do psychics read minds through the eyes?

[TruthSeeker]

Interesting study described in the local paper's weekly science column by Jay Ingram

The investigators describe their results in the latest issue of the journal Brain and Cognition. They used a test called Reading the Mind in the Eyes.

In it, you are shown sets of eyes and asked to identify the mental state of the person. Its inventors describe it as a test of social sensitivity. Are these eyes signifying anger, hostility or interest?

The team administered the test to 22 psychics and a control group, and they threw in a couple of other tests that measure empathy and fantasy, defined as the tendency to "identify with fictional characters." The results surprised everyone, especially the researchers.

The psychics did no better on the Reading the Mind from the Eyes test than did the controls. So much for their ability to see through the eyes into the soul of their subjects.

However, the psychics did stand out from the rest in one respect: They scored much higher on the fantasy scale — they are more comfortable living in an imaginary world than the rest of us.

Interesting interpretation offered:

The fact that the psychics scored high in fantasy will simply reinforce the skeptical view that the psychics are living in a dream world, imagining themselves to be psychic.

In the skeptics' eyes, psychics just do what they've always done: spin stories that, most of the time, aren't true.

Psychics, on the other hand, will welcome the study. It shows that they don't need to rely on cheap tricks like reading people's eyes. They do what they've always done: tune in to the other world. In fact, most would argue that they don't even have to be with the person that they are reading.

The high fantasy scores will, I'm sure, be interpreted as a hint that psychics are living on the edge of this humdrum world that the rest of us inhabit, that is, close to other worlds that we can't even imagine.

So, in other words, he seems to be saying that the psychics may be able to use these data to say they are no better at cold reading than anyone else. Interesting.

I'll see if I can track down the actual study.

 

[clarsct]

There is more to body language than eyes and more to cold reading than body language. Pictures of eyes do not convey to me the impressions I get of people by looking directly into their eyes. I had not heard of cold reading before coming to this site, though it did occur to me that John Edward's assertions were quite vague, he made a bunch of them, and he was wrong a lot. As I learned more, I realized that I do a version of 'cold reading' in my everyday life. I'm a pretty good judge of people. I can usually tell when someone is lying to me, though not always. I have convinced people that I was reading their minds. I did this for my own amusement, not for profit, but I could do it. I was always amazed what some shrewd guesses and cheap theatrics could get people to believe. I learned, over time, that this is 'cold reading', although probably a crude form compared to what, say, Randi could do. So some of these psychics are probably what Randi refers to as the 'innocently self-deluded'. And this study may, indeed, convince a few of them that they couldn't possibly be 'cold reading'. But it is exactly what they're doing.

I'm just not sure you could tell from pictures of the eyes alone. People give away more than they know. (myself included)

 

[Kiless]

I have a few books - one is 'How to persuade people who don't want to be persuaded' - mostly about marketing. Another (Influence; psychology of persuasion) is also along the lines of persuasion and techniques used to manipulate. Got them after reading Banachek's site from a second-hand store, they're not bad. But there's a variety of ways; I certainly wouldn't claim the eyes were the most useful way to make a reading of someone. I think it was an episode of Bull#$&# that had someone fail to read that the person they had a picture of was a serial killer.... apparently he had such nice eyes.....

 

[clarsct]

Which is how you lure the vic...erm women in...

Oh...erm....sorry...nevermind. Pay no attention.


Seriously, though. Advertising guys are evil evil evil. I've read some on this. EVIL! We're approaching a time where people simply aren't savvy enough to discern the ◊◊◊◊ from the Shinola anymore. It's kinda sad. Which is why I'm glad for the people in this forum. It's a start.

 

[Ceinwyn]

Which is how you lure the vic...erm women in...

Oh...erm....sorry...nevermind. Pay no attention.


Seriously, though. Advertising guys are evil evil evil. I've read some on this. EVIL! We're approaching a time where people simply aren't savvy enough to discern the ◊◊◊◊ from the Shinola anymore. It's kinda sad. Which is why I'm glad for the people in this forum. It's a start.

I work in advertising, I'm a graphic designer. I mostly design images in order to drag people into the depths of depravity. In fact, every assignment I get, I ask "does this consist of murder and mutilation?" If they say no, I turn it down.

So you see, it's up to you to stop me from my insane scribblings in viscous puddles, so thick... so deep...I -- it erases stains from blood and matter and all kinds of dirt you can't get out of your carpet. Try Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for all your cleaning needs!

Thanks for your support.

 

[clarsct]

Mind you, I wasn't necessarily attacking a specific person. But it's amazing to me how some advertising types can make people want just about anything. How, at $2.00+ a gallon, your average American can be made to WANT a SUV that gets gas mileage so poor it's almost measured in gallons per mile. I know, I know, you can't "MAKE" someone want something, literally. But some of the things that can be done are akin to mind control, at least to an outside observer. Maybe I should have said "Some of those Advertising guys are insidious." Better?

 

[Kiless]

I LOVE advertising. It reflects so much about human nature, psychology, art, allusions in society, uses wit, irony, photography, print design... just everything. And the best thing is, I get to use it in classes and have kids just rip it apart and find out about exactly HOW it does manipulate and persuade and they question the motives and their own stance and why they are being lured or why they reject it and look at their own values.... and then they they design their own... and realise it's not as easy as they thought it was.... Truly, modern art.