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Journal of Parapsychology

REG Outcome in an Alarm Situation in Zebra finches/Produccion De Un Dispositivo REG En Una Situacion De Alarma En El Mandarin listado/Resultat D'un GEA Dans Une Situation D'alarme Pour Des Diamants mandarins/Das Ergebnis Eines Zufallsgenerators Bei Alarmierten Zebrafinken

Fernando Álvarez

Published Mar 22, 2011• 1 citation
OpenAlex

Abstract

Devices known as random event generators (REGs) depend upon quantum effects, and although they are designed to produce a stream of purely random numbers, when people direct their attention to a single focus (not specifically intending to influence the REGs), a surprising reduction of randomness occurs. This nondirectional effect was demonstrated when the attention of an audience (size from one person to 3 billion people) was concentrated on a single matter, be it a human disaster, a personal growth workshop, a comedy show, a poltergeist event, or a praying service (Bierman, 1996; Blasband, 2000; Mason & Patterson, 2007; Nelson, 2001, 2003; Radin, 1997; Radin, Rebman, & Cross, 1996; Williams, 2010). When individual subjects were tested in an attempt to detect any effect of induced emotions on REG outcome, a reduction of randomness resulted during anger induction (Lumsden-Cook, 2005a), especially during anger and sadness dissipation (Lumsden-Cook, 2005b). One question we may ask ourselves is whether attention or emotional states by nonhumans would also affect the random functioning of REGs. Although the prospect for enhanced experimental manipulation would be higher with nonhuman subjects, work with them is very scant. The only two studies of which I am aware dealing with the potential influence on up-to-date, reliable REG devices used soil nematodes and young chickens in the experiment. The first one explored the role of the presence of different genetic lines of a nematode species on REG output, yielding marginally significant results in relation to output variance (Franklin, Kendall, & Vassilieva, 2005). In the second one, a small self-propelled robot on which chicks had been previously imprinted, and driven by an internal REG to manoeuvre randomly, moved significantly more often than chance toward the chicks' location, denoting a reduction in randomness in the output of the REG and suggesting psychokinesis (PK) by the birds (Peoc'h, 1995). My hypothesis, based on the results of these studies, is that a nondirectional reduction in randomness in REG production will occur specifically during the presentation of a disturbing stimulus to birds. At the same time, an observer manipulation will be introduced into the experiment, in order to explore the existence of a psi observer effect. Method The animal species used was the zebra finch (Taeni-0pygia guttata). This bird is one of the most common subjects of research in many scientific disciplines, both in the wild and in the laboratory (Zann, 1996), serving as a model for investigation in neurology, behavior development, and environmental variables that impact human health, and it also appears to be gifted with the ability for short-term precognition (Alvarez, 2010a). All subjects (80 adult male and female zebra finches) lived in two unisexual adult groups of conspecifics in 3 x 3 x 2 m aviaria near Seville, Spain, where water and food (seeds and vegetables) were supplied ad libitum. The 70 x 35 x 35 cm testing cage was provided with four perches and a TFT screen at one end, where a still background image of red tiles was always on display during the experimental sessions. During the sessions, an Orion REG device was permanently in position on the centre of the cage floor and provided the data relative to output randomness. The laptop computer controlling the presentation of the stimulus on the TFT screen and storing the information from the REG was located in an adjacent compartment and was connected to the devices by two long cables. The same scene was shown at the same time on the TFT screen beside the testing cage and on the screen of the laptop computer in the observer compartment. Three conditions were tested: (a) Bird Alone: the test was applied to 40 birds while the observer had gone away from the experimental area (5 to 25 m from the testing cage) ; (b) Bird Plus Observer: while the tests to 40 other birds were taking place, the observer (who knew in advance the time of stimulus presentation) was continuously receiving the same stimulation as the birds on a laptop screen and was intently waiting for the stimulus to appear; (c) Observer Alone: the same as in b (40 tests), but the testing cage was empty. …

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Reg outcome in an alarm situation in zebra finches

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Micro-PK was explored in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to test the hypothesis of nondirectional REG randomness reduction during an alarm situation. A 15-s video clip of a crawling snake was presented to 80 participants and a REG's outcome during the presentation of the stimulus was analysed under three conditions: Bird Alone, Bird Plus Observer, and Observer Alone. One 200-bit trial was collected every quarter of a second during die presentation of the stimulus and the 5-min control period before die start of die disturbing stimulus, and the obtained cumulative chi-square deviation scores were analysed. The finding diat die scores during die stimulus period for die diree conditions belonged to the same population, their direction being die same when independently and globally analysed, togetiier with the nonsignificant difference with respect to their controls do not support die proposed hypotiiesis. However, an as yet undifferentiated psi observer effect is suggested by die global scores of die stimulus periods departing from chance while the scores of die corresponding controls did not, by die former's values surpassing die latter, and by die scores of die stimulus periods deviating from chance when die observer was present.

