In Western horror movies and novels, it is portrayed as a tool of black-clad schemers that allows them to control other people's minds. In entertainment variety shows, hypnosis is just presented as Western magic. To entertain the audience, the hypnotized are directed to do funny things or achieve some sort of acrobatic pose like standing on one hand.
在西洋驚悚電影、小說中，催眠被描繪成身披黑袍的陰謀家用來控制人心的把戲；在綜藝節目上，催眠則是一種西洋魔術，被催眠的人會根據催眠師的指示做出各種可笑舉動娛樂大眾，或者發展出可隻手撐地懸浮空中等「特異功能」。