• Question: Is there a scientific explaination for hypnotism?

    Asked by libslytherin to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 29 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 29 Jun 2012:

      I think it’s just supposed to be really clever persuasion. The hypnotist persuades you that you really do want to do whatever they’re telling you, whether it’s to behave like a chicken or whatever. I’ve got a friend who is a behavioural therapist and he uses those sort of techniques (he’s trained with famous hypnotists like Paul McKenna), but he won’t tell me how to actually do it.

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 30 Jun 2012:

      It’s just clever sneakiness. It’s mostly based upon observational work though, so doesn’t have many rigorous scientific explanations.

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