5 replies to this topic

[ohreally?]

From Harvard Science:

Amy Lavoie
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Psychologists at Harvard University have developed a new method to study extrasensory perception that, they argue, can resolve the century-old debate over its existence. According to the authors, their study not only illustrates a new method for studying such phenomena, but also provides the strongest evidence yet
obtained against the existence of extrasensory perception, or ESP.

http://www.harvardsc....trate-esp-real

[MoonChild]

Bad URL, can you post it again please?

[ohreally?]

http://www.harvardsc...strate-esp-real

A detailed report
http://www.wjh.harva...imaging_Psi.pdf

[PhenomInvestigator]

Of course what was truly proven was that an assumption was false. That is that it was possible to detect ESP as defined by the study with neuroimaging. Far from being a 'new way to study ESP without the deficiencies of prior methods' it simply shows, in a limited study, that there may not be a close correlation in this specific case. As usual the outcome is easily coopted by anyone looking for 'academic studies' that 'disprove ESP'.
In fact the outcome is far more trivial, albeit interesting.

[wipsi]

This proves nothing. The problem is that they guessed the 'targets' at 50% or chance level. So, they was no indication of Psi. I would like to see the same study with fMRI when the 'hit' rate on target guesses shows some positive evidence of Psi.

Other things to consider...what if fMRI is not capable of detecting the effect? What about the use of dynamic vs static targets?

Needs more work...

http://www.harvardsc...strate-esp-real

A detailed report
http://www.wjh.harva...imaging_Psi.pdf

[wipsi]

And is in contrast to....

Standish et al "Evidence of correlated functional magnetic resonance imaging signals between distant human brains." Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. 2003; 9(1): 128, 122-5.

Richards et al "Replicable functional magnetic resonance imaging evidence of correlated brain signals between physically and sensory isolated subjects." Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine. 2005; 11(6): 955-63.

From Harvard Science:

Amy Lavoie
Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Psychologists at Harvard University have developed a new method to study extrasensory perception that, they argue, can resolve the century-old debate over its existence. According to the authors, their study not only illustrates a new method for studying such phenomena, but also provides the strongest evidence yet
obtained against the existence of extrasensory perception, or ESP.

http://www.harvardsc....trate-esp-real