Hypnotic susceptibility and executive control

What is it about?

Flexibility of attentional/executive control was investigated in possible relation to individual differences in hypnotic susceptibility.

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Why is it important?

High, medium and low hypnotizable subjects (N=40) underwent a task switching experiment in a non-hypnotic context. The experimental method combined the instructed (alternating runs) and non-instructed (voluntary) versions of task switching procedure. In a run of nine, spatially different trials, task specific cues assigned the task to perform on bivalent stimuli (instructed switch and repetition) but, at two highlighted sequential positions the subjects could determine freely where to switch with balanced frequency (voluntary switch and repetition). The switch cost was found robust in the instructed condition but decreasing when going from instructed to the voluntary condition, in each experimental group. The frequency of the switches was unbalanced across the two voluntary switching positions, and the switch cost proved smaller at the preferred one. In the voluntary switch cost a marginally reliable (p=0.065) difference was found between the preferred and non-preferred switching positions only in the group of highly hypnotizable subjects.

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