Final answer:
The Social influence theory explains that hypnotized individuals are acting in accordance with social expectations of being hypnotized, under the direction of a hypnotist's attention cues.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Social influence theory, hypnotized people believe they are hypnotized and play their role accordingly by letting the hypnotist direct their attention. This theory posits that people in hypnotic states are essentially performing the social role of a hypnotized person.
They exhibit behaviors shaped by their expectations of how they should act when hypnotized. Unlike the dissociation theory, which suggests that hypnosis is a dissociated state of consciousness, the social influence theory views hypnotic behavior as the fulfillment of social expectations for the role of a hypnotized person.
Hypnosis is most effective in individuals who are very open to the power of suggestion, and understanding this plays a critical role in distinguishing between hypnosis in therapeutic settings versus entertainment contexts.