Hypnotizability is associated with a protective but not acquisitive self-presentation style

Self-presentation refers to the behavioral strategies a person adopts to convey desired social images of oneself to other people. The Concern for Appropriateness Scale (CAS) measures a defensive and fearful social approach aimed at avoiding social threats whereas the Revised Self-Monitoring Scale (RSMS) measures an active and flexible social approach aimed at gaining power and status. In this study, a significant correlation was found between hypnotizability, as measured by the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Form C (SHSS:C) scores and CAS (r =.43, p =.002) but not between hypnotizability and RSMS (r =.070, p =.631). These results suggest that a protective self-presentation style may incline certain individuals to cooperate with hypnotic suggestions.