Final answer:
The tendency of hypnotized subjects to perform suggested actions involuntarily is known as the basic suggestion effect. It is part of the hypnotic process involving intense focus, heightened suggestibility, and varying degrees of hypnotizability among individuals.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tendency of hypnotized subjects to carry out suggested actions as if they were involuntary is known as the basic suggestion effect. During hypnosis, a state of extreme self-focus and attention is achieved where minimal attention is given to external stimuli. Suggestion plays a key role in this process, and individuals who are very open to suggestion may find hypnosis to be highly effective for various therapeutic purposes. Hypnosis can lead to global changes in brain functioning and involve components such as intense concentration, relaxation, imagination, and heightened suggestibility.
Theories explaining hypnosis include the dissociation view, where hypnosis is seen as a dissociated state of consciousness, and the social-cognitive theory, which interprets hypnotic behavior as fulfilling the social expectations of the hypnotized role. Regardless of the approach to explaining hypnosis, individuals demonstrate varied levels of hypnotizability, with most having at least moderate susceptibility.