28th Annual Student Research Conference
The Effect of Hypnosis on Conforming Tendencies
Shannon M. Lynch*, Brendan M. Cirillo, Roxanne Chong, Zachary J. Jefferson, Jacob A. Loesche, Blake Y. Harris, Jeremiah A. Johnson, and Connor E. Madden
Prof. Sal Costa, Faculty Mentor
Conformity is often viewed as a social pressure inhibiting individual decision-making, especially among college students. This research study investigates the direct effects of hypnosis on conforming behavior. Participants are administered a general knowledge quiz consisting of 18 questions, accompanied by number of responses from the same quiz previously given to another group of participants. Prior to taking the quiz, participants in the hypnosis condition listened to a relaxation hypnosis script, while those in the control condition listened to a non-hypnosis audio recording. We hypothesize that hypnosis will reduce conforming tendencies in participants when taking the quiz. This research examines hypnosis potential to reduce conforming tendencies as well as better judgment in decision-making situations.
Keywords: Hypnosis, Conformity
Topic(s):Psychology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 10-12
Location: GEO-SUB
Time: 3:30