Theory suggests that when people are hypnotized they have voluntarily divided their conscious: one half aware of reality and the other half tuned in to the hypnotist. cognitive behavioral dissociative jungian social-cognitive

The dissociation theory of hypnosis claims that hypnosis results in individuals voluntarily splitting their consciousness into the conscious and subconscious mind. The subconscious mind which is "tuned in" to the hypnotist is non-thinking and accepts suggestions given by the hypnotist. Being in a dissociative state means being in an altered state of mind.