Stage Hypnotists - Questions about Suggestibility Testing

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Permalink Reply by Richard Nongard - NLPBoard.com on October 19, 2008 at 8:09pm

I use one test. I vary it according to what makes me happy at the moment. I do not use suggesability testing to determine who is suggestable becasue I believe all are. I use it instead as a way of involving the audience and creating rapport. No useful info really comes from the test.

1. Do you use suggestibility testing? One test - otherwise it turns into a psychology lecture, and that is boring.

2. Do you do your testing before you ask for volunteers or do you ask for volunteers and then test the volunteers once they are on Stage? All in the audience. I use if just for fun, to involve the audence and build rapport. I never say for example, "And if you fingers come together you would be a great candidate..." Since I actually believe everyone who wants to come up makes a great subject.

3. What suggestibility tests do you do that you feel work the best? (example: Hands Clasped, etc)? I do the fingers drawn togther, becasue people ahve fun and can take that home and show the kids or friends.... sometime i do the hand clasp, and sometime I do the arm moving faster faster in a rotating motion thing...

4. Do you still allow people to come on Stage who might have failed a suggestibility test if you do not have enough volunteers? If so, how do you handle that? In other words even if they did not pass do you tell them to come up and what do you say?
It is not a pass or fail, just a way to introduce myself and have a bit of fun, break the ice, build rapport. I use micheal Johns line"if you didn't see the fingers come together, that doesnt mean you can;t be hypnotized, it just means you need to lighten up a bit and quit thinking! Hardy-har-har"

5. Do you do more testing once the subject is on stage? Never, I believe all wil go into hypnosis and approach it encouraging all to exprience hypnosis. I would never suggest a negative suggestion that something can detmin if they are a good subject or not or if they can be hypnotized or not. I believe they want to, I set that as my expectaion and never set myself up for failure, using only positive encouragement.

6. Before your suggestibility testing how do you go about explaining what the 'tests' are. Example: do you say we will do some concentration exercises to see how well you can focus, ect? Nope, I say, "hey, lets try something as a group before we get started, this pis pretty cool, it isn;t really hypnosis, but its fun, and shows you how creative the mind can be...."

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Permalink Reply by Scott Sandland on October 19, 2008 at 9:20pm

I'm not sure why your original post got removed. The moderators and I dsicussed it and none of us deleted it. The only two options are you accidentally deleted it or for the first time in the history of the site a post was somehow lost.

I hope you get the info and answers you are looking for, as this is a good question that I am sure other people wonder about.

Sorry for the confusion on this,
Scott Sandland

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Permalink Reply by Matt Davis on October 19, 2008 at 9:33pm

1. Do you use suggestibility testing?
Yes, but just like Richard this is more of a rapport building tool. It's also a way of getting people "in the mood" to follow my directions as well. They are becoming more and more compliant as I tell them to - outstretch your arms - close your eyes etc.

2. Do you do your testing before you ask for volunteers or do you ask for volunteers and then test the volunteers once they are on Stage?
I always do the test before I call for volunteers. Once they are on stage they either enter trance and become active or they get sent back to the audience.

3. What suggestibility tests do you do that you feel work the best? (example: Hands Clasped, etc)?
I like "Arms Rising & Falling" or "Finger Magnets"

4. Do you still allow people to come on Stage who might have failed a suggestibility test if you do not have enough volunteers?
I'm not sure that I'm always aware if they respond well. I give suddle hints in my pre-talk that if they do extremely well with the experiment that they would definitely make an excellent subject on stage.

If so, how do you handle that? In other words even if they did not pass do you tell them to come up and what do you say?
I will judge them after the induction. If they go into trance and are active on stage it doesn't matter how they do on the suggestibility tests. (Most likely, if they are resistant during the tests and don't respond well, It probably means at some point I will be asking them to take a seat back in the audience since they will probably be too resistant to go into a very deep trance.)

5. Do you do more testing once the subject is on stage?
Nope. The induction and skits are the only "test" that I'll use on stage. If they enter trance and are active on stage they get to stay - if they aren't in trance or not participating they go back to the audience.

6. Before your suggestibility testing how do you go about explaining what the 'tests' are. Example: do you say we will do some concentration exercises to see how well you can focus, ect?
No explanation. Just a fun experiment. Something that will "activate their imagination" I actually do make sure I tell them that this does NOT tell whether they can be hypnotized or not. I remind them that EVERYONE can be hypnotized.

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Permalink Reply by Jason Nagle on October 19, 2008 at 9:39pm

Thanks Scott for looking into it. I could have deleted it, but I am pretty sure I didn't.

Jason, CH

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Permalink Reply by chris john on October 20, 2008 at 2:27am

1)no....not on stage.
2)
3)i prefer light and heavy hands suggestability test.
4)no..why would you want someone on stage who cant follow basic instruction
5)no
6)i say, 'ok..lets just try a little test, this isnt hypnosis,but it lets me see how good your imaginations are'...
or something similar.

