1. Methodological issues in the study of esp

2. Ganzfeld 0 Sensory deprivation of a participant (the receiver) via headphones and white noise, translucent goggles. 0 The sender, who is in another room, chooses one of a selection of 4 images to send telepathically. The choice of the image should be random. 0 The receiver attempts to ‘read’ the image. 0 At the end of the session the receiver is shown a set of images and asked to select the target image from several or to describe the image. 0 If the receiver is really able to read the thoughts of others, he/she should be able to pick the target at greater than chance level over several trials.

3. Ganzfeld: controversy and criticisms 0 Sensory leakage could occur, that is, there were other ways in which information may have reached the receiver. The autoGanzfeld automated slide method countered this criticism to some extent. 0 0 Security – in early studies, the pictures were not always kept securely, thus increasing the opportunities for fraud. Blackmore (1987) did an independent review and found that there were a number of ways in which cheating could have occurred. 0 Meta-analyses on ESP studies show varying results because of the way researchers select studies and calculate the figures.

4. Ganzfeld: controversy and criticisms 0 Often the studies are not replicable, so they do not satisfy on the criteria for science (that of reliability). 0 Experimenter effect – some studies have suggested that the expectations/attitudes of the experimenters have an effect on the findings of ESP research, e.g. whether they are sceptical or believers in the paranormal. 0 Influence of the receivers’ belief (the so-called ‘sheep-goat effect’).

5. Ganzfeld: controversy and criticisms 0 Potential ‘file drawer’ effect, when unsuccessful studies are not written up, or rejected for publishing. 0 Hyman (1985) and Honorton (1985) each separately appraised the impact of these and other potential flaws. 0 Honorton was not convinced that these flaws could explain the seeming significance. 0 Hyman believed that the experiments had too many methodological weaknesses to justify claiming ESP was responsible for above chance results.

6. auto-Ganzfeld 0 New design wherein procedural decisions, such as random generation of images, are under control of a computer. 0 The new procedure was Hyman’s response to many of the criticisms of previous Ganzfeld research.