Posthypnotic suggestion, response complexity, and amnesia

Thirty-eight high hypnotisable participants were given a suggestion for either a simple or a complex posthypnotic response. The suggestion was given either with or without an accompanying suggestion for posthypnotic amnesia. The type of suggestion had an impact on responding: 94% of participants given the simple suggestion and 16% given the complex suggestion responded. The accompanying presence of amnesia did not have an impact on responding: 46% of participants with amnesia and 63% without responded; 58% of those who did not receive the amnesia suggestion responded. The findings are discussed in terms of a model that highlights the interaction of internal and external processes that encourages or discourages posthypnotic responding.