People who are especially empathetic often seem naturally attuned to other people’s feelings, expressions, and experiences. They may be good listeners, emotionally perceptive, and quick to imagine what someone else is going through. Does that make them more likely to respond to hypnosis?
It is an interesting question, and researchers have investigated it. Some findings suggest a connection between empathy and hypnotic responsiveness, but the evidence is mixed. Being empathetic does not automatically make someone highly hypnotizable, and people who are less empathetic can still respond very well to hypnosis.
The relationship is more nuanced—and more interesting—than a simple yes or no.
Are empathetic people more susceptible to hypnosis?
Possibly, but the research does not establish a consistent relationship.
A 2003 study by Ian E. Wickramasekera II and Janet P. Szlyk found a moderate positive correlation between empathy and hypnotic ability in a group of 64 graduate students and mental health professionals. In other words, participants who scored higher on the study’s empathy measure also tended to score higher on a measure of hypnotic susceptibility.¹
However, a later study by Paolo Scacchia and Vilfredo De Pascalis, published in 2020, did not find a significant association between empathy and hypnotizability. The researchers examined the relationship across two experiments involving different groups of participants and different measures of hypnotic responsiveness.²
These findings are important because they show why it would be misleading to say that empathetic people are necessarily easier to hypnotize. One study found a relationship; another did not. More research is needed to determine whether empathy predicts hypnotic responsiveness in particular circumstances or groups.
Why might empathy be related to hypnosis?
One possible explanation is that empathy and hypnosis can both involve becoming engaged with an experience beyond one's immediate perspective.
For example, an empathetic person may be able to imagine how another person feels, become emotionally involved in a story, or respond strongly to another person's words and expressions. During hypnosis, a participant may be invited to imagine a particular scene, sensation, or experience and become absorbed in it.
These abilities may overlap in some people. Someone who readily engages with imagined experiences might also find certain hypnotic suggestions compelling or easy to follow.
This is one proposed way of understanding the connection, not proof that empathy itself causes greater hypnotic responsiveness. Researchers have also suggested that the relationship may depend on the type of empathy being measured and the particular hypnotic experience being studied.
Does being empathetic mean you are more imaginative?
Not necessarily. Empathy and imagination are related concepts, but they are not the same thing.
Empathy generally refers to the ability to understand or share another person's emotional experience. Imagination involves forming or experiencing ideas, images, and situations that are not immediately present.
A person can be highly empathetic without having especially vivid mental imagery. Another person may have a rich imagination but find it difficult to understand or share other people's feelings.
In hypnosis, imagination and absorption—the tendency to become deeply engaged in an experience—are often discussed as potentially relevant individual differences. However, neither should be treated as interchangeable with empathy, and researchers have not established that any one of these characteristics guarantees a strong response to hypnosis.
What did researchers discover about empathy and hypnotic ability?
The research is particularly interesting because the findings have not all pointed in the same direction.
In the 2003 study, Wickramasekera and Szlyk assessed empathy, absorption, and hypnotic susceptibility in 64 participants. They reported a statistically significant correlation between empathy and hypnotic ability. The study suggested that empathy and absorption might share characteristics relevant to hypnotic responsiveness.¹
In 2016, Deirdre Barrett explored the relationship in an article titled Hypnosis and Empathy: A Complex Relationship. Barrett discussed the idea that empathy may be involved in some hypnotic experiences, particularly those involving engagement with a hypnotist's suggestions. But she also emphasized that not all hypnotic phenomena are empathic. Some involve turning attention inward, disengaging from other people, or experiencing changes in awareness that do not depend on empathic involvement.³
The 2020 study by Scacchia and De Pascalis adds an important qualification: their experiments did not find a significant relationship between empathy and hypnotizability.²
Taken together, these publications suggest that empathy may be relevant to some aspects of hypnosis, but it is not a reliable stand-alone predictor of how hypnotizable someone will be.
Does empathy help someone respond to a hypnotist?
Empathy may contribute to the interpersonal experience of hypnosis, although that is not quite the same as being more hypnotizable.
A person who is sensitive to another person's emotions may notice a hypnotist's tone, pacing, and manner of speaking. They may appreciate a warm, respectful interaction and feel comfortable engaging with the suggestions.
That kind of rapport can make a session feel more positive and collaborative. It may help someone feel understood and at ease.
However, a good working relationship is not the same as hypnotic susceptibility. Someone can feel a strong connection with a hypnotist without experiencing every suggestion vividly. Conversely, someone who is not especially emotionally expressive can respond strongly to suggestions.
A skilled hypnotist should therefore pay attention to the individual rather than assume that a person's empathy, personality, or social style determines how hypnosis will work for them.
Are highly empathetic people more likely to feel emotions during hypnosis?
Not necessarily.
