" ▁of ▁behavior ; ▁t ying ▁sho el aces ▁is ▁another ▁classic ▁example . ▁If ▁the ▁behavior ▁is ▁di vert ed ▁or ▁fro zen ▁mid way , ▁the ▁person ▁literally ▁has ▁no ▁mental ▁space ▁for ▁this ▁- ▁he ▁is ▁stopped ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁un cons ci ously ▁executing ▁a ▁behavior ▁that ▁hasn ' t ▁got ▁a ▁" middle ". ▁The ▁mind ▁respond s ▁by ▁susp ending ▁itself ▁in ▁tr ance ▁until ▁either ▁something ▁happens ▁to ▁give ▁a ▁new ▁direction , ▁or ▁it ▁" sn aps ▁out ". ▁A ▁sk illed ▁hyp not ist ▁can ▁often ▁use ▁that ▁moment ary ▁confusion ▁and ▁susp ension ▁of ▁normal ▁processes ▁to ▁indu ce ▁tr ance ▁quickly ▁and ▁easily . ▁ ▁The ▁various ▁descri ptions ▁of ▁Er ick son ' s ▁hyp not ic ▁hand sh ake , ▁including ▁his ▁own ▁very ▁detailed ▁accounts , ▁indicate ▁that ▁a ▁certain ▁amount ▁of ▁impro vis ation ▁is ▁involved , ▁and ▁that ▁watching ▁and ▁acting ▁upon ▁the ▁subject ' s ▁responses ▁is ▁the ▁key ▁to ▁a ▁successful ▁outcome . ▁ ▁Er ick son ▁described ▁the ▁routine ▁as ▁follows : ▁In iti ation : ▁When ▁I ▁begin ▁by ▁sh aking ▁hands , ▁I ▁do ▁so ▁normally . ▁The ▁" h yp not ic ▁touch " ▁then ▁begins ▁when ▁I ▁let ▁loose . ▁The ▁letting ▁loose ▁becomes ▁transformed ▁from ▁a ▁firm ▁g rip ▁into ▁a ▁gentle ▁touch ▁by ▁the ▁thumb , ▁a ▁ling ering ▁drawing ▁away ▁of ▁the ▁little ▁finger , ▁a ▁faint ▁br ushing ▁of ▁the ▁subject ' s ▁hand ▁with