How does a stage hypnotist hypnotize people?
As far as how people go into trance during stage hypnosis, that is a bit more difficult to answer since a stage hypnotist works with 10 to 15 people (maybe even more) and they are all going into trance in different ways. There are some similarities though. Some will go into trance because: 1) of the “awe” of a stage hypnotist (“I must be hypnotize because he’s a hypnotist and he has the ‘special’ power to do so.”), 2) the innate desire to “follow” commands (authority), 3) the technique itself (persuading a person to subconsciously follow your instructions), 4) the desire to “escape” from reality (“I’ve always had this desire to get up on stage and perform, but I’m just too nervous and shy.”), and 5) others are going into trance (i.e. this is know as ‘social proof’ discussed in the book “Influence-the psychology of persuasion” and is basically the feeling of “why should I be left behind/different?”). These are the main components, but there are of course several others that are minor to
