Fractionation is a well-established technique in hypnosis used primarily as a powerful way to deepen trance (the relaxed, focused hypnotic state) and increase suggestibility.
Core Definition and How It Works
Fractionation involves repeatedly guiding a person into a hypnotic state (or a state of deep relaxation/focus), then briefly bringing them out of it, and immediately putting them back in again. Each cycle typically makes the subsequent trance:
- Deeper
- Faster to achieve
- More profound
This happens because the brain learns the pattern through repetition—it's a form of conditioning or "rote learning" for entering trance. The contrast between the "up" (alert/waking) and "down" (trance/relaxed) states strengthens the neurological pathway, so the subject drops in more easily and deeply each time.
The simplest classic method:
- Induce trance (e.g., via progressive relaxation, eye fixation, or any induction).
- Bring the person out (e.g., "Open your eyes, wide awake now").
- Immediately re-induce (e.g., "And now close your eyes and go even deeper").
- Repeat 3–6+ times, often suggesting "twice as deep" or "deeper than before" each re-entry.
Many hypnotists (like Mike Mandel, Igor Ledochowski, or stage performers) use this as one of the most reliable deepeners because it works quickly and reliably for most people.
Why It Works (Psychological/Neurological Basis)
- Contrast and conditioning — The brain notices the shift between states and gets better at making the transition.
- Habit formation — Repeated entry/exit trains the nervous system to access trance more efficiently (similar to building a muscle memory).
- Increased suggestibility — Deeper trance states generally make a person more open to suggestions, and fractionation amplifies this effect dramatically after just a few cycles.
Modern/Non-Clinical Applications (e.g., Social Media)
In recent discussions (especially around influence and behavioral psychology), people have drawn parallels between classic fractionation and how platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts operate:
- Content alternates rapidly between emotional "highs" (cute animals, heartwarming stories → dopamine/positive emotion) and "lows" (shocking news, fights, drama, anxiety-provoking clips → stress/cortisol).
- This creates an emotional rollercoaster: up → down → up → down.
- After several cycles (often 4–5), users enter a heightened state of suggestibility or reduced critical thinking—exactly when ads or sponsored content appear.
This isn't literal clinical hypnosis (no consent, no formal induction), but the emotional fractionation mimics the pattern, making the feed addictive and increasing vulnerability to influence or impulse buys. Experts like Chase Hughes have highlighted this as a reason short-form video can feel "brainwashing"-like or terrifying in its effectiveness.
In summary, fractionation is a straightforward yet extremely potent hypnosis tool for deepening trance through repeated state-shifting. In therapeutic or stage hypnosis, it's used intentionally and ethically. When applied analogously to media consumption, it explains part of why doomscrolling or endless swiping feels so hard to stop.
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X post:
My wife has the passcode to unlock whatever it's called—screen time, the iPhone screen. I'm a brainwashing expert and am personally terrified of short-form social media like
https://x.com/TheLizVariant/status/2021415530893291687?s=20
Here's the transcript of the video from the X post. I've compiled it from the extracted subtitles for clarity, maintaining the original spoken words as closely as possible. There are two speakers: the primary one (appearing to be Chase Hughes, based on the context) and occasional interjections from another person (likely the interviewer). I've noted approximate timestamps and distinguished speakers where evident.
[0:00] Primary Speaker: They use a hypnosis technique—not just TikTok, this is everybody—called fractionation, which is where you bring somebody up and... like, so like you'll see one of those videos about grandpa holding his grandbaby, you know, that makes you almost cry. Have you ever cried watching a 60-second Instagram reel?
[0:19] Interviewer: Yeah, I have too, man.
[0:21] Primary Speaker: And I feel stupid, I'm by myself, yeah, watching a 60-second video. But... but like, they'll pull you down into that, then they'll punch you back up. Like two videos later, and you'll start to notice this—two videos later, it will be a riot, someone robbing a store, fist fight, a car going way too fast flipping off the road, an airplane almost crashing. So they get you up and down, and up and down. The more I can do that—this is proven...
[0:56] ...this in the 1960s—that increases your level of suggestibility like tenfold. The more I can get you up and down, up and down. And what happens after you get like four or five cycles of up-and-down? You get an ad.
[1:16] And it's so reliable. And I didn't realize it was happening until my wife said, "Why are you buying stuff off Instagram, like once a week now?" And then stuff that was on Instagram ads... And then I finally set time limits on those apps.
[1:39] Interviewer: You set time limits? Yes, yes.
[1:42] Primary Speaker: My wife has the passcode to unlock whatever it's called—screen time, the iPhone screen. I'm a brainwashing expert and am personally terrified of short-form social media like...
The video ends abruptly there (around 1:59). Note that the subtitles include some text overlays (e.g., "THEY," "GRANDBABY," "RIOT") which emphasize key words but aren't part of the spoken dialogue.
