ERIC Number: EJ742350
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006-Jul
Pages: 27
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0033-2909
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Available Date: N/A
Examining Psychokinesis: The Interaction of Human Intention with Random Number Generators--A Meta-Analysis
Bosch, Holger; Steinkamp, Fiona; Boller, Emil
Psychological Bulletin, v132 n4 p497-523 Jul 2006
Seance-room and other large-scale psychokinetic phenomena have fascinated humankind for decades. Experimental research has reduced these phenomena to attempts to influence (a) the fall of dice and, later, (b) the output of random number generators (RNGs). The meta-analysis combined 380 studies that assessed whether RNG output correlated with human intention and found a significant but very small overall effect size. The study effect sizes were strongly and inversely related to sample size and were extremely heterogeneous. A Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the small effect size, the relation between sample size and effect size, and the extreme effect size heterogeneity found could in principle be a result of publication bias.
Descriptors: Nonverbal Communication, Intention, Interaction, Meta Analysis, Monte Carlo Methods, Effect Size, Sample Size, Psychological Studies, Error of Measurement, Spiritual Development
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A