During a stage hypnosis event, the hypnotist can tell certain hypnotized members the following command: “YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE, BUT YOU CANNOT SEE ME.”

He will then repeat the command to increase its effectiveness. “YOU CAN HEAR MY VOICE, BUT YOU CANNOT SEE ME.” The hypnotist can then pick up a chair and move the chair back and forth. The chair that was sitting directly in front of the hypnotized subjects is now moving back and forth. The few hypnotized members that the hypnotist chose will be amazed seeing the chair move. The hypnotized subjects will rub their eyes to make sure they are seeing the chair correctly, while they show genuine fear and disbelief! The hypnotized subjects think that the chair is moving by itself. The subjects do not see the hypnotist whatsoever. What is the answer to their amazing reaction? Is it the fact that they see the hypnotist, but tell themselves that they can’t? What would be another potential explanation for this?Is the reality of the subject being changed simply through the suggestions of the hypnotist?

The hypnotist will often have to say to the hypnotized subjects during the the command,” your butt is glued to the chair and the chair is glued to the ground.” The hypnotist makes this statement so that the hypnotized people do not run from the auditorium in a state of genuine fear in their reaction to the chair moving back and forth. The hypnotist will also choose subjects that he or she thinks are unlikely to experience a panic attack or overreact to the suggestion.

Why are the subjects unable to see the chair? The correct term for this is a negative hallucination. A negative hallucination can induce fear like in a movie or real life. Hypnosis can create genuine fear on stage, this tactic is also used in movies.