Abstract
Belief in the possibility of demonstrating ESP on an experimental task and evaluation of ESP were independently manipulated in two laboratory studies investigating the relationship between these variables and ESP task performance. The results of Experiment I indicated that subjects exposed to a positive evaluation of ESP scored higher on the ESP task than those exposed to a negative evaluation of ESP. Furthermore, a significant belief × sex of subject interaction was found. The interaction indicated that males exposed to the disbelief manipulation scored significantly higher on the task than males exposed to the belief manipulation or females exposed to the disbelief manipulation. In general, the ESP task performance results for females followed the pattern predicted from the Ajzen and Fishbein (1972) attitude-behavior model, while those for males did not. Experiment II was a strict methodological replication of Experiment I. In Experiment II there were no significant effects present upon ESP task performance. The implications of these contradictory results for ESP research specifically and significance levels generally are both discussed.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.