ESP between isolated pairs during forced choice trials utilising self-report and EEG/GSR measures

Authors

O'Meara, Padraig

Issue Date

2014

Degree

Higher Diploma in Arts in Psychology

Publisher

Dublin Business School

Rights

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Abstract

The academic pursuit within the area of parapsychology has been developed since the turn of the twentieth century. Despite this there remains ongoing dispute as to whether such abilities as psi, loosely defined as the transfer of information or energy between individuals and their environment in the absence of known physical means, do in fact exist. The current study attempted to utilise EEG, GSR and self-report measures to show that significantly above chance hit rates could be obtained during forced choice Zener card trials between isolated pairs. It also attempted to show that emotional connectedness presumably characterised by the duration of the individual’s relationship and ones belief in the paranormal could positively affect hit rates during such forced choice trials. The results failed to show any level of hit rates above those expected by chance by either the physiological or self-report measures. There was also no significant relationship found between the duration of an individual’s personal relationship or their degree of belief in the paranormal and their hit rate during the forced choice trials. There was therefore no support in the current study for the existence of psi ability specifically telepathy or clairvoyance within the participant sample. Author keywords: ESP, PSI, parapsychology

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