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OPINIONS: A Cold Reading

Legend

Focu Meu!
Legend
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
10,609
This is an online cold reading I gave to a friend of mine. I wanted opinions and ways to make it better.

NOTE: The following looks long, but it's merely the formatting.

Alex says:
Are you an only child?
Alex says:
You are, aren't you
Dylan says:
Yeah
Alex says:
Your mother, she has blonde hair doesn't she?
Dylan says:
Yeah
Alex says:
Now, does she work?
Dylan says:
Yeah
Alex says:
What as, like a secretary or something involved with typing or writing?
Dylan says:
Financial stuff, so yeah a fair bit of typing.
Alex says:
I thought so.
Alex says:
Your father has an odd sort of job?
Alex says:
He's like an engineer or something along those lines?
Dylan says:
Yeah
Alex says:
Indeed, and he has an hobby that he's really passionate about?
Dylan says:
Yeah
Alex says:
Or more than one hobby?
Alex says:
And it's nothing like collecting is it?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Didn't think so.
Dylan says:
Well it does partly involve collecting.
Alex says:
Nothing too much though.
Dylan says:
Not really.
Alex says:
Is there an M in your family?
Alex says:
Like a grandparent or cousin...
Dylan says:
A couple
Alex says:
Thought so.
Alex says:
Michael?
Dylan says:
And Mary
Alex says:
Indeed,
Alex says:
But Mary isn't young is she?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Michael
Alex says:
Who is this, Michael?
Dylan says:
Uncle
Alex says:
Do you call him Uncle Mike?
Alex says:
or Michael?
Dylan says:
No
Dylan says:
I don’t call him.
Dylan says:
It has never come up.
Alex says:
Okay, he related to your dad?
Alex says:
Or on your dad's side?
Dylan says:
Yeah
Alex says:
Thought so.
Alex says:
Your dad and him are close, yeah?
Dylan says:
No.
Alex says:
There not...
Alex says:
Explain?
Alex says:
If you want.
Alex says:
You don't have to though....
Dylan says:
Talks to him occasionally, but live on opposite sides of Australia.
Alex says:
Oh okay...so not physically close?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Were they close in childhood at all...?
Dylan says:
I don’t know, probably.
Alex says:
They shared something; I just can't put my finger on it.
Alex says:
Mary?
Alex says:
Tell me about her.
Alex says:
Blonde hair?
Alex says:
Or white...
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
So she must be brunette?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
What's left?
Dylan says:
Grey
Alex says:
Well, that's what I meant with white!
Dylan says:
Ha!
Alex says:
You don't see her too often...
Alex says:
It's too hard to?
Dylan says:
No, see her reasonably frequently.
Alex says:
Frequently?
Dylan says:
Every couple of weeks
Alex says:
That's not reasonably frequently!
Alex says:
Haha!
Dylan says:
It is for me.
Alex says:
Your mother's mum?
Dylan says:
I don’t see half my friends for months at a time.
Alex says:
I see
Dylan says:
Every few weeks is pretty damn frequent in my life.
Alex says:
Indeed
Alex says:
The numbers 4 and 6 are strong with you in some way.
Alex says:
Where do you live?
Dylan says:
Hmmm thought so!
Alex says:
Which number do you live at?
Dylan says:
16
Alex says:
There's the six.
Alex says:
What about 4?
Alex says:
You don't have a lucky number do you?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
You once played an instrument and quit?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Do you play an instrument?
Dylan says:
Several
Alex says:
There was something that you were getting into that you quit about three or four years back?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Nothing?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Okay...
Alex says:
At the moment
Alex says:
There is truly something which you're getting into.
Alex says:
Not really a hobby,
Alex says:
But more of an enjoyable thing to do,
Alex says:
That's capturing your interest?
Alex says:
Well, more than one really.
Alex says:
That four...
Alex says:
Which road to you live at?
Alex says:
R.....
Dylan says:
Dampiera
Alex says:
Haha!
Alex says:
Strange!
Alex says:
Don't know why!
Alex says:
Your dad doesn't like driving at night by the way.
Dylan says:
Yes he does.
Alex says:
He enjoys it?
Dylan says:
I wouldn’t say enjoy, but he doesn’t dislike it.
Alex says:
He does.
Alex says:
Trust me
Alex says:
There's something that's just come to me.
Alex says:
Are you scared of becoming bald?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Well good,
Alex says:
I think it might be a problem down the track.
Dylan says:
Just a bald spot,
Dylan says:
Not total.
Alex says:
If you were stranded on an island,
Alex says:
You think you could survive don't you?
Alex says:
You know your way around situations like that?
Dylan says:
Easily
Alex says:
And one last thing:
Alex says:
You’re a very devoted person who doesn't like to give up easily, you also see yourself as someone who is fairly friendly and can make friends easily.
Alex says:
You also have a good perception of other people.
Dylan says:
Most of that is true.
Alex says:
Dylan
Alex says:
Thank you for your time.

