Contrary to some depictions of hypnosis in books, movies or on television, people who have been hypnotized do not lose control over their behavior. They typically remain aware of who they are and where they are, and unless amnesia has been specifically suggested, they usually remember what transpired during hypnosis. Hypnosis makes it easier for people to experience suggestions, but it does not force them to have these experiences. Although scientists have different theories about the nature of hypnosis, all seem to agree that hypnotized people report changes in the way they feel, think, and behave, and that these changes are in response to suggestions. People vary in their degree of responsiveness to hypnotic suggestions, what is called their hypnotizability or hypnotic susceptibility, but most people can be hypnotized to some degree.
Scientists disagree about whether hypnosis involves a special mental state.
People are rated as high, medium, or low hypnotizable individuals depending on whether they respond to many or few suggestions. The ability to respond is distributed in almost a normal, bell-shaped curve. Most people are average in hypnotizability and are sufficiently responsive to use hypnosis in medical, dental, or psychological therapy. People who are low in hypnotizability often can improve in their response to suggestions with training and practice, and thereby use hypnosis to work on their problems. Many clinical uses of hypnosis do not require very high hypnotizability.