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Permalink Reply by Tommy Vee on October 20, 2008 at 2:52pm

Hi Jason:

I have never used testing on my volunteers, although I have seen hypnotists who do. I do use the hand clasp experiment, after I have volunteers on stage and almost in every show.

Now to answer your questions:

1. Do you use suggestibility testing?

I do the hand clasp after I invite volunteers on stage. This is done on the audience, not the volunteers who are seated on stage.

2. Do you do your testing before you ask for volunteers or do you ask for volunteers and then test the volunteers once they are on Stage?

I do the hand clasp on the audience only. This is very important. Do not include the volunteers because if they fail, they will most likely fail entering hypnosis, or they will think that thay will fail. Perform the test on the audience and then bring the ones who locked on stage to join the volunteers who are seated.

3. What suggestibility tests do you do that you feel work the best? (example: Hands Clasped, etc)?

Hand clasp.

4. Do you still allow people to come on Stage who might have failed a suggestibility test if you do not have enough volunteers? If so, how do you handle that? In other words even if they did not pass do you tell them to come up and what do you say?

I suppose I would allow this if I need them, of course.

5. Do you do more testing once the subject is on stage?

No.

6. Before your suggestibility testing how do you go about explaining what the 'tests' are. Example: do you say we will do some concentration exercises to see how well you can focus, ect?

I prefer to call them 'experiments.' Testing might infer failure.

The hand clasp can be very impressive and that's what you want to do, impress the volunteers.

I hope this helps.

Tommy Vee

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Permalink Reply by Justin James on October 21, 2008 at 2:41pm

Jason... Post a photo.... Aside from that I was al over WV the last few weeks performing at colleges in the area... The weather was amazing!

As for your questions... You have some good responses but here goes

1. Do you use suggestibility testing?
Yep it is called building a yes set always good stuff! unless I am bored then I may do something else....

2. Do you do your testing before you ask for volunteers or do you ask for volunteers and then test the volunteers once they are on Stage?
Look time your show... If you are spending too much time in the front end cut it down.... I know you are looking for a technical answer... the problem with that is time in and experience will give you what you need

3. What suggestibility tests do you do that you feel work the best? (example: Hands Clasped, etc)?

Ahhh the tech question again.... They all work... What do you want to do.... That is what is important..

4. Do you still allow people to come on Stage who might have failed a suggestibility test if you do not have enough volunteers? If so, how do you handle that? In other words even if they did not pass do you tell them to come up and what do you say?

OK what will kill you is a total lack of confidence... If you are worried about volunteers that work on getting volunteers, Everyone is hypnotizable however if you have someone with their arms crossed and looking like they are getting ready to go to the bathroom then it is likely you are wasting your time with that person because you have not established rapport.

5. Do you do more testing once the subject is on stage?

Why???

6. Before your suggestibility testing how do you go about explaining what the 'tests' are. Example: do you say we will do some concentration exercises to see how well you can focus, ect?

Thats a secret!


Look more then anything else Jason is you need to practice and create your own identity not hack others material... the basics are basic for a reason... however most of what you are taught about how to do a show is simply there to keep you from failing...
Practice the basics and then take off the training wheels and play...

Justin James
www.thehypnosiscompany.com

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Permalink Reply by John Cerbone - The Trance-Master on October 21, 2008 at 4:13pm

I tend to do tests on the audience as a rapport builder.

Do I follow on who did well or not? No, I leave it up the honor system and my techniques are sound enough to work on most, as I very often get collaterally Hypnotized out of the audience as well. Why are they always in the middle of the row or in Stadiums the equivalent of 6 flights up? ;-P'''''''''''''''''''''

Why do I perform testing at all? Because it's fun and it builds rapport with the audience.
I like the arms rising and falling test, and I like to hand clasp index finger variation. Sometimes, some others and variations as I love to mix it up with different suggest ability tests --
I will not use the postural sway test generally on a stage, unless I'm doing a lecture-demonstration, or a Speed-Trance Induction and only with people I know I can hold up, for safety.

As long as they are mentally healthy and physically fit enough to appear in my show, as well as not on medication nor drunk, come on up, most people are getting hypnotized.

Once the whole crowd is out there it's time for the induction to begin, no more tests, let's keep it moving. I am there, after all to entertain the audience. So let's leave the yawn-fest to other moments in their lives.

Framing the suggestibility test to the audience:
I usually ask them how many people would like to learn something they can go home and torture their friends and family with? This is when I now refer to them as Concentration tests, rather than suggestibility tests.
From 4 year olds (yes, I have done shows with 4 year olds, Jr. High, to High School kids and onward to College / University people, to 30, 40 & 50 year olds, to 80 year olds,(yes, I have done shows loaded with 80 year olds, they were great too) - everyone has enjoyed that framing.
I also perform Speed-Trance on the stage quite a bit, and to quote the late Harry Arons,
"it builds prestige."

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