The effect of lie feedback on compliance in hypnotic responding

Malleability of verbal reports were investigated by manipulating pressures to comply in a hypnotic context, independently of hypnotic procedures. High and medium hypnotizable participants received baseline and hypnotic deafness trials in which they rated the intensity of a pure tone 10 seconds following its termination. Half of the participants received polygraph feedback indicating that they were not being truthful with respect to their sound rating, whereas the remaining participants received no feedback. All participants were asked to offer a second rating. The deafness suggestion was cancelled and all participants received a thrid presentation of the tone. Prior to their rating, participants received either no verbal instruction, or a demand instruction which cued participants about appropriate responding. Results indicated that participants recieving the polygraph feedback recant their second rating in hypnotic deafness trial, and fail to comply to the demand instruction when later given the opportunity. Findings support that compliance and reporting bias play a role crucial in hypnotic responding.