Paranormality: Why we see what isn't there (32 page)

American mathematician and science writer
Martin Gardner was one of my academic heroes.
He died in 2010, aged 95, and in one of his last interviews spoke about the notion of wonder
¹²⁸
.
 
Gardner
posed a simple thought experiment. Imagine that someone discovered a river of wine or found a way of making an object float high into the air. How much money would you pay to visit the river or see the levitating object? Most people gladly offer large sums of money to witness such seemingly miraculous phenomena. Gardner then pointed out that a river of water is just as wonderful as a river of wine, and that an object being attracted to the earth is no less remarkable than it being attracted to the sky. I believe that he was right. To believe that the findings of supernatural science remove wonder from the world is to fail to see the remarkable events that surround us every day of our lives. And, unlike those who appear to talk with the dead or move objects with the power of their minds, these amazing phenomena are genuine.
 

Before we set off on our expedition I said that we were going to travel to a world more wonderful than Oz. There was no need to travel very far. You already live there. As Dorothy so memorably put it at the end of that wonderful movie, there’s no place like home.

THE INSTANT SUPERHERO KIT

I thought it would be fun to leave you with a parting gift. I have put together a set of quick and quirky psychological demonstrations
that you can use to impress your friends, family and colleagues. These demonstrations
are
based on the theories and ideas encountered on our trip, and are designed to act as an inspiring
memento of our journey. They
will
only take a few moments to learn, and
together they form the ‘instant superhero kit’. Enjoy.

The Reading

Chapter One examined how it is that psychics, mediums and astrologers appear to give highly accurate and impressive readings. It takes practice to master the psychological principles involved in a professional ‘cold reading’. However, you can instantly use the following demonstration to convince complete strangers that you know all about them.
 

In the late 1940s psychologist Bertram Forer carried out a groundbreaking experiment in which he gave each of his students exactly the same personality description and discovered that almost all of them rated it as being highly accurate
¹²⁹
.
 
This phenomenon, now known as ‘The Barnum Effect’, can be used to give the impression that you have a deep and mysterious insight into a stranger’s personality.
 

To concoct a convincing cover story, first find out if the person you are trying to impress is into palmistry, astrology or psychology. Then look at their hand, ask for their date or birth, or have them draw a house, and recite the following. . .
 

"I get the impression that you are a loyal and devoted friend – someone that people can rely on in times of difficulty. Although you are fair-minded, you are also a far more ambitious person than your friends and colleagues realize. Most of the time you give the impression of being strong, but deep down you sometimes worry about what the future will bring. You are the sort of person who endorses very general statements about themselves. (Just kidding. Sorry if you read that out.) I have a feeling that in certain circumstances you can be something of a perfectionist, and that this sometimes annoys those around you. You are good at seeing both sides of an argument rather than jumping to conclusions. You are the type of person that likes to gather together all of the facts and then make a decision. Is that right? When you look back on your life you sometimes dwell on what you might have done differently, but in general you focus on the future. Although you enjoy change and variety, you are also attracted to a sense of routine and stability. You are facing a significant decision right now, or have recently experienced a large change in your life. You know that you have considerable unused capacity that you have not turned to your advantage, and at times you are extroverted and sociable, while at other times you are far more introverted and reserved."

Science predicts that the stranger will be mightily impressed. That is, of course, unless they have also read this book.

1.       
   Instant Anaesthetist
   

Chapter Two delved deep into the science behind out-of-body experiences and discovered that these strange sensations provided a unique insight into how your brain figures out where ‘you’ are every moment of your waking life. Some of the research in this area has explored how your brain uses visual information to decide where ‘you’ are by conducting studies in which people feel as if a rubber hand, or even a tabletop, is part of them. This ‘anaesthetized finger’ demonstration is conceptually identical to these experiments. Ask a friend to extend their right index finger. Now, extend your left index finger and clasp your hands together so that your and your friend’s index fingers touch along their length (see the photograph below).

Next, ask your friend to use the thumb and first finger of their left hand to stroke along the sides of this ‘double finger’. Have them rub their left thumb along the front of their right index finger and their left index finger along the front of your left index finger. Something very strange will happen. Your friend will feel as if their right index finger has become completely numb.
 

Your friend’s brain sees what it believes to be their left index finger being stroked, but feels nothing, and decides that the finger must be numb. In addition to illustrating the innermost workings of the brain, this demonstration is great for chatting people up in bars.

The Suggestibility Test
 

Chapter Four revealed how investigations into table-turning, the Ouija board and automatic writing led to the discovery of a form of unconscious movement known as ‘ideomotor action’. Suggestible people are especially prone to the ideomotor action and you can use the following exercise to assess your friend’s level of suggestibility.

Ask your friend to hold out their arms in front of them, ensuring that their arms are parallel to the ground and that both of their hands are face down and level. Now ask them to close their eyes while you read out the following paragraph, slowly and clearly:

"I am going to take you through a simple visualization exercise. First of all, imagine a heavy stack of books being tied together with some thick string, and that the end of the string is attached to the fingers of your left hand. The books are hanging under your left hand and tugging down on your arm, pulling it towards the ground. Don’t consciously move your hands, but instead just listen to my voice and let the images flow through your mind. Imagine the weight of the books gently pulling your left arm towards the ground, feeling heavier and heavier as time goes on. Now imagine a balloon filled with helium and attached to a thin thread. The end of the thread is tied to the fingers of your right hand and is gently pulling your hand into the air. The books are dragging your left hand down towards the ground and the balloon is pulling your right hand towards the ceiling. Don’t consciously move your hands, but instead just listen to my voice and let the images flow through your mind. Your left hand being pulled down and your right hand being pulled up. Excellent. Now open your eyes and relax your arms."

Look at the position of your friend’s hands at the end of the exercise. The hands started at the same level. Has the left hand moved lower, and the right higher? If they are still level, or just a few inches apart, then the person is not especially suggestible. If the person’s hands have moved more than a couple of inches apart then they are the more suggestible type. In addition to assessing their level of suggestibility, the test will also reveal an insight into their character. Non-suggestible types tend to be more down-to-earth, logical, and enjoy puzzles and games. In contrast, suggestible types tend to have a good imagination, be sensitive, intuitive, and find it easier to become absorbed in books and films.
 

The author performing the suggestibility test

http://www.richardwiseman.com/paranormality/SuggestTest.html

Mind Over Matter

Chapter Three investigated how those claiming to be able to move objects with the power of their mind reveal that you are only seeing a small fraction of what is actually taking place in front of your eyes. This important psychological principle is illustrated in the following two-part demonstration. All you need is a plastic straw, a plastic bottle and a table.
 

Seconds before you begin, secretly rub the straw on your clothing to ensure that it builds up a static charge. Next, carefully balance the straw horizontally across the top of a plastic bottle (see photograph).
 

Announce that you seem to have acquired some very odd paranormal powers, place your right hand about an inch away from one end of the straw, and rub your fingers together. The straw will magically rotate on the bottle top, moving towards your fingers.

For the second part of the performance, place the straw on a tabletop a few inches from the edge of the table. The straw needs to be lying on its side and parallel to your body. Once again, rub the tips of your fingers together as if you are trying to summon your latent powers. Now place your right hand on the tabletop a few inches beyond the straw (see the photograph below).
 

Next, tilt your head down slightly as you focus your attention on the straw. Slowly rub your fingers together and, at the same time, secretly blow towards the surface of the table. The air currents will travel along the table and move the straw.