Basic HTML Version
Thr
Xnlcrnational
Journal
of
Clinical
and
E z p a i m d
Eypnorir
1888,
Vol.
XIV,
No.
4,
333-343
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HARVARD
GROUP SCALE OF HYPNOTIC SUSCEPTIBILITY
AND THE STANFORD HYPNOTIC
SUSCEPTIBILITY SCALE: FORM
C1
FREDERICK
J.
EVANS
AND
DEL SCHMEIDLER2
Institute
of
the Pennsylvania Hoqi tal and University
of
Pennsylvania
Abstract:
3
subgroups of
20
Ss
with
high, medium, or
low
scores
on
a
slightly modified, tape-recorded version
of
the Harvard Group Scale
of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) of Shor and
E.
Orne
(1962)
were later administered the Stanford Hypnotic
Sus-
ceptibility Scale, Form
C
(SHSS:C)
of
Weitzenhoffer and Hilgard
(1962).
HGSHS:A and SHSS:C correlated
.59
which
is
lower than
would be predicted by scale reliabilities.
This,
together with other
data
based
on
item characteristics, indicates that the
2
scales are not
equivalent, but
in
part measure different aspects of hypnotic perform-
ance. Scores
on
HGSHS:A for low
Ss
are predictive of SHSS:C scores,
but the stability of performance between HGSHS:A and
SHSS:C
is
not
aa
marked
for
medium and high
Ss
on
HGSHS:A. This is
partly a result of the failure of passive motor (primary) suggesti-
bility to discriminate between levels of susceptibility, although chal-
lenge items do. The
2
clusters of items correlate
.23
and
.43
in
HGSHS
:A
and SHSS:
C
respectively. The passive suggestibility
i t em detract from the validity
of
the
2
scales.
Since the publication
of
the original Stanford Hypnotic Suscepti-
bility Scale, Forms A and
B
(SHSS:A and
SHSS:B)
by Weitzenhoffer
and Hilgard
(1959),
several special purpose modifications have ap-
peared.
In
particular, the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale,
Form
C
(SHSS:C)
was intended to differentiate more adequately
within the upper limits
of
hypnotic responsiveness (Weitzenhoffer
&
Hilgard,
1962).
The Harvsrd Group Scale
of
Hypnotic Susceptibility,
Form
A
(HGSHS:
A)
is a self-scored group-administered adaptation
This research
waa
supportedin part by contract number Nonr-4731(00)from the
Office
of Naval Research. The study
was
conducted at Massachusetts Mental
Health Center and Harvard Medical School. We wish
to
thank Peter
B.
Field
for making available scores
on
the Harvard Group Scale of
Hypnotic
Suscepti-
bility:
Form
A
for
the
Ss
selected to participate
in
the present study. We also
wish
to thank Martin
T.
Orne, Emily
C.
Ome, Donald N. O’Connell,
Ulric
Neisser, and
Ronald
E.
Shor
for
their helpful comments.
Manuscript submitted July
28,1965.
‘Presently with Peace
Corps,
India.
333
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