Anomaly or artifact? Comments on Bem and Honorton.

Abstract

Bern and Honorton imply that the 11 autoganzfeld experiments demonstrate the existence of psi— a communications anomaly. They claim that the autoganzfeld results are consistent with previous parapsychological findings and constitute evidence for a replicable psi effect Although the autoganzfeld experiments are methodologically superior to previous parapsychological experiments, the tests of their randomization procedures were inadequate. The autoganzfeld experiments consistently produced positive hit rates, whose combined effect was highly significant. However, these experiments produced important inconsistencies with the previous ganzfeld experiments. They also showed a unique pattern in the data that may reflect a systematic artifact. Because of these unique features, we have to wait for independent replications of these experiments before we can conclude that a replicable anomaly or psi has been demonstrated. Bern and Honorton (1994) imply that if psychologists were familiar with the most recent parapsychological research, they would be more willing to accept the possibility that a communications anomaly existed. In particular, Bern and Honorton focus on the experiments that are based on the ganzfeld procedure. They believe that the replication rates and effect sizes achieved by one particular experimental method, the ganzfeld procedure, are now sufficient to warrant bringing this body of data to the attention of the wider psychological (Bern & Honorton, 1994, p. 4). They review the debate between Honorton and me over the original ganzfeld experiments. Hyman (1985) found that these studies suffered from statistical, methodological, and documentation problems. Honorton (1985) responded that these flaws were not sufficient to account for the observed hit rates. Bern and Honorton (1994) review this controversy and cite reviewers who apparently agree with Honorton's position. The implication is that despite the deficiencies in the ganzfeld experiments, the results support the existence of psi—a communications anomaly. To Honorton's credit, he initiated a new series of experiments that would be free from the flaws of the earlier ganzfeld database (Honorton et al., 1990). These 11 new experiments, called the autoganzfeld studies yielded consistently positive hit rates and a highly significant overall effect. Because these new experiments showed positive results and allegedly were consistent with the earlier ganzfeld database and other psi research, Bern and Honorton implied that parapsychology had found its previously elusive repeatable experiment. Since the beginnings of psychical research in the mid-nineteenth century, its investigators have believed that they have scientific evidence sufficiently strong to place before the general scientific community. Each generation has tried to get the attention of the scientific community with findings that they claim to be irrefutable. The particular evidence put forth has changed from generation to generation. What a previous generation of