Abstract

This meta-analysis is an investigation into anomalous perception (i.e., conscious identification of information without any conventional sensorial means). The technique used for eliciting an effect is the ganzfeld condition (a form of sensory homogenization that eliminates distracting peripheral noise). The database consists of peer-reviewed studies published between January 1974 and June 2020 inclusive. The overall effect size will be estimated using a frequentist model and a Bayesian random model. Moderator analysis will be used to examine the influence of level of experience of participants and the type of task. Publication bias will be estimated by using three different tests. Trend analysis will be conducted on the cumulative database.

Highlights

  • The possibility of identifying pictures or video clips without conventional means, in a ganzfeld environment, is a decades old controversy, dating back to the pioneering investigation of Charles Honorton, William Braud and Adrian Parker between 1974 and 1975 (Parker, 2017).In the ganzfeld, a German term meaning ‘whole field’, participants are immersed in an homogeneous sensorial field were peripheral visual information is masked out by red light diffused by translucent hemispheres placed over the eyes, while a relaxing rhythmic sound, or white or pink noise, is fed through headphones to shield out peripheral auditory information

  • This meta-analysis is an investigation into anomalous perception

  • The technique used for eliciting an effect is the ganzfeld condition

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Summary

Introduction

The possibility of identifying pictures or video clips without conventional (sensorial) means, in a ganzfeld environment, is a decades old controversy, dating back to the pioneering investigation of Charles Honorton, William Braud and Adrian Parker between 1974 and 1975 (Parker, 2017).In the ganzfeld, a German term meaning ‘whole field’, participants are immersed in an homogeneous sensorial field were peripheral visual information is masked out by red light diffused by translucent hemispheres (often split halves of ping-pong balls or special glasses) placed over the eyes, while a relaxing rhythmic sound, or white or pink noise, is fed through headphones to shield out peripheral auditory information. Once participants are sensorially isolated from external visual and auditory stimulation, they are in a favourable condition for producing inner mental contents about a randomly-selected target hidden amongst decoys. Even if there are different verbatim versions, the instructions describe what they should do mentally in order to detect the information related to the target and how to filter out the mental contents not related to it. This information will be described aloud and recorded for playback before or during the target identification phase. Participants describe verbally all images, feelings, emotions, they deem related to the target usually a picture or a short videoclip of real objects or events

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