiments.

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Computer vs live delivery of the Sussex Waterloo Scale of Hypnotisability (SWASH).

10.31234/osf.io/qk4pz ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peter Lush ◽

Ryan Bradley Scott ◽

Gyorgy Moga ◽

Zoltan Dienes

Keyword(s):

Computer Program ◽

Prior Experience ◽

Screening Tools ◽

Rubber Hand Illusion ◽

Rubber Hand ◽

Simple Tool ◽

Large Groups ◽

Live Presentation ◽

Psychological Experiments

There exist reliable and stable trait differences in the ability to control phenomenology in response to imaginative suggestion. Hypnotisability scales measure response to imaginative suggestion within a hypnotic context. Because hypnotisability has recently been shown to predict measures of experiential change in psychological experiments (e.g., the rubber hand illusion), there is a need for easy to use screening tools which are accessible to researchers with little or no background in hypnosis or imaginative suggestion research. The SWASH is a time efficient group hypnotisability scale which can be administered to up to 50 participants simultaneously. Here we present norms from an undergraduate sample for a recorded version delivered by a computer program alongside norms for a live presentation. Reliability, validity and mean scores are similar across the two presentations. Computer delivery of a pre-recorded script provides a simple tool to rapidly screen for hypnotisability in large groups for researchers with no prior experience of hypnosis research.

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The Phenomenological Control Scale: Measuring the Capacity for Creating Illusory Nonvolition, Hallucination and Delusion

Collabra Psychology ◽

10.1525/collabra.29542 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Peter Lush ◽

Ryan B. Scott ◽

Anil K. Seth ◽

Zoltan Dienes

Keyword(s):

Rubber Hand Illusion ◽

Rubber Hand ◽

Control Scale ◽

Reliable Tool ◽

Hypnotic Induction ◽

Subjective Scale ◽

Psychological Experiments

Phenomenological control is the ability to generate experiences to meet expectancies. There are stable trait differences in this ability, as shown by responses to imaginative suggestions of, for example, paralysis, amnesia, and auditory, visual, gustatory and tactile hallucinations. Phenomenological control has primarily been studied within the context of hypnosis, in which suggestions are delivered following a hypnotic induction. Reports of substantial relationships between phenomenological control in a hypnotic context (hypnotizability) and experimental measures (e.g., the rubber hand illusion) suggest the need for a broad investigation of the influence of phenomenological control in psychological experiments. However, hypnosis is not required for successful response to imaginative suggestion. Because misconceptions about the hypnotic context may influence hypnotizability scores, a non-hypnotic scale which better matches the contextual expectancies of other experiments and avoids the hypnotic context is potentially better suited for such investigation. We present norms for the Phenomenological Control Scale (PCS), an adaptation of the Sussex Waterloo Scale of Hypnotizability (SWASH) which is free of the hypnotic context. Mean scores for the PCS are higher than for SWASH, and the subjective scales of PCS and SWASH show similar reliability. The PCS subjective scale is a reliable tool for measuring trait response to imaginative suggestion (i.e., phenomenological control) outside the context of hypnosis.

Download Full-text

The Phenomenological Control Scale: Measuring the capacity for creating illusory nonvolition, hallucination and delusion.

10.31234/osf.io/zhgeb ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Peter Lush ◽

Ryan Bradley Scott ◽

Anil Seth ◽

Zoltan Dienes

Keyword(s):

Rubber Hand Illusion ◽

Rubber Hand ◽

Control Scale ◽

Reliable Tool ◽

Hypnotic Induction ◽

Subjective Scale ◽

Psychological Experiments

Phenomenological control is the ability to generate experiences to meet expectancies. There are stable trait differences in this ability, as shown by responses to imaginative suggestions of, for example, paralysis, amnesia, and auditory, visual, gustatory and tactile hallucinations. Phenomenological control has primarily been studied within the context of hypnosis, in which suggestions are delivered following a hypnotic induction. Reports of substantial relationships between phenomenological control in a hypnotic context (hypnotisability) and experimental measures (e.g., the rubber hand illusion) suggest the need for a broad investigation of the influence of phenomenological control in psychological experiments. However, hypnosis is not required for successful responding. Because misconceptions about the hypnotic context may influence hypnotisability scores, a non-hypnotic scale which better matches the contextual expectancies of other experiments and avoids the hypnotic context is potentially better suited for such investigation. We present norms for the Phenomenological Control Scale (PCS), an adaptation of the Sussex Waterloo Scale of Hypnotisability (SWASH) which is free of the hypnotic context. Mean scores for the PCS are higher than for SWASH, and the subjective scales of PCS and SWASH show similar reliability. The PCS subjective scale is a reliable tool for measuring trait response to imaginative suggestion (i.e., phenomenological control) outside the context of hypnosis.

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