Psi Phenomena

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Psi Phenomena
Psi Phenomena
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Psi Definition
Psi
Anomalous processes of information or energy
transfer.
Processes that are currently unexplained by known
physical or biological mechanisms.
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Varieties of Psi
Varieties of Psi
A. Extrasensory Perception
1. Telepathy (Thought transfer)
2. Clairvoyance (Perception of object/event)
3. Precognition (Perception of a future event)
B. Psychokinesis (Mental influence over
physical events)
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Belief
College Professors Belief in Psi
ESP is an established fact or a likely
possibility
Natural Scientists 55
Social Scientists 66
Arts/Humanities/Education 77
Psychologists 34
ESP is an Impossibility
Non-Psychologists 2 Psychologists 34
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Skeptical
Why are Psychologists So Skeptical?
1. Extraordinary Claims Require Extraordinary
Evidence
2. Psi is More Extraordinary for Psychologists
3. Dont Know the Evidence
4. Physics Envy gt Shun Fringe Areas of Research
5. Aware of Cognitive Limitations gt Disregard
All
Anecdotal Evidence
6. Absence of a Plausible Mechanism
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Ganzfeld Procedure
1. Receiver (R) Sender (S) separated.
2. R placed into Ganzfeld. Relaxation
exercises.
3a. R reports thoughts, feelings, and images for
30 minutes while
3b. S watches randomly chosen film clip (the
target) 6 times.

• R shown 4 film clipsthe target and 3 decoys.
• Rates each for similarity to ganzfeld
  thoughts and images. (Neither R nor E
  knows which is target)

5. If highest rating given to target, session
scored as a hit.
Expected chance hit rate 25.
6. Hit rate averages about 35 across studies.
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Ganzfeld Correlates
Correlates of the Effect
1. Believers (Sheep versus Goats)
2. Meditators Practitioners of other Mental
Disciplines
3. Juilliard Students (50 hit rate Musicians
75)
4. Friends Relatives? Maybe.
5. Static vs Dynamic Targets
6. Is the Sender Necessary? Clairvoyance vs
Precognition
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PrecognitiveArousal of Emotion
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Habituation of Emotional Arousal
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PrecognitiveHabituation of EmotionalArousal
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PrecognitiveBoredom
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How Might it Work?Quantum Nonlocality
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http//susan.psych.cornell.edu
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Ganzfeld Correlates
Bem Website
http//dbem.ws