#593: Richard Wiseman on Lessons from Dale Carnegie, How to Keep a Luck Diary, Mentalism, The Psychology of the Paranormal, Mass Participation Experiments, NLP, Remote Viewing, and Attempting the Impossible

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May 10, 2022

Richard Wiseman, a leading psychologist and expert on luck, illusion, and the paranormal, joins the discussion to dive into captivating psychological concepts. He reveals intriguing insights about keeping a luck diary and shares his experiences with mentalism and parapsychology. Wiseman tackles misconceptions surrounding NLP, explores the fascinating world of dreams, and critiques self-help literature. He also discusses the magical intersection of performance and human connection, emphasizing authenticity in artistry while exploring the allure of the impossible.

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ANECDOTE

Staring Experiment

Richard Wiseman's interest in parapsychology stemmed from a poster he saw while studying magic.
This led to a PhD examining the remote detection of staring, highlighting experimenter effects.

INSIGHT

Magic and Psychology

Magicians, by necessity, become adept at understanding human psychology, attention, and perception.
This expertise makes magic a compelling area of study, even for skeptics.

ANECDOTE

Magic Background

Richard Wiseman's magic background includes membership in the Magic Circle's Inner Circle.
He performed professionally, including at the Magic Castle in Hollywood.

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The luck factor

Richard Wiseman

In 'The Luck Factor,' Richard Wiseman presents the results of his extensive research on why some people are consistently lucky while others are not. The book is based on interviews and experiments involving over 1,000 people who self-identify as lucky or unlucky. Wiseman identifies four key principles that distinguish lucky people: they are skilled at creating and noticing chance opportunities, make decisions based on intuition, have positive expectations about the future, and adopt a resilient attitude that transforms bad luck into good. The book provides practical tips and scientific evidence to support the idea that luck is not random but can be influenced by one's behavior and mindset.

Night School

Bentley Little

Night School, published in 1994 (and released as University in 1995 in some regions), is a horror novel by Bentley Little. The story delves into the darker aspects of an educational environment, characteristic of Little's style in blending everyday settings with elements of horror. The novel is part of Little's extensive body of work, which has garnered recognition and praise within the horror genre.

59 seconds

think a little change a lot

Richard Wiseman

In '59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot', Richard Wiseman challenges traditional self-help myths by offering practical, research-proven advice that can be applied in less than a minute. The book covers a wide range of topics including happiness, persuasion, motivation, creativity, attraction, stress, relationships, decision making, and parenting. Wiseman draws on numerous psychological studies to provide simple yet effective tips, such as the importance of likability in job interviews, the benefits of keeping a gratitude diary, and how small favors can increase likability. The book aims to debunk common self-help myths and provide actionable advice grounded in scientific research.

59 seconds

think a little change a lot

Richard Wiseman

How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

Dale Carnegie

In 'How to Stop Worrying and Start Living', Dale Carnegie provides a set of practical formulas and techniques to help readers overcome their worry habits. The book, first published in 1948, has been updated and remains highly relevant today. It offers advice on how to eliminate business and financial worries, avoid fatigue, improve sleep, and cultivate a mental attitude that brings peace and happiness. Carnegie's approach includes rules such as living in 'day-tight compartments', accepting the worst-case scenario, and keeping busy to crowd out worry. The book is filled with inspiring examples and stories of people who have successfully applied these principles to achieve a more enjoyable and fulfilling life.

Why We Sleep

Matthew Walker

This book delves into the purpose and power of sleep, explaining how it affects every aspect of our physical and mental well-being. Walker discusses how sleep enriches our ability to learn, memorize, and make logical decisions, recalibrates our emotions, restocks our immune system, fine-tunes our metabolism, and regulates our appetite. He also explores the consequences of sleep deprivation and provides actionable steps to improve sleep quality, including ways to prevent cancer, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes, slow the effects of aging, and increase longevity.

How to Win Friends and Influence People

Dale Carnegie

First published in 1936, 'How to Win Friends and Influence People' by Dale Carnegie is a timeless guide to improving interpersonal skills. The book is divided into four main sections: Six Ways to Make People Like You, Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking, and Nine Ways to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment. Carnegie's principles emphasize the importance of genuine interest in others, active listening, and avoiding criticism and argument. The book offers practical advice on how to build strong relationships, communicate effectively, and influence others by aligning their self-interest with yours. It has been a cornerstone of personal development and business success for generations[2][3][5].

Miracle man

John Hendrix

The luck factor

Richard Wiseman

Psychology

John Dewey

The luck factor

Richard Wiseman

Delt

Richard Turner

Paranormality

Richard Wiseman

In 'Paranormality,' Richard Wiseman delves into the world of paranormal phenomena, providing a skeptical perspective by explaining the psychological tricks and cognitive biases that underlie such experiences. The book covers topics like ghost sightings, psychic abilities, and mind control, offering insights into human behavior and belief systems. Wiseman also includes activities to demonstrate how these phenomena can be replicated through natural means.

