Received: by alpheratz.cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk id RAA19007 (8.6.9/5.3[ref pg@gmsl.co.uk] for cpm.aca.mmu.ac.uk from fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk); Thu, 16 Mar 2000 17:07:59 GMT Subject: Fwd: No Eyes in the Back of the Head Date: Thu, 16 Mar 2000 12:05:51 -0500 x-sender: wsmith1@camail2.harvard.edu x-mailer: Claris Emailer 2.0v3, Claritas est veritas From: "Wade T.Smith" <wade_smith@harvard.edu> To: "memetics list" <memetics@mmu.ac.uk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Message-ID: <20000316170554.AAA18809@camailp.harvard.edu@[128.103.125.215]> Sender: fmb-majordomo@mmu.ac.uk Precedence: bulk Reply-To: memetics@mmu.ac.uk
I seem to recall someone here using this quasi-scientific study to prove
some point or other, and, incensed as I was by the implication that
wishful thinking was providing the evidence for scientific verification,
it appears someone has finally provided me with a proper argument for the
'being stared at' bugaboo.
- Wade
---------------- Begin Forwarded Message ----------------
To: skeptic@listproc.hcf.jhu.edu
One of Rupert Sheldrake's experiments to show unknown or paranormal
abilities
(described at his site at http://www.sheldrake.org/experiments/ may not
be as
impressive as he claims, as the following story from this week's Times
Higher
Ed. Supp. indicates:
========================================
TESTS DISPROVE WE HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF OUR HEADS
Perhaps we have not got eyes in the back of our heads after all. A series
of
experiments that appeared to show that people innately knew when they
were being
stared at from behind may in fact have only picked up the ability
implicitly to
learn subtle patterns.
Thousands of volunteers took part in tests devised by biologist Rupert
Sheldrake
to detect extra-sensory perception. The results appeared to demonstrate a
significant effect.
However, research by John Colwell, principal lecturer in psychology at
Middlesex
University, which has been published in the *British Journal of
Psychology*,
suggests there may be a mundane explanation.
Dr Sheldrake's experiments involved giving out a set of strict
instructions to
volunteers over the internet, who then carried out the tests in their own
homes
and sent the scientist back their results.
They were asked to put on blindfolds and sit with their backs to other
volunteers who then either stared at them or looked away, according to a
set of
random numbers that Dr Sheldrake provided. Alternatively, a coin could be
tossed
to determine whether the 'looker' stared or not.
Dr Colwell repeated the experiments in controlled laboratory conditions
using Dr
Sheldrake's number sequences and a one-way mirror to separate the two
volunteers.
When the subject was not told whether they were right or wrong after each
test,
he could find no effect. However, with feedback, an apparent ability to
detect
staring emerged during the course of the experiment.
Although this appeared to confirm Dr Sheldrake's hypothesis, Dr Colwell
suggests
this could be more to do with the mind's ability to detect subtle
patterns as an
analysis of the number sequences found they were not entirely random.
"There was a pattern that was alternating too much and this biased the
trial in
favour of detecting an effect," he said.
"Because the subjects were given feedback, they were using this
information to
pick up structure in the sequences."
The apparent effect disappeared when Dr Colwell used a truly random
sequence.
While Dr Sheldrake's experiment does not involve giving feedback and
includes
the coin-tossing option, Dr Colwell suggests that in the absence of strict
controls, subtle cues may be picked up by some of those test subjects
using the
provided sequences as an indication of whether a guess was right or
wrong. This,
he suggests, could skew the overall results in favour of indicating
psychic
phenomena.
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