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Devices known as random event generators (REGs) depend upon quantum effects, and although they are designed to produce a stream of purely random numbers, when people direct their attention to a single focus (not specifically intending to influence the REGs), a surprising reduction of randomness occurs. This nondirectional effect was demonstrated when the attention of an audience (size from one person to 3 billion people) was concentrated on a single matter, be it a human disaster, a personal growth workshop, a comedy show, a poltergeist event, or a praying service (Bierman, 1996; Blasband, 2000; Mason & Patterson, 2007; Nelson, 2001, 2003; Radin, 1997; Radin, Rebman, & Cross, 1996; Williams, 2010). When individual subjects were tested in an attempt to detect any effect of induced emotions on REG outcome, a reduction of randomness resulted during anger induction (Lumsden-Cook, 2005a), especially during anger and sadness dissipation (Lumsden-Cook, 2005b). One question we may ask ourselves is whether attention or emotional states by nonhumans would also affect the random functioning of REGs. Although the prospect for enhanced experimental manipulation would be higher with nonhuman subjects, work with them is very scant. The only two studies of which I am aware dealing with the potential influence on up-to-date, reliable REG devices used soil nematodes and young chickens in the experiment. The first one explored the role of the presence of different genetic lines of a nematode species on REG output, yielding marginally significant results in relation to output variance (Franklin, Kendall, & Vassilieva, 2005). In the second one, a small self-propelled robot on which chicks had been previously imprinted, and driven by an internal REG to manoeuvre randomly, moved significantly more often than chance toward the chicks' location, denoting a reduction in randomness in the output of the REG and suggesting psychokinesis (PK) by the birds (Peoc'h, 1995). My hypothesis, based on the results of these studies, is that a nondirectional reduction in randomness in REG production will occur specifically during the presentation of a disturbing stimulus to birds. At the same time, an observer manipulation will be introduced into the experiment, in order to explore the existence of a psi observer effect. Method The animal species used was the zebra finch (Taeni-0pygia guttata). This bird is one of the most common subjects of research in many scientific disciplines, both in the wild and in the laboratory (Zann, 1996), serving as a model for investigation in neurology, behavior development, and environmental variables that impact human health, and it also appears to be gifted with the ability for short-term precognition (Alvarez, 2010a). All subjects (80 adult male and female zebra finches) lived in two unisexual adult groups of conspecifics in 3 x 3 x 2 m aviaria near Seville, Spain, where water and food (seeds and vegetables) were supplied ad libitum. The 70 x 35 x 35 cm testing cage was provided with four perches and a TFT screen at one end, where a still background image of red tiles was always on display during the experimental sessions. During the sessions, an Orion REG device was permanently in position on the centre of the cage floor and provided the data relative to output randomness. The laptop computer controlling the presentation of the stimulus on the TFT screen and storing the information from the REG was located in an adjacent compartment and was connected to the devices by two long cables. The same scene was shown at the same time on the TFT screen beside the testing cage and on the screen of the laptop computer in the observer compartment. Three conditions were tested: (a) Bird Alone: the test was applied to 40 birds while the observer had gone away from the experimental area (5 to 25 m from the testing cage) ; (b) Bird Plus Observer: while the tests to 40 other birds were taking place, the observer (who knew in advance the time of stimulus presentation) was continuously receiving the same stimulation as the birds on a laptop screen and was intently waiting for the stimulus to appear; (c) Observer Alone: the same as in b (40 tests), but the testing cage was empty. …
Micro-PK was explored in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) to test the hypothesis of nondirectional REG randomness reduction during an alarm situation. A 15-s video clip of a crawling snake was presented to 80 participants and a REG's outcome during the presentation of the stimulus was analysed under three conditions: Bird Alone, Bird Plus Observer, and Observer Alone. One 200-bit trial was collected every quarter of a second during die presentation of the stimulus and the 5-min control period before die start of die disturbing stimulus, and the obtained cumulative chi-square deviation scores were analysed. The finding diat die scores during die stimulus period for die diree conditions belonged to the same population, their direction being die same when independently and globally analysed, togetiier with the nonsignificant difference with respect to their controls do not support die proposed hypotiiesis. However, an as yet undifferentiated psi observer effect is suggested by die global scores of die stimulus periods departing from chance while the scores of die corresponding controls did not, by die former's values surpassing die latter, and by die scores of die stimulus periods deviating from chance when die observer was present.