Exploring the world of lucid dreaming

Stephen LaBerge

This book provides a scientifically researched framework for lucid dreaming, based on Dr. Stephen LaBerge's laboratory work at Stanford University and the teachings of Tibetan dream yogis. It guides readers in using lucid dreaming to enhance personal growth, creativity, and spiritual exploration. The techniques outlined help individuals recognize and control their dreams, leading to profound personal transformations.

Remote viewers

Jim Schnabel

Remote Viewers explores the U.S. government's attempts to utilize psychic abilities for espionage purposes. The program involved training civilian and military personnel to gather intelligence through remote viewing, a technique that allowed them to allegedly access and describe distant locations without physical presence. The book delves into the intriguing history of this program and its involvement with various government agencies.

AMORALMAN

Derek DelGaudio

In *Amoralman*, Derek DelGaudio recounts his journey from a troubled childhood to becoming a skilled magician and card cheat. The book delves into his experiences with deception, questioning his own morality, and navigating the world of card sharps and con artists. It is a thought-provoking exploration of the lies we tell ourselves and others.

Moonshot

Richard Wiseman

In 'Moonshot,' Richard Wiseman explores the psychological and historical aspects of the Apollo missions to provide insights into achieving big dreams. The book combines history, psychology, and self-help, offering practical advice on teamwork, leadership, and persistence. It emphasizes that anyone can achieve extraordinary success by adopting the mindset and strategies used in the moon landing.

David Copperfield's History of Magic

David Britland

Homer Liwag

David Copperfield

Richard Wiseman

David Copperfield's History of Magic is a personal journey through the world of illusion, profiling twenty-eight of the most groundbreaking magicians in history. The book includes over 100 photographs of artifacts from Copperfield's Museum of Magic, showcasing the evolution of magic from the 16th century to the present. It highlights how magicians have transformed popular culture and adapted to technological advancements.

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Richard Wiseman (@richardwiseman) holds Britain’s only professorship in the public understanding of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles examining the psychology of magic and illusion, the paranormal, luck, and self-help. His books on psychology, which include The Luck Factor: The Scientific Study of the Lucky Mind and 59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot, have sold more than three million copies worldwide, and his psychology-based YouTube videos have garnered more than 500 million views.

Elizabeth Loftus, former president of The Association for Psychological Science, described Richard as “one of the world’s most creative psychologists,” and The Independent On Sunday chose him as one of the top 100 people who make Britain a better place to live. In addition to his work in the field of psychology, Richard served as director of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival for eight years.

He recently co-authored David Copperfield’s History of Magic, and his next book, Psychology: Why It Matters, will be published later this year.

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What is The Edinburgh Fringe Festival? [06:01]

Richard explains how he, as a skeptic, got recruited into the world of parapsychology research, and why he dedicated years of his life to it. [07:23]

What is the Magic Circle Society? [14:00]

What disciplines and frameworks do magicians like Richard pick up that prove useful in other areas of life? [15:44]

Who among Richard’s fellow magicians do we find particularly impressive, and what’s the real reason they’re not likely to tell you how they perform their illusions? [17:40]

What is mentalism? [24:47]

Two recommendations: a card mechanic and a mentalist worth your while. [26:03]

Richard has carried out a number of mass participation studies. What are they, and which ones has he found most memorable? [27:06]

What is NLP (neuro-linguistic programming), and what has Richard’s research had to say about its efficacy? [36:15]

A more effective alternative to brainstorming. [39:32]

In Richard’s estimation, what areas of scientific study are woefully underfunded and underresearched? [40:22]

What did Richard discover while researching remote viewing that the CIA might have missed? Can remote viewing be faked? [43:26]

How does Richard choose the subjects his books cover, and how did an annoying heckler once inspire him to improve a working title? [47:10]

Twitter remote viewing, Victorian-style seances, and a ghost hunt in one of Henry VIII’s old…haunts. [50:28]

Why is Richard fascinated by dreaming, and how has his experience with lucid dreaming been disappointing thus far? Might one of his future books be titled The Upside of Night Terrors? [54:11]

How has my experience with lucid dreaming differed from Richard’s? [59:40]

What has Richard learned about improving sleep since writing a book about it? Has he stopped having night terrors? [1:02:25]

Self-development books Richard has actually found helpful, and why he takes issue with so much of the rest. [1:05:57]

What is a luck diary, and why should you consider keeping one? [1:09:51]

How Richard avoids overthinking idea generation. [1:12:40]

Why the mass participation study that attempted to crowdsource the world’s funniest joke may have just resulted in pinpointing the world’s blandest. [1:13:45]

How does Richard feel certain facets of his work could be applied in schools? Has this been tested? [1:14:51]

What was (or wasn’t) the Yale Goal Study, and what is its most important lesson? [1:16:41]

On the malleability of observation and memory — which can result in anything from seance manipulation to false convictions. [1:20:43]

Are there any researchers currently delving into the mysteries of parapsychology who Richard respects deeply? Why might a well-respected scientist risk their career and reputation to pursue something so difficult to prove? [1:25:26]

What makes studying what went on psychologically behind the scenes at NASA during the Apollo moon landings so compelling for Richard? [1:30:35]

Whose picture is on Richard’s mantel? Knock if you know the answer. [1:33:47]

What would Richard’s billboard say? [1:35:49]