Is Hypnotizability Fixed?

“Sorry, I just can’t be hypnotized.”

You’ll hear this all the time if you start doing hypnosis.

You’ll also find scientists who say the same thing, just with fancier words. 

They’ll tell you hypnotizability is a fixed trait, like eye color, handedness, or the inability to parallel park.

According to them, you’re either hypnotizable or you’re not. That’s it.

But is that actually true? We don’t think so.

Let’s dig in.

First, What Does “Hypnotizability” Even Mean?

Hypnotizability just means how easily someone can go into trance and respond to hypnotic suggestions.

That’s it. It’s not magic. Some people go deep, fast. Others take longer. Everyone’s different.

Where This “Fixed Trait” Idea Came From

Years ago, researchers at Stanford created tests to measure hypnotizability.

They brought people into labs and read them a script. 

They asked them to do certain things, like imagine their arm was light as a balloon.

Then they gave them a score. (Which is pretty much the academic version of “Simon says.”)

And here’s where it gets weird.

They waited 10 to 25 years and then tested the same people again, and most people scored about the same.

So the scientists said,

“See? Hypnotizability doesn’t change.”

But Here’s the Obvious Problem

Those people didn’t train.

They weren’t learning hypnosis. They weren’t practicing self-hypnosis. They weren’t doing sessions with skilled hypnotists.

They were just living their lives. And then randomly retested.

Of course nothing changed!

That’s not proof that hypnotizability is fixed. It’s just proof that if you don’t do anything different, you get the same result.

A Better Analogy: Humor

Imagine if scientists wanted to measure someone’s “sense of humor.”

So they brought people into a lab and read each person the same joke. It was delivered from a script, in a monotone voice, in a sterile room with a clipboard in hand.

Let’s say only 30 percent of people laughed.

Would you conclude that 70 percent of people aren’t capable of humor?

Of course not.

You’d probably say,

“Wow, that was a terrible setup.”

That doesn’t mean people can’t laugh. It means humor is contextual. The delivery matters. The connection matters.

And so does hypnosis.

Let’s Say You Tested People on How Well They Speak Spanish

You test 100 people today. None of them speaks Spanish.

Then you do absolutely nothing to help them learn. No classes. No practice. No Duolingo owl breathing down their necks.

You come back 20 years later and test them again.

Surprise! They still don’t speak Spanish.

Would you conclude that “Spanish ability is fixed”?
No. You’d conclude they didn’t study Spanish.

That’s basically what happened in the Stanford hypnosis studies.

You’re Already Doing Hypnosis

At the Mike Mandel Hypnosis Academy, we say this all the time:

Every normal person is hypnotizable.

Why? Because people go into trance naturally every day.

If you’ve ever:

• Zoned out while driving
• Got sucked into a movie
• Opened your phone to check the time and lost 40 minutes of your day

That’s hypnosis.

You already can be hypnotized. You’re doing it without even trying.

Hypnosis is not some special state. It is a natural state. The difference is that we teach you how to use it on purpose.

Think of Hypnotizability Like Gene Expression

A long time ago, people believed your genes were locked in place. Born with it. Stuck with it.

Then science discovered something cooler: gene expression.

You can’t change your DNA, but your lifestyle can turn certain genes on or off.

Hypnotizability works the same way.

Maybe you’re born with a baseline. But your environment, expectations, and training determine what actually shows up.

Hypnotizability is not fixed. It is flexible. It is interactive. It is trainable.

We See It All the Time

Our students say things like,

“I thought I wasn’t very hypnotizable… until that ego state session had me crying halfway through.”

Or,

“I didn’t think I could go into trance. Now I do it every morning before work.”

These aren’t rare exceptions. They are just people who got the right training.

And no, they didn’t need to be tested by Stanford first.

Here’s How to Explain This to Skeptics

If you are learning hypnosis—or already practicing—you will get questions like:

“What if I’m not hypnotizable?”
“Isn’t that something you’re just born with?”

Here’s what you can say:

“Hypnosis is a natural state. Everyone goes into trance every day.
With the right guidance and a little practice, anyone can learn to use it on purpose.”

We don’t need a lab coat to prove that. We see it every day.

This Is What We Teach at MMHA

At the Mike Mandel Hypnosis Academy, we don’t care if you’re a total beginner or already certified.

We teach real hypnosis. The kind that works in real life—not just in lab studies.

You’ll learn things like:

• How to guide people into trance quickly
• How to help them make change once they’re there
• Ego state work
• Mindscaping
• Easy self-hypnosis…
• and a whole lot more

If you want to stop worrying about whether someone is hypnotizable and start learning how to help them, come train with us.

Click here to learn more about MMHA

These are days of victory!