The concept of pattern interruption in handshake induction is very appealing. The human mind has been wired to follow set patterns for daily life actions such as shaking hands or greeting someone. When this pattern gets disturbed, the conscious mind gets confused, which leads to a mental gap i.e., the mind gets puzzled about what to do next, which makes it open to suggestions.
In handshake induction, this confusion takes place so quickly that the conscious mind is unable to analyze the disturbed pattern, and it allows the therapist to guide the client towards a state of trance effortlessly, within a few seconds.
An example from daily life can be of an individual reading a book or working on a laptop. He is fully engaged in his task. All of a sudden, someone comes to that individual and hands him an object such as a pen or a glass. For a little moment, he might not know how to respond to the situation i.e., should he hold the object or should he continue his task? This phenomenon is called cognitive dissonance. This confusion makes the mind enter a state of heightened awareness as it attempts to make some sense of the confusion. He might automatically accept the object without even thinking about it, as the mind is open to suggestions during this moment.