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.
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.
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. …
A psychokinetic (PK) effect--a mental influence on the outcome of chance processes--was first reported by Louisa and J. B. Rhine (Rhine & Rhine, 1943) from experiments with dice. Through the introduction of electronic random number generators based on quantum randomness (Schmidt, 1971), the experiments became more easily accessible and even more challenging to physicists. Today, a large number of successful PK experiments with random number generators have been reported (Radin & Nelson, 1989). It has not yet been possible, however, to stabilize and strengthen the statistically weak effects so that they can be easily demonstrated on demand. The discovery of PK effects on prerecorded random events (Schmidt, 1976) did not make the gathering of data less arduous, but it permitted the inclusion of independent observers who, with little investment of time and effort, could obtain first-hand evidence for any PK effects that might occur. All five experiments to be discussed here included such independent observers. PK Tests with Prerecorded Events and Independent Observers In a typical PK experiment, a random number generator produces a binary random sequence that the subject tries to bias in a certain manner. Let us take, for example, the case where the random generator produces in each test run a sequence of 100 binary events displayed as a sequence of 100 red (for a 0-bit) and green (for a 1-bit) light flashes, while the subject is instructed to mentally enforce the appearance of more red than green flashes. The sequence of red and green signals is stored on floppy disk, and a score that is measured by the difference between the numbers of red and green signals is displayed and recorded at the end of the run. The arrangement for an experiment with prerecorded random events is similar, but there is a time delay between the generation of the random events and their display to the subject. First, the random signals for a large number of test runs are generated and recorded on floppy disk. Days or months later, the stored signals are translated by the computer into a corresponding sequence of red and green light flashes while the subject tries to mentally enforce the appearance of more red than green signals. Experiments have shown that selected subjects can succeed in this arrangement (Schmidt, 1976, 1987), provided that the prerecorded events have not been inspected by anybody before the subject makes the PK effort. To let an independent observer participate in the experiment, we prerecord the bit sequences for all test runs planned for the experiment, and we let a computer make a printout of the scores for all the test runs. Being careful that nobody can observe the scores, we send a sealed copy of the printout to the independent observer. Leaving the printout sealed, the independent observer randomly specifies for each test run whether the subject's PK effort should be aimed at a high score (excess of red signals in the example) or a low score (excess of green signals). In the subsequent PK test sessions, the subject follows for each test run the independent observer's assignments, aiming for an excess of red or green signals, respectively. At the end of the experiment, the independent observer opens the sealed printouts. If the subject's effort was successful, the independent observer can confirm this first-hand by a tendency of the scores to point in the directions (positive or negative) that he had randomly specified. Because the independent observer had randomly assigned the directions, he or she can be certain that no such systematic tendency should occur (in the absence of the claimed anomaly). Using an appropriate statistical method, the independent observer can assess the significance of such a tendency without having to consider the reliability of the experimenter and his procedures. Test Arrangement with Distant Subjects The five experiments under discussion followed this general outline with minor variations. …
PK experiments with prerecorded targets (Schmidt, 1976) are interesting because they suggest a variety of new test arrangements to study the basic PK mechanism. In addition, they permit the inclusion of independent observers who, with little time investment, can obtain first-hand evidence of any anomalous effects that may occur. Four such experiments with different independent observers, different subject populations, and minor variations have been performed previously (Schmidt & Braud, 1993; Schmidt, Morris, & Hardin, 1990; Schmidt, Morris, & Rudolph, 1986; Schmidt & Schlitz, 1988) with the first author as main experimenter and the other one or two authors acting as independent observers. The results of PK experiments with prerecorded random events appear most interesting and most puzzling because the subject's mental effort is made long after the random events to be affected have occurred. One tentative viewpoint (Schmidt, 1978; Walker, 1979) is that the subject's mental effort could act backward to the time when the random events were generated and recorded. This would imply a noncausal mechanism in the sense that the effect (the biasing of the random events) occurs before the cause (the mental effort). It might be this element of noncausality that makes psychic phenomena so intuitively implausible and at odds with the known principles of physics. Another viewpoint (Schmidt, 1982) is based on the quantum theoretical notion that there is no if there is no observer. Thus, the decisions of the random generator might become reality only when the subject observes the outcome during the test session. The subject's effort would not have to act into the past because the decision on the outcome would not yet be made until the subject received feedback during the PK test session. In this case, a preobservation of the recorded events should inhibit the subject's success, because the preobservation would make the random decisions real so that the subject's subsequent mental effort would come too late. For this reason it seemed particularly interesting to conduct an experiment in which half of the prerecorded random events had been preinspected so that one could compare the possible PK effects on the preobserved and not-observed events. One previous study (Schmidt, 1985) has indicated an inhibition of the PK effect by preobservation. In view of the central role of the question, however, further studies of the preobservation effect seem most important. In this and the four previous studies, the question of highest priority was whether a PK effect could be demonstrated under tightly controlled conditions. Because preobservation might inhibit the PK effect, we decided in advance to base the possible evidence for the existence of PK only on the results from the not-preobserved events. Although the independent observer was somewhat skeptical about the existence of PK, he was very interested in a possible preobservation effect because of its possible implications for quantum theory. Our subject pool consisted primarily of martial arts students as a matter of practical convenience. This population was relatively easily accessible and one that the experimenter had not yet explored. No attempt was made, however, to compare martial arts training and skill with PK performance systematically. METHOD The study was structured into 20 units such that a unit could be considered as a mini-experiment. Each unit was subdivided into 100 blocks of binary data. The sequence of binary data in each block determined two partial results, an even result and an odd result, arising from the even- or odd-numbered bits in the sequence. The partial results were defined so that by inverting the bits in the sequence (interchanging 1s and 0s) the signs of the partial results were inverted. In following the procedure for each unit, the experimenter used a true random generator to record the random bit-sequences for the 100 blocks on floppy disk. …
The zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) belongs to the most populous bird order (the perching birds or Passeriformes) and is having its genome sequenced. Stapley et al. have created a linkage map of the zebra finch and compared it to that of the distantly related chicken (Galliformes). There was extensive synteny, or conservation of genes on the same chromosomes, indicative of a low amount of interchromosomal rearrangement between bird orders. However, a number of intrachromosomal differences were found between the zebra finch, reed warbler (another Passerine), and chicken, especially on the five macrochromosomes, suggesting that gene order is not conserved even among close relatives. A comparison of recombination rates reveals that chickens have high rates relative to other birds whereas reed warblers experience less recombination. — LMZ
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.