Thanks,
Alex.
 
Random suggestions...

You say, "I thought so" a lot. Say "Yeah" followed by repeating something they just told you instead - "Yeah, I see lots of typing" or "Yeah, something other than collecting."

Sprinkle in some misses on his part in order to make it look like you are getting specific information. For example, when you asked about M and he said, "a couple" you could say, "this is an older woman." Or if he had volunteered "Michael" you could say, "no, it's a woman."

Make your opening guesses more open and then repeat the specifics back to him.

A: I see light around your mother's head. What colour is her hair?
D: She had blonde hair.
A: Yeah, her hair colour is light.

A number of your guesses provided several options and you followed up on the one he picked out the list. You could also make sure that you offer contradictory choices so that one has to be correct.

A: I see a closeness between your father and your Uncle Mike, but there is also a physical or emotional separation.
D: Mike is my father's brother, but he lives far away from us.
A: Yeah, the separation is physical.

If you've made a wrong guess, instead of trying to make his information fit (and run the risk of failing), change what you said (like you did with guessing Mary's hair colour) or make it a future guess - "Yeah, you see her frequently, it's someone else you don't see." "Oh, you will quit one of those instruments, then."

Linda
 
Do you call him Uncle Mike?
I don’t call him.
Your dad and him are close, yeah?

You found out your friend and his uncle are not close at all. Almost a given that his Dad is not close to Uncle Mike either.

Forumite Andrew Endersby has an article on CFLarsen's Blog, SkepticReport.com. The page is called Try the Psychic Dice. Link.
I think the psychic dice is (are?) really cool.

Also check out the Forer effect. Link. the link gives a good example that you could easily work into your cold reading.

Now for some more shilling for Derren Brown's book, Tricks of the Mind. It has an excellent piece about cold reading. Tons of other good stuff too.

Love and light.
AgeGap
 
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fls said:
Random suggestions...

You say, "I thought so" a lot. Say "Yeah" followed by repeating something they just told you instead - "Yeah, I see lots of typing" or "Yeah, something other than collecting."

Sprinkle in some misses on his part in order to make it look like you are getting specific information. For example, when you asked about M and he said, "a couple" you could say, "this is an older woman." Or if he had volunteered "Michael" you could say, "no, it's a woman."

Make your opening guesses more open and then repeat the specifics back to him.

A: I see light around your mother's head. What colour is her hair?
D: She had blonde hair.
A: Yeah, her hair colour is light.

A number of your guesses provided several options and you followed up on the one he picked out the list. You could also make sure that you offer contradictory choices so that one has to be correct.

A: I see a closeness between your father and your Uncle Mike, but there is also a physical or emotional separation.
D: Mike is my father's brother, but he lives far away from us.
A: Yeah, the separation is physical.

