Suggestion reduces the Stroop effect

Abstract

ABSTRACT—We examined the effects of suggestion on Stroop interference in highly suggestible individuals. Participants completed the Stroop task with and without a suggestion to perceive Stroop words as meaningless sym-bols. Half the participants were given this suggestion in hypnosis, and half were given the suggestion without the induction of hypnosis. Suggestion produced a significant reduction in Stroop inhibition, accounting for about 45% of the variance in Stroop responding, regardless of wheth-er hypnosis had been induced. These findings indicate that suggestion can at least partially overcome the automaticity associated with the Stroop effect. Cognitive processes are typically categorized as either control-led or automatic (Shiffrin & Schneider, 1977). Some processes are thought to be innately automatic; others become automati