The influence of hypnosis on memory after one day and one week

High- and low-hypnotizable subjects were given repeated tests in either hypnotic or wake conditions to recall pictures they had seen either one day or one week earlier. Hypnotic procedures were associated with increased memory performance by subjects; specifically, hypnotic subjects reported more correct material. Also, hypnotic procedures were associated with increased confidence in memory reports; in particular, high-hypnotizable subjects tested in the hypnotic condition displayed the most confident errors. The pattern of findings for subjects tested after one day differed from that of subjects tested after one week, and this difference was related to the subjects' hypnotizability. Findings are discussed in terms of memory performance and the confidence associated with that performance.