If you've made a wrong guess, instead of trying to make his information fit (and run the risk of failing), change what you said (like you did with guessing Mary's hair colour) or make it a future guess - "Yeah, you see her frequently, it's someone else you don't see." "Oh, you will quit one of those instruments, then."

Linda
Click to expand...

Linda's guide on how even a poor physician can appear competent in front of a patient.;)
 
CFLarsen said:
Why the need to make it "better"?
Click to expand...

For future readings. Plus, being the intelligent people you are, I respect your opinions.

paximperium said:
How can it be "cold" when you know your friend already?
Click to expand...

I'm sorry I worded that incorrectly. He's someone I...know. Not a friend, just someone at school.

fls said:
Random suggestions...

You say, "I thought so" a lot. Say "Yeah" followed by repeating something they just told you instead - "Yeah, I see lots of typing" or "Yeah, something other than collecting."

Sprinkle in some misses on his part in order to make it look like you are getting specific information. For example, when you asked about M and he said, "a couple" you could say, "this is an older woman." Or if he had volunteered "Michael" you could say, "no, it's a woman."

Make your opening guesses more open and then repeat the specifics back to him.

A: I see light around your mother's head. What colour is her hair?
D: She had blonde hair.
A: Yeah, her hair colour is light.

A number of your guesses provided several options and you followed up on the one he picked out the list. You could also make sure that you offer contradictory choices so that one has to be correct.

A: I see a closeness between your father and your Uncle Mike, but there is also a physical or emotional separation.
D: Mike is my father's brother, but he lives far away from us.
A: Yeah, the separation is physical.

If you've made a wrong guess, instead of trying to make his information fit (and run the risk of failing), change what you said (like you did with guessing Mary's hair colour) or make it a future guess - "Yeah, you see her frequently, it's someone else you don't see." "Oh, you will quit one of those instruments, then."

Linda
Click to expand...

Thanks heaps, Linda. I read through everything twice. As for the reason I tried to make it fit, it was intended as a push statement.

ALSO (random note): This guy does not believe in psychics and I presented myself as a skeptic wanting to reveal a psychic's methodology when "reading" a subject.

AgeGap said:
Do you call him Uncle Mike?
I don’t call him.
Your dad and him are close, yeah?

You found out your friend and his uncle are not close at all. Almost a given that his Dad is not close to Uncle Mike either.

Forumite Andrew Endersby has an article on CFLarsen's Blog, SkepticReport.com. The page is called Try the Psychic Dice. Link.
I think the psychic dice is (are?) really cool.

Also check out the Forer effect. Link. the link gives a good example that you could easily work into your cold reading.

Now for some more shilling for Derren Brown's book, Tricks of the Mind. It has an excellent piece about cold reading. Tons of other good stuff too.

Love and light.
AgeGap
Click to expand...

Thanks for everything. The links are great and thanks for taking the time. Much appreciated.

Alex.
 
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It’s okay. For the first guess “Are you an only child?” if you said “Are you the only son?” you’d increase your odds of a hit, without seeming less impressive.

Otherwise, not bad.

And thanks for the plug on the psychic dice, AgeGap.
 
If and when you use you cold reading superpowers for evil, don't blame the JREF...blame fls for the evil she unleashed.
 
Legend said:
Thanks heaps, Linda. I read through everything twice. As for the reason I tried to make it fit, it was intended as a push statement.

ALSO (random note): This guy does not believe in psychics and I presented myself as a skeptic wanting to reveal a psychic's methodology when "reading" a subject.
Click to expand...

As Ersby reminded me, I should also have stated that overall it was well-done and that my suggestions were relatively minor tweaks (I refuse to take the bulk of the blame credit for unleashing evil :)).

I think one of the cool things you can demonstrate to others is that you don't have to be a believer to find these results compelling. You just have to be unfamiliar with cold-reading so you don't know what to look for.

Linda
 
Hopefully you have no intention of using this to drift into the area of dead relatives. Even if you confess afterwards that you made it all up from guesses and responses, it doesn