a technique of putting someone into a trance-like state where they're more open to suggestion, often used for therapy or entertainment.
From Greek 'hypnos' (sleep) combined with '-tism' (practice or doctrine). The term was coined in the 1840s, though the practice existed earlier under different names.
Stage hypnotists make people cluck like chickens, but medical hypnosis actually helps people quit smoking, manage pain, and overcome fears—it's real enough that it's used in hospitals and recognized by psychology organizations worldwide.
19th-century hypnotism was disproportionately applied to women as a pathologizing tool, with medical literature portraying women as more 'susceptible' to suggestion. This pseudoscientific bias reinforced ideas of female irrationality.
Use clinical term 'hypnotherapy' or 'hypnotic induction' when discussing therapeutic use. Avoid implying differential susceptibility based on gender.
["hypnotherapy","hypnotic induction","guided suggestion"]
Modern neuroscience shows no gender difference in hypnotic responsiveness. Historical framing of women as uniquely 'vulnerable' to suggestion was scientific bias, not fact.
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