Posts archived in Anomalistic psychology
July 15, 2010 by Evie Bentley.
The research team (Damisch et al. (2010) had the idea that having a lucky mascot might actually improve confidence, and therefore performance. So they ran some experiments including one where participants could bring their lucky mascot or charm with them do do a test. Before the test the items* were taken away to be photographed. One group then had their mascots returned, the other group were told the mascots would be returned after the task. The former group did better in the memory task and further tests showed this was linked to an increase in self-confidence. This link would seem to apply also to self-esteem, attribution of success and self-belief.
So maybe if you do have your own lucky mascot it could be a good idea to keep it by you when you are competing or doing exams.
Good luck!
* from old stuffed animals, and stones to wedding rings
October 23, 2009 by Jean Marc Lawton.
In November 2004 52 year old Diana Duyser from Florida USA, sold on e-bay a grilled cheese sandwich she had made ten years previously for $28,000 and in the process had 1.7 million hits to this particular e-bay item.
Why such interest in a frankly inedible piece of food? Well quite simply because there in the cheese toastie was the quite discernible face of the Virgin Mary and ever since the toasted treat had been in her possession, Ms.Duyser claimed to have had nothing but good luck.However this is not such an isolated incident. People have been seeing faces in all sorts Read the rest of this entry »
July 3, 2009 by Cara Flanagan.
Two great opportunities next autumn term if you are planning to teach either the Psychology of Addictive Behaviour or Anomalistic Psychology. Keynote Educational have organised Unit 4 INSET days – one features Mark Griffiths and the other features Richard Wiseman – both experts in the respective fields. Plus me (Cara Flanagan) talking about the research methods component and more general issues. See here for further INSET courses next year.
June 2, 2009 by Cara Flanagan.
This is your chance (and your students) to take part in some research for the New Scientist on the phenomenon of remote viewing (the alleged ability to psychically identify a distant location). And take part in the world’s first scientific study via twitter. The experiment is organised by the fab Richard Wiseman who has an impressive record of serious research on anomalistic psychology. For more information have a look here.
Essentially Richard will be conducting trials on Tues, Wed, Thurs and Fri of this week at 3pm (UK time). To join in, all you have to do is join his twitter stream here.
PS Richard is talking at the Science and Pseudoscience conference next November run by Southwest Conferences, details here. Last year this conference was a huge success – comments included ‘I never thought science could be this much fun’.
March 15, 2009 by Adrian Frost.
Do me a favour will you?
Turn the TV to a fuzzy, de-tuned channel, paint the inside of your swimming goggles with tippex, stick them on and sit back in a comfy chair for a bit……. come back in about twenty minutes and tell me what thoughts swam into your head…
(intermission)
Good to see you back…
Did you hear me saying ‘You really should teach anomalistic psychology to your A2′s next year” ?
See… it works doesn’t it?
(Important…. sensory deprivation is a dangerous business. As is swimming with goggles obscured by stationary products. We here at Cat & Dog Psychology Inc. bear no responsibility for injury or ill effects in either circumstance)
October 24, 2008 by Adrian Frost.
One of a collection of ‘spirit’ photographs taken by the medium William Hope.
He produced such photos for bereaved individuals, desperate to contact their loved ones. His services were especially in demand by those who had lost relatives in World War One.
In the 1920′s he was accused of faking such photos by superimposing other images upon the original.
I don’t know what this sad collection of photos tells us about parapsychology -beyond warning about a misplaced faith in technology and a desperate desire for something to be ‘out there’…….
