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Possible Factors Affecting Or Relating to Psi and Psi's Difficulty

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Possible Factors Affecting Or Relating to Psi and Psi's Difficulty 高 雄 行 為 科 學 學 刊 The Journal of Kaohsiung Behavior Sciences 民 9 8 ， 1 卷 ， 1 期 ， 1-24 2009, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1-24 Possible Factors Affecting or Relating to Psi and Psi’s Difficulty Yung-Jong Shiah1 and Frances Chang 2 1 Department of Psycjology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan 2 Applied Foreign Language Department, Chienkuo Technology University, Taiwan Article number：9801-2；Received：Jan, 16, 2009；Revised：Jan, 21, 2009；Accepted：Feb, 2 , 2009.Address correspondence and reprint requests to：Yung-Jong Shiah, Department of Psychology at Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan ( Email: [email protected] ) Psi is the scientific study of experiences that cannot be explained by the existing science. Psi is a general term including both extrasensory perception (ESP) and psychokinesis (PK). ESP is a general term used for information acquisition other than by conventional sensory processes of sight, sound, taste, touch and hearing; PK is an ability that influences the environment seemingly by intention or other mental activity alone without motoric intervention. The investigation of Psi might contribute to our knowledge of brain-environment relationships or interaction. Many researchers have carried out a large number of studies examining the possible existence of Psi with positive results, though some researchers do not agree with this point. Seven factors seemingly have a possible link with Psi performance are: aging, relaxation, emotional response, experimenter effects, magnetic field, personality and belief. Notwithstanding the above, this new scientific subject is confronted with the issue of fraud and replicability by different researchers. Studies with a testable model under well-controlled methodology for the Psi training process are wanted. Key words: Psi, extrasensory perception (ESP), psychokinesis (PK), replicability, fraud, methodology General Psi and Watt (2007), the contents of parapsychology include extrasensory perception (ESP), psycho- Parapsychology is the scientific study of kinesis (PK), poltergeist experiences, near-death experiences that cannot be explained by the experiences, out-of-the-body experiences, appari- existing science that we have developed. aritional experiences, and reincarnation experi- Generally speaking, according to the book “An ences. introduction to parapsychology”, written by Irwin Extra-sensory perception is a general term Part of this paper has been presented at the Meeting of Taoism, Thoughts and Science Conference (Shiah, 2007) 2 Yung-Jong Shiah Frances Chang used for information acquisition other than by initially developed the study of Psi phenomena in conventional sensory processes of sight, sound, terms of setting scientific standards, developing taste, touch and hearing; PK is an ability that methods and accumulating data (Rush, 1986). influences the environment seemingly by Joseph B. Rhine is considered as the father of intention or other mental activity alone without experimental Psi. He and his colleagues conducted motoric intervention; poltergeist experiences refer the first ESP study about clairvoyance in 1927 at to movements of objects, noises, fires, water Duke University in North Carolina, USA. Their inundations, bites, scratches, pinches, or demonic work was summarised in a book entitled persecution caused by a deceased person (Irwin & “Extra-Sensory Perception After Sixty Years” Watt, 2007). In addition, the possibility of the (Pratt, Rhine, Smith, Stuart, & Greenwood, healing effect of prayer is also included in this 1940/1960). They designed five special cards, anomalous science (Walach & Schmidt, 2005). which were a star, a circle, a square, a cross, and Since only a limited extent can be presented, only wavy lines. Participants attempted to guess the Psi will be discussed in this paper. Psi is a general order of randomised packs of cards carrying the term, which is presumed to be working all the images of these five symbols. Rhine also time and includes both ESP and PK (Carpenter, developed the statistical means to evaluate the 2005). data, as well as a well-controlled experimental procedure in order to eliminate sensory cues. The Why Should We Study Psi? results of his studies suggested significant effects Within the broad field of science, the study in telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition of Psi might contribute to our knowledge of respectively. Telepathy refers to mind-to-mind brain-environment relationships or interaction. communication via ESP perception; clairvoyance For instance, the investigation of paranormal refers to paranormal acquisition of any infor- ways of experiencing and reasoning opens new mation directly from a physical source, other than avenues for psychology and neuropsychiatry. directly from the five senses; and precognition The prestigious journal “Cortex” recently refers to ESP awareness of a future event (Irwin & presents a special issue with 10 papers regarding Watt, 2007). this topic (Brugger & Mohr, 2008). This might If we regard J. B. Rhine’s work as the start of provide us with the opportunity to understand the experimental Psi, then obviously, experimental Psi formation of beliefs and their function. Other reasons are “what science knows about the is really a young science established for 82 years. nature of universe is incomplete”, “the capa- For instance, historically speaking, five major Psi bilities and limitations of human potential have experimental paradigms have been developed, been underestimated”, “fundamental assump- including the card guessing ESP paradigm in the tions and philosophical beliefs about the separa- Rhine centre at Duke University (1927 – 1950); tion of mind and body may be incorrect” and the Maimonides ESP dream paradigm “assumptions about the divine nature of "mira- (1962-1979), the ganzfeld technique begun in cles" may have been mistaken” (Radin, 1995). 1974 (Honorton & Harper, 1974) and the PEAR PK paradigm (1979-2007) (Odlingmee, 2007). Psi in the West The Maimonides ESP dream paradigm refers to Many researchers have carried out a large the investigation of ESP performance while number of studies examining the possible dreaming – at the Maimonides Medical Centre, existence of Psi. The Society for Psychical Brooklyn, USA (Sherwood & Roe, 2003). The Research (SPR), founded in 1882 by a group of ganzfeld technique is the method of having distinguished Cambridge scholars in the United participants experience target-related imagery Kingdom, was the first to scientifically invest- under sensory deprivation conditions (Irwin & tigate anomalous phenomena. The SPR attracted Watt, 2007). The ganzfeld refers to a total field, the most talented people of that time. The earlier and this procedure includes a receiver, a sender investigators paid attention to a variety of Psi and targets. The receiver undergoes a series of phenomena, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, progressive relaxation exercises at the beginning hypnosis, apparitions and hauntings. The SPR of this procedure, placed in a reclining chair in an Possible Factors, Psi, Psi’s Difficulty 3 acoustically isolated room, and his or her trained using the Qigong practices described internal somatic noise is reduced by wearing a earlier. These include abilities such as clairvo- pair of translucent ping-pong ball halves over the yance, out of body experiences, telepathy, pre- eyes, whilst wearing headphones playing white cognition, PK, healing, and reincarnation. These noise. The sender is also placed in an abilities seem to go beyond what we would acoustically isolated room. The sender concen- ordinarily expect. Chinese culture is supportive of trates on the target and the receiver tries to the potential existence of such abilities and their “receive” that target. The target is a visual trainability in some individuals. They would be stimulus, such as an art print, photograph or a seen as natural abilities and as involving new brief videotape clip. At the end of the procedure, principles of nature. Obviously, they require to be the receiver is presented with four stimuli and further scientifically explained and explored. asked to rate to what degree those stimuli match Si-Chen Lee is a professor of in the Elec- his/her mental images during this procedure. trical Engineering Department of the National Finally, the PEAR PK paradigm refers to Taiwan University and is the Principal of the most Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research prestigious university in Taiwan. He is a pioneer (PEAR) lab investigating whether people can at the study of exceptional human abilities in alter the activities of random events generators Chinese society. His early work in Qigong was only by mental intention (Walach & Jonas, supported by the Taiwan National Science Council 2007). (Lee, 1989, 1990; Lee & Chang, 1991), and his major findings were that when practicing Qigong, Robert L. Morris (1942-2004) is respected there is an enhancement of the brain wave with α as an important apostle in the field of academic rhythm and the emitting of infra-red radiation or Psi. He held the Koestler Chair of para- absorption of environmental infra-red radiation by psychology in Edinburgh University from 1985 will from the hands while practising Qigong. A till 2004 and was a central figure in para- positive relationship between an enhanced α brain psychology for nearly 40 years. One of his major wave in the EEG and telepathy was discovered. accomplishments was to establish Psi as an He also investigated a Taiwanese man who academic subject. There are currently around 10 claimed to be psychic. A very
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