In three experiments we compared posthypnotic amnesia (PHA) with directed forgetting (DF),
evaluating subjects' hypnotic susceptibility, hypnotized or not. Experiment 1 suggested that the
memory processes in PHA and DF were not the same. Low and high susceptibility subjects responded
differently in the two contexts. Experiment 2 demonstrated a context effect for highly susceptible
subjects: They showed the usual DF response outside hypnosis but not during hypnosis. Experiment 3
showed that high and low susceptibility subjects responded similarly to DF instructions outside
hypnosis, eliminating the susceptibility as an important variable in the DF response. We concluded:
(a) the interaction of context and susceptibility was the important determinant of unusual DF responses
for high susceptibiles, and (b) information processing concepts are too limited to explain PHA and
perhaps DF. Theories that include interactions appear necessary for an accurate understanding of
hypnotic phenomena and perhaps some phenomena usually focused on by cognitive psychology.