Final answer:
The described experiment is an example of hypnotic suggestion, where subjects under hypnosis react to suggestions even if they conflict with actual sensory input. Hypnotic suggestion relies on subjects' susceptibility to suggestion, and is supported by dissociation theory in understanding hypnosis and its effects on perception and consciousness.
Step-by-step explanation:
The experiment mentioned, where participants responded with a skin reaction to a pencil touch as if it was burning metal under a deep hypnotic trance, is an example of c. Hypnotic suggestion. Hypnotic suggestion refers to the influence a hypnotist's words have on the person being hypnotized, particularly to those who are very open to the power of suggestion. This is in contrast to the placebo effect, which is a psychologically based reaction to a treatment that has no physiological effect, or sensory adaptation, where a sensory receptor responds to a sensation and activates a motor response without conscious intention.
Research by Hilgard and Orne, including experiments where participants perceived no pain in an ice water test despite the reflex to press a button indicating otherwise, supports the dissociation view of hypnosis. Dissociation theory posits that hypnosis creates a separate stream of consciousness, allowing certain suggestions to bypass the participant's conscious awareness, leading to the observed responses. This shows that hypnosis can indeed affect cognitive processes such as memory and perception.