We have reported previously on positive effects found in the matrix experiment. This is a setup where a random event generator (REG) drives a display, which participants are instructed to “influence” at will, i.e., in a psychokinesis (PK) setup. The difference of this matrix experiment from standard micro-PK REG experiments was that the deviation from randomness was not measured, but a large array of 2025 correlations between the behavior of the participant and the behavior of the REG was tested. This previous experiment was significant, and we devised a consensus protocol, which was deposited before commencement, according to which we conducted two independent replications with the same experimental setup and equipment. In the first experiment 64 participants conducted the experiment in one location under the experimental guidance of KK, in the second experiment 40 participants conducted the experiment in another location under the experimental guidance of HV. The analysis used a non-parametric randomization test with 10,000 iterations. None of the two experiments was significant. While in the first experiment a very small, but non-significant effect was found, in the second experiment no effect whatsoever was detectable. Sensitivity analyses did not suggest that the effect was in fact there but overlooked by our analysis. We discuss the findings in the context of the larger debate around replicability of parapsychological (PSI) research results and our theoretical model. This starts from the assumptions that such PSI effects are likely effects of a generalized form of entanglement correlations, and a consequence of this model is that such effects must not be used for the transfer of signals. Classical experiments, however, are detectors or extractors of signals in or from systems. This seems to be prohibited. Thus, the replication problem and this failed replication is likely part of the systematic nature of these effects. This makes it unlikely that experimental research alone will be successful in the long run demonstrating PSI effects. Our conclusion is that the matrix experiment is not a replicable paradigm in PSI research.
Studies involving quantum-based random event generators, REGs (or RNGs), demonstrate that human subjects can influence quantum events through mental intention. However, in a long history of effort over hundreds of studies, effect sizes have remained only slightly above background noise. As proposed here, the lack of significant progress may be due to the prevailing study methodology. REG studies generally involve many subjects recruited on a shortterm basis, with all data aggregated into a single result. In contrast, the work presented here involves a single-subject design, with the subject also functioning as experimenter, undergoing a training process and using the heuristics of the experience to introspectively examine the nature of the effect. Under this framework, it becomes apparent that the timescale on which mind–matter effects occur is much shorter and more complex than previously understood, and the influence is more extensive than has been reported. These findings argue for a significant shift in REG study efforts from the domain of anomalies research (or parapsychology) to that of targeted consciousness research, with implications for neuroscience, physics, and our basic understanding of nature.
La recherche d'une meilleure compréhension de la nature est une quête éternelle pour les physiciens. Si la théorie quantique prédit la plupart des résultats expérimentaux obtenus à ce jour, son interprétation reste controversée. Au cours du siècle dernier, cela a maintenu occupés les scientifiques du monde entier, conduisant à deux théorèmes fondamentaux en information quantique : le théorème de Bell et le théorème de Kochen-Specker. D'une part, le théorème de Bell prouve que toute théorie doit être non locale et d'autre part, le théorème de Kochen-Specker examine la contextualité, une notion similaire à la non-localité sous d'autres hypothèses. La contextualité est très prometteuse et au cœur de nombreux avantages quantiques, tels que l'accélération du calcul et la communication restreinte. Cependant, fournir une vérification expérimentale convaincante de la contextualité reste complexe, car les tests sont sujets à des imperfections, appelées failles, qui affaiblissent l'argument logique. On peut citer la faille de précision finie : toute mesure réaliste est intrinsèquement bruyante ou la faille de compatibilité, où deux mesures consécutives ne sont pas mesurables conjointement. De plus, la contextualité apparaît dans divers cas, notamment dans des scénarios séquentiels où les mesures sont effectuées en séquence sur le même système. Dans ce cas, la notion de contextualité existante devient obsolète, et les hypothèses doivent être adaptées. Afin de mieux appréhender la contextualité, nous proposons deux cadres. Tout d'abord, nous assouplissons le déterminisme et l'indépendance des paramètres, qui constituent les hypothèses fondamentales de la contextualité définie par Kochen et Specker. Nous élaborons un cadre pour traiter les écarts par rapport à ces hypothèses, ce qui permet de définir une nouvelle notion de contextualité adaptée aux imperfections expérimentales. Cette notion de contextualité s'exprime par une limite sur la fraction contextuelle (une mesure de la contextualité) dont nous prouvons la continuité. Nous introduisons également la fraction de signalisation. Enfin, nous démontrons comment ce cadre peut s'appliquer à des données expérimentales avec quelques exemples. Le deuxième cadre que nous présentons concerne les scénarios séquentiels, dans lesquels les dispositifs sont placés l'un après l'autre. À la différence des scénarios de mesure standards, chaque dispositif interagit avec le système et le perturbe. C'est pourquoi, dans ce cadre, nous formalisons les caractéristiques et la contextualité des scénarios séquentiels. Aussi, nous relions la non-contextualité des scénarios séquentiels à des hypothèses physiques, de la même manière que Kochen et Specker. Sous certaines conditions, nous établissons une correspondance entre les scénarios séquentiels et les scénarios de mesure qui préserve la non-contextualité. La contextualité une caractéristique propre à la théorie quantique. Mais pour être sûr de son intérêt, il faut s'assurer de la véracité de la théorie quantique. C'est dans cette optique que le théorème de Pusey, Barrett et Rudolph (PBR) a montré que, sous des hypothèses raisonnables, chaque état pur de la théorie quantique est un élément distinct de la réalité. Ainsi, nous menons une étude préliminaire du théorème PBR et lui fournissons une structure. Ce travail se concentre également sur un élément central du théorème, la notion de chevauchement. À partir de cette notion, nous parvenons à de nouvelles définitions et à une nouvelle compréhension du chevauchement. Cette étude ouvre la voie à d'autres directions de recherche à partir du théorème PBR. Enfin, nous complétons cette thèse par un paquet Python open source, disponible sur GitHub et PyPi. L'objectif de ce paquet est de fournir un outil accessible à tous et toutes dans le domaine de la contextualité. Nous présentons donc son utilisation et son utilité au travers d'exemples et de documentation.