Suggestibility Tests

Before a hypnotist decides to hypnotise a client, he should be diligent enough to use suggestibility tests on the client first. The objective of using suggestibility test is to provide the hypnotist with more understanding of his client as well as to allay any fears that the client might have about hypnosis.

In hypnosis, we have induction. Induction is basically a process for the hypnotist to relax the client so that he can enter into the state somewhere in-between the conscious and unconscious. Prior to using induction (and there are many forms of inductions available), hypnotist can use suggestibility test to help determine whether the client is a good or poor client (not in terms of financial ability but in terms of hypnotizability). Fundamentally, there are two types of suggestibility tests - authoritative (forceful, dominating) and permissive (non-directive, soft).
Once the hypnotist applied them on his clients, he will more or less able to tell what personality his client belongs to, and from there he chooses the induction method most appropriate.

I will broadly list out the few types of suggestibility tests here:
a) Chevreul Pendulum - this is a good test and it works quite well with most clients. It is non-threatening. Furthermore, in most people's mind, pendulum is part of the hypnosis process. That is why they can accept it rather than find it repulsive.
Method - let client holds on to the pendulum and see in his mind what direction he wants the pendulum to take. If he focuses well, what he thinks will be translated into physical movement and he will send the pendulum swinging in the direction he wants without moving his hand)

b) Arms Rising and Falling - This is a very common test and is important because it engages the client's imagination. Imagination is an important aspect in hypnosis.
Method - asks client to extend his arms on both sides of the body so that they are parallel to the ground. Get him to imagine one of his hand is tied to a balloon and it feels so light while the other hand is holding a phone directory. This makes one hand light and the other heavy. If client follows the hypnotist's suggestion, when the process completes and he opens his eyes he should see a "lop-sided" body)

c) Hand Clasp - this is rather simple.
Method - hypnotist asks client to extend hands sidewards, again parallel to the ground. Asks him to use force to bring the two hands together and firmly clasp the hands. Suggests to him that he feels the tightness, the hands are now stuck like glue and that he has no strength to pull them apart. Then count one to three and asks him to pull them apart. Suggest to him that he cannot do it because it is stuck like glue. If client follows the hypnotist's suggestion, he won't be able to pull his hands apart)

d) Progressive Relaxation - this test may take longer because the hypnotist will have to relax the client until he feels totally relaxed and at state. When test is over, hypnotist will check with client to see any sensational experience - numbness, tingling, lightness, heaviness, eye-fluttering, time distortion, salivation etc. If client follows hypnotist's suggestion, he will experience one or more sensational experience)