Some hypnotic suggestions invite people to imagine emotionally meaningful situations, recall experiences, or picture themselves responding differently to a challenge. A person who is emotionally responsive may find some of these exercises engaging.
But emotional intensity varies from person to person and from one suggestion to another. A highly empathetic person might have a calm, matter-of-fact experience during hypnosis. Someone who is less emotionally expressive might experience vivid imagery, physical sensations, or strong emotional responses.
It is also important to distinguish empathy from emotional sensitivity. Empathy concerns understanding or sharing another person's experience; emotional sensitivity can refer more broadly to how strongly someone reacts to emotional events. They can overlap, but they are not identical.
There is no sound basis for assuming that a person's emotional intensity, by itself, tells you how susceptible they are to hypnosis.
Can someone who is not very empathetic be highly hypnotizable?
Absolutely.
A person does not need to be especially empathetic to respond well to hypnosis. Hypnotic responsiveness varies considerably, and it cannot be judged reliably from one personality characteristic.
Someone who is practical, reserved, analytical, or not particularly emotionally expressive may still respond strongly to hypnotic suggestions. They may find suggestions involving focused attention, physical sensations, or mental imagery especially engaging.
Likewise, a highly empathetic person may respond only moderately to some suggestions.
This is one reason researchers use standardized hypnotic-susceptibility measures rather than trying to predict responsiveness from someone's personality or how they behave in everyday social situations.
Is empathy the same as being suggestible?
No. The terms describe different things.
Empathy involves understanding or sharing another person's feelings or perspective. Suggestibility, in the context of hypnosis research, refers to the degree to which a person responds to suggestions.
A person can be empathetic without readily accepting suggestions. Someone else may be less emotionally attuned to others but respond strongly to suggestions involving movement, perception, or imagined experiences.
Hypnotic responsiveness should also not be confused with gullibility or a lack of critical thinking. Responding to a hypnotic suggestion does not mean that someone has surrendered their judgment or will simply believe anything they are told.
Does being empathetic make someone easier to control during hypnosis?
No. Empathy should not be confused with obedience, passivity, or a willingness to do whatever another person says.
Hypnosis is not a reliable way to take control of another person's mind. A participant's response to suggestions varies, and being empathetic does not mean that someone is powerless to question, reject, or decline a suggestion.
A responsible hypnosis session should be collaborative. The hypnotist explains the process, works with the participant's goals, and respects their boundaries. A participant can ask questions, express discomfort, or choose not to continue.
Being considerate of other people does not mean having to comply with everything they request.
Should highly empathetic people consider hypnosis?
If hypnosis interests them and it is appropriate for their goals, there is no reason to avoid it simply because they are empathetic.
Empathy may be a useful personal quality in a session that involves reflection, emotional understanding, or imagining another perspective. But it is not a prerequisite, and it does not guarantee a particular result.
The most useful approach is to find a qualified practitioner who listens carefully, explains the process, and treats the participant as an active partner. It is also sensible to discuss any relevant health concerns or treatment goals before beginning.
Rather than worrying about whether you are empathetic enough—or too empathetic—to experience hypnosis, focus on whether the approach feels appropriate, comfortable, and suited to what you hope to accomplish.
So, are empathetic people more susceptible to hypnosis?
The fairest answer is: possibly in some circumstances, but empathy alone does not determine hypnotic susceptibility.
One study found that higher empathy was associated with greater hypnotic responsiveness, while a later study did not find a significant relationship. Researchers have also pointed out that empathy may be relevant to some interpersonal or imaginative aspects of hypnosis without explaining every kind of hypnotic experience.
So, if you are a highly empathetic person, you may find some aspects of hypnosis particularly engaging—but you should not assume that you will automatically be more hypnotizable than someone else.
And if you are not especially empathetic, that does not rule out having a positive or meaningful experience with hypnosis. People respond in different ways, and there is much more to hypnotic responsiveness than one personality trait.
Notes
Ian E. Wickramasekera II and Janet P. Szlyk, “Could Empathy Be a Predictor of Hypnotic Ability?” International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 51, no. 4 (2003): 390–399.
Paolo Scacchia and Vilfredo De Pascalis, “Effects of Prehypnotic Instructions on Hypnotizability and Relationships Between Hypnotizability, Absorption, and Empathy,” American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 62, no. 3 (2020): 231–266.
Deirdre Barrett, “Hypnosis and Empathy: A Complex Relationship,” American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis 58, no. 3 (2016): 238–250.
The three scholarly references above have been checked against their indexed publication records. The key qualification is that the research is mixed: the 2003 study found a positive association, while the 2020 study did not.³
Source verification: Wickramasekera and Szlyk’s study is indexed by PubMed; Barrett’s article is indexed under American Journal of Clinical Hypnosis; and Scacchia and De Pascalis’s 2020 article is indexed with the volume, issue, and page range listed in the Notes.