The Maudsley Personality Inventory, Suggestibility, and Hypnosis

Abstract

Furneaux and Gibson (1961) have reported that stable extraverts and neurotic introverts were more susceptible to hypnotic suggestion than neurotic extraverts and stable introverts, using the Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) dimensions. Using data supplied by Thorn (1960), these results are not confirmed at a satisfactory level of significance. However, some trends in the data, significant at better than 20 level, are discussed: (a) The Furneaux and Gibson conclusions hold for waking suggestibility only if “liars” are not included in the analysis; otherwise body sway may be separately related to non-neuroticism and introversion. (b) Hypnotic suggestibility is unrelated to these dimensions; however, if “liars” are omitted, neurotics are slightly more prone than others. (c) Independent hypnotic factors of suggestibility and imagery are unrelated to MPI measures, but dissociation (amnesia) is most marked in stable introverts, least evident with stable extraverts.