Some Polite Applause for the 2003 APA Division 30 Definition of Hypnosis

The authors argue that the new definition of hypnosis by Division 30 of the American Psychological Association contains questionable information about the role of imagination in hypnosis, about the use versus omission of the word hypnosis in inductions, and about the nature of individual differences and their relation to the standardized scales. In addition, the definition appears to conflate formal and exemplar-based types of definition, and it does not seem particularly well-tuned to the interests of lay persons. The authors advance some suggestions for future definitional efforts.