The effects of the wording of rating scales on hypnotic subjects' descriptions of visual hallucinations.

Abstract Forty hypnotic Ss were administered a visual hallucination suggestion. Half of the Ss had previously been told to be honest in reporting their experiences and half had not. Half of the Ss were also asked to rate their hallucinatory experiences on a scale which only allowed them to indicate that they had or had not seen the suggested object (Scale S). The other half of the Ss rated their experiences on a scale which instructed them only to use the term, “see,” in its literal sense and which also allowed them to describe their experiences as imagined (Scale I). Ss given Scale S were much more likely to describe their hallucinatory responses as seen than were Ss given Scale I. The administration of honesty instructions did not affect Ss use of the term, “see.”