Psychokinesis

Psychokinesis “Telekinesis” redirects here. For other uses, see 1 Etymology Telekinesis (disambiguation). Psychokinesis (from Greek ψυχή “mind” + κίνησις The word 'psychokinesis’ was coined in 1914 by Amer- ican author Henry Holt in his book On the Cosmic Relations.[21][22][23] The term is a linguistic blend or portmanteau of the Greek language words ψυχή (“psy- che”) – meaning mind, soul, spirit, or breath – and κίνησις (“kinesis”) – meaning motion, movement.[1][2] The American parapsychologist J. B. Rhine used the word 'psychokinesis’ in 1934 in connection with experiments that were conducted to determine whether a person could influence the outcome of falling dice.[8][24] The word 'telekinesis’, a portmanteau of the Greek τῆλε (“tēle”) – meaning distance – and κίνησις (“kinesis”) – meaning motion[4] – was first used in 1890 by Russian psychical researcher Alexander N. Aksakof.[25][26] 'Psychokinesis’ in parapsychology, fictional universes and New Age beliefs refers to the influence of human thought, emotion or mental concentration on physical systems and objects,[5][6][7] while 'telekinesis’ adds the factor of distance to the movement and/or levitation of physical objects by purely mental force.[27][28] 2 Belief In September 2006, a survey about belief in various re- ligious and paranormal topics conducted by phone and mail-in questionnaire polled 1,721 Americans on their Artist conception of alleged spontaneous psychokinesis from belief in telekinesis. Of these participants, 28% of male 1911 French magazine La Vie Mysterieuse. participants and 31% of female participants selected “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement, "It is pos- sible to influence the world through the mind alone."[29] In April 2008, British psychologist and skeptic Richard “movement”),[1][2] or telekinesis[3] (from τῆλε “far off” Wiseman published the results of an online survey he + κίνησις “movement”),[4] is an alleged psychic ability conducted, entitled “Magicians and the Paranormal: A allowing a person to influence a physical system without Survey”, in which 400 magicians worldwide participated. physical interaction.[5][6][7] Psychokinesis and telekinesis For the question, "Do you believe that psychokinesis exists are sometimes abbreviated as PK and TK respectively.[8] (i.e., that some people can, by paranormal means, apply Examples of psychokinesis include moving an object and a noticeable force to an object or alter its physical char- levitation.[9][10] There is no conclusive evidence that psy- acteristics)?", the results were as follows: No 83.5%, Yes chokinesis is a real phenomenon.[11][12][13][14] 9%, Uncertain 7.5%.[30] Psychokinesis experiments have historically been criticized for lack of proper controls and repeatability.[13][15][16][17] Furthermore, some ex- 2.1 Subsets of psychokinesis periments have created illusions of psychokinesis where none exists, and these illusions depend, to an extent, on Parapsychologists divide psychokinetic phenomena into the subject’s prior belief in psychokinesis.[18][19][20] two categories: macro-psychokinesis, which are large- 1 2 2 BELIEF scale psychokinetic effects that can be seen with the naked eye, and micro-psychokinesis, which are small- scale psychokinetic effects that require the use of statistics to be detected.[7] Psychic phenomena such as telekinesis,[27] psychic healing,[7] and retrocausality[31] are considered types of psychokinesis. 2.2 Notable claimants of psychokinetic ability Spirit photography hoaxer Édouard Isidore Buguet[32] (1840- 1901) of France fakes telekinesis in this 1875 cabinet card photograph titled Fluidic Effect. legedly cause objects to move during séances. However, she was caught levitating a table with her foot by the magician Joseph Rinn and using tricks to move objects by the psychologist Hugo Münsterberg.[34][35] The Polish medium Stanisława Tomczyk active in the early 20th century claimed to be able to perform various acts of telekinesis, such as levitating objects, by way of an entity she called “Little Stasia”.[36] A photograph of her taken in 1909, which shows a pair of scissors “floating” Eusapia Palladino “levitates” a table while researcher Alexander in between her hands, is often found in books and other Aksakof (right) monitors for fraud, Milan, 1892. publications as an example of telekinesis.[37][38] Scientists suspected Tomczyk performed her feats by the use of a There have been claimants of psychokinetic ability fine thread or hair, running between her hands to lift and throughout history. Angelique Cottin (ca. 1846) known suspend the objects in the air. This was confirmed when as the “Electric Girl” of France was an alleged generator psychical researchers who tested Tomczyk occasionally of PK activity. Cottin and her family claimed that she observed the thread.[38][39][40] produced electric emanations that allowed her to move pieces of furniture and scissors across a room.[33] Frank Many of India’s "godmen" have claimed macro-PK abili- Podmore wrote there were many observations which were ties and demonstrated apparently miraculous phenomena in public, although as more controls are put in place to “suggestive of fraud” such as the contact of the girl’s gar- [41] ments to produce any of the alleged phenomena and the prevent trickery, fewer phenomena are produced. observations from several witnesses that noticed there Annemarie Schaberl, a 19-year old secretary, was said was a double movement on the part of Cottin, a move- to have telekinetic powers by the parapsychologist Hans ment in the direction of the object thrown and afterwards Bender in the Rosenheim Poltergeist case in the 1960s. away from it, but the movements so rapid they were not Magicians and scientists who investigated the case sus- usually detected.[33] pected the phenomena were produced by trickery.[42][43] Spiritualist mediums have also claimed psychokinetic Swami Rama, a yogi skilled in controlling his heart func- abilities. Eusapia Palladino, an Italian medium, could al- tions, was studied at the Menninger Foundation in the 2.4 Metal bending 3 1970s and today claims healing powers.[46][55] Magicians John Booth and Henry Gordon have suspected Manning used trickery to perform his feats.[56][57] In 1971, an American psychic named Felicia Parise allegedly moved a pill bottle across a kitchen counter by psychokinesis. Her feats were endorsed by the parapsychologist Charles Honorton. Science writer Martin Gard- ner wrote Parise had “bamboozled” Honorton by moving the bottle by an invisible thread stretched between her hands.[51][58] Boris Ermolaev, a Russian psychic, was known for levitating small objects. His methods were exposed on the World of Discovery documentary Secrets of the Russian Psychics (1992). Ermolaev would sit on a chair and al- Magician William Marriott reveals the trick of the medium legedly move the objects between his knees but due to Stanisława Tomczyk’s levitation of a glass tumbler. Pearson’s Magazine, June 1910 the lighting conditions a fine thread fixed between his knees suspending the objects was observed by the camera crew.[49] spring and fall of 1970 and was alleged by some observers The Russian psychic Alla Vinogradova was said to be able at the foundation to have telekinetically moved a knitting to move objects without touching them on transparent [44] needle twice from a distance of five feet. Although acrylic plastic or a plexiglass sheet. The parapsycholo- Swami Rama wore a face-mask and gown to prevent alle- gist Stanley Krippner had observed Vinogradova rub an gations that he moved the needle with his breath or body aluminum tube before moving it allegedly by psychokine- movements, and air vents in the room had been covered, sis. Krippner suggested no psychokinesis was involved; at least one physician observer who was present at the the effect was produced by an electrostatic charge. Vino- time was not convinced and expressed the opinion that gradova was featured in the Nova documentary Secrets of [45] air movement was somehow the cause. the Psychics (1993) which followed the debunking work of James Randi.[49] Vinogradova demonstrated her alleged psychokinetic abilities on camera for Randi and 2.3 Psychics other investigators. Before the experiments she was observed combing her hair and rubbing the surface of the The Russian psychic Nina Kulagina came to wide pub- acrylic plastic. Massimo Polidoro has replicated the feats lic attention following the publication of Sheila Ostran- of Vinogradova by using an acrylic plastic surface and der and Lynn Schroeder’s best seller, Psychic Discover- showing how easy it is to move any kind of object on top ies Behind The Iron Curtain. The alleged Soviet psy- of it due to the charges of static electricity. The effect chic of the late 1960s and early 1970s was filmed ap- is easily achieved if the surface is electrically charged by parently performing telekinesis while seated in numer- rubbing a towel or a hand on it.[49] The physicist John ous black-and-white short films.[46] She was also men- Taylor has written “It is very likely that electrostatics is tioned in the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report from all that is needed to explain Alla Vinogradova’s appar- 1978.[47] Magicians and skeptics have argued that Kulag- ently paranormal feats.”[59] ina’s feats could easily be performed by one practiced in sleight of hand, through means such as cleverly concealed or disguised threads, small pieces of magnetic metal, or 2.4 Metal bending mirrors.[48][49][50][51] James Hydrick, an American martial arts expert and psy- See also: Spoon bending chic, was famous for his alleged psychokinetic ability to Psychics have also claimed the psychokinetic ability to bend metal. Uri Geller was famous for his spoon bend- turn the pages of books and make pencils spin around [46] while placed on the edge of a desk. It was later revealed ing demonstrations, allegedly by PK.

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