STAGE HYPNOTISM VERSUS CLINICAL HYPNOSIS

There is a big difference between clinical hypnosis and the stage hypnotism many people are familiar with. The stage variety is a performance, a show purely for entertainment.

When you examine the process of the stage hypnotists, you recognise some of the techniques they utilise. First, the performer asks for volunteers from the audience. These are people who might well have had a drink or two or even more, and the alcohol reduces their inhibitions. Many subjects are repeat visitors who are easily hypnotised and are nearly always selected when recognised by the hypnotist. Clearly, those who venture on stage have self selected themselves to be part of the show. They crave to be the centre of attention, the “star” of the show.

Onstage, the performer will try to select those volunteers he or she feels will most readily comply with commands. Those who are judged to be "resisting" will be dismissed. The showman is often very adept at reading body language and other subtle signs that indicate what the subjects want to do. After the performer has carefully reduced the group to a handful of willing participants, the show begins. Whether the entire group is really hypnotised or not doesn't matter. The participants may be hypnotised (in an altered state of consciousness), they may believe they are, or they may simply act as if they are hypnotised. Once they are on stage, there is a powerful pressure to go along and not "spoil the show."

By this time, all the participants have been given tacit permission to let their inhibitions remain offstage. They have the perfect excuse for whatever they do "they were hypnotised." Let the show begin.

It's not necessary to hypnotise people to get them to quack like a duck, to run around the stage pretending to be a chicken, or laugh uncontrollably. People will do both foolish and fantastic things without being hypnotised. A visit to your local on a Friday night can confirm to that fact. We have all seen them.