Hypnosis has been used as a way to entertain (stage hypnosis), as a way to heal disorders (medical hypnosis) and as a way to dominate and control others!

In a relatively new application, hypnosis is being used as a tool for “focus group” research by marketers. Perhaps it is only surprising that it has taken so long to be used as a publicly acknowledged tool for marketing! And it is catching on fast as more and more companies are rushing to get in on the new buzz marketing strategy.

Brandvisioning, for example, suggest that:

By accessing the subconscious mind of their consumer, marketers can gain new, and sometimes surprising information…..Hypnosis is the best way to get access to the deepest area of the consumer’s mind.

The twist, of course, is that there is no suggestion that the consumer is being controlled, here. Rather, hypnosis is being used to more accurately “mine” information from consumers.

What’s more, big businesses is spending serious money to use hypnosis this way. Companies like Volvo, no less, are relying on these techniques.

In a recent report, Keith Hein noted

Volvo equals safety. In focus group after focus group, participants said the same thing. So, Euro RSCG Worldwide, New York, did the obvious thing: It called in a hypnotist.

Members of these unique Volvo focus groups were asked to test-drive the car. Immediately afterwards they were hypnotized and asked their true feelings about the brand. It wasn’t pretty: Many revealed that Volvo also equals being middle-aged. That idea “for some people was suffocating,” said Michael Fanuele, head of planning at Euro. “Hypnosis helped get past the cliches. We needed the conversation to get to a deeper, more emotional place.”

In other words, hypnosis now offers a whole new way for doing market research!!

Hypnosis can be a powerful tool. But there are many fears that people have about hypnosis that means they are reluctant to either use it or allow themselves to be a subject.

Most people don’t like the thought of giving control of their thoughts or actions to someone else -understandably! But Hollywood and stage shows have both used hypnosis as a means of entertaining their audiences.

And it is more entertaining to present hypnosis as having dramatic effects - perhaps even sinister! Anyone who has watched a stage show about hyponosis will know how it seems as if the hypnotist has conplete control over his subjects.

“Not so!” says David Kay, UK Hypnotist. In fact, he says:

“There is no question of losing control or being made to do anything against your will by using hypnosis. You are in control throughout the session. Experiments have proved that people cannot be made to do anything that is truly against their will, or against their values, either during the hypnotic session or afterwards. The unwanted or noxious suggestion is always rejected.” Follow this link for more on myths.

Researchers have been trying for decades to work out what makes a person susceptible to hypnotic suggestion. Are some people more suggestible than others? If so, can we predict who will be more suggestible? Can we increase suggestibility? … and so on.

What has become clear is that there are four main types of hypnotic suggestion:

Results from research on ’susceptibility’, have been conflicting, to say the least! All the same, there are some clear cut indications of who may be suggestible.

According to one authority, susceptibility scales “typically contain a number of test suggestions which the participant will either pass or fail. Test suggestions are either ‘motor’ or ‘cognitive’ and also either ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ in nature.”

OK - as you can see, writers on this subject like to talk mumbo jumbo. So let’s turn this into English! If you look at the above pic you will see what this means. People can be hypnotically influenced in four ways! So these tests look for a person’s suggestibility to:

Commands to DO
*commands to control actions eg - involuntary arm levitations
*commands to control thoughts eg - believe they are a chicken

Commands ‘NOT to do’
*commands to demand non-action eg - can’t bend arm
*commands to stop certain thoughts eg - can’t hear /see)

This all means that the first step to successful hypnosis is to be clear about the type of result you are after. Top salesmen that are “naturals” (research shows that they use a style which closely resembles hypnotic suggestion techniques) are clearly aiming at quadrant 3 (and sometimes even quadrant 4)

In other words, they are aiming to strongly influence thinking (target ends up “believing”, for eg, that they will be highly successful with…) in order to produce a desired outcome (a sale). Being able to tell which people are susceptible to this type of suggestion makes hypnotic suggestion more likely to succeed.

Research results on this will be in a later post but for now just consider the types of people that Scientology targets. Here is an organization that has specialized in using hypnotic suggestion techniques and that seem to have a clearer idea of who are vulnerable targets than researchers do! Now Scientology uses this power systematically to enslave vast numbers of people.

So we also need to understand that there is power in hypnosis - and that we have a responsibility to use it wisely!

There is a major revolt taking place. A huge uprising by young people around the globe to reject the teachings and behavior of an organization that has (despite the lack of a deity) managed to be classified for tax purposes as a Church.

These young people have taken the extraordinary step of forming themselves into a huge world wide collective taking action anonymously. They call themselves - appropriately - Anonymous. This must be a first in human history - and possible only because of the internet.Why is history being made? Why have young people (and anyone who feels inclined to join them) taken this revolutionary and unique set of actions?

Outrage at what they see as the poisonous, manipulative and destructive behavior of the people who belong to the organization known as Scientology. The article “Protest Scientology this Saturday” explains the issue and in part says:

“Scientology is designed to release information very slowly…. Scientology is not swallowed whole; it is accepted incrementally via a carefully constructed series of agreements into which the individual is led, bolstered by profoundly invasive hypnotic techniques, peer pressure, [and] hard-sell tactics……..

After a recruit has finished the expensive courses they are required to take, they are asked to undergo “auditing.” Auditing is a fancy word for hypnotic suggestion, although those who are put through it are never made aware of their vulnerability. After their auditing session, recruits are left very vulnerable, absorbing information without the ability to critically analyze it.” read more HERE

There are a huge number of videos being posted daily on youtube by Anonymous. They have a huge following of enthusiasts who wait for their daily feed of youtube action as reported by Anonymous.

But why would Power-Hypnosis.com mention any of this? For three reasons:

1) The practices of Scientology are a serious example of the power of hypnotic suggestion

2) The Anonymous debate helps us to be more aware of the power of hypnotic suggestion, how vulnerable anyone can be and how we can protect ourselves from hypnotic suggestion.

3) This debate makes the power of hypnosis and hypnotic suggestion very clear - and focuses on some of the ethical issues that need to be considered by anyone planning to use hypnosis.

Check out the video if you would like to find out how to form your own cult! (Or would just like to understand the principles of hypnotic suggestion)

This technique is performed by Michael Watson of Salad training.

His delivery is quite smooth and commanding - I like his patter.

What do you think?