InPresence 0140: The Experimenter Effect

InPresence host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in “parapsychology” ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). For many years he served as president of the non-profit Intuition Network, an organization dedicated to creating a world in which all people were supported and encouraged in developing inner intuitive abilities.

Here Jeff describes three different types of experimenter effects that can, potentially, contaminate scientific studies. The first of these involves influence experimental subjects through direct statements, subtle hints, and non-verbal cues. Typically, the use of control groups and double-blind protocols protects against this. The second type of experimenter effect involves the use of Questionable Research Practices (QRPs). The third, and most serious, is the possibility of experimenter psi. The best way to protect against this possibility is to focus on the magnitude of psi in our experiments — rather than the process.

(Recorded on July 27, 2018)

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To view the video, “Meditation With a Spiritual Friend”, as described in InPresence 0115, see: https://youtu.be/qxU0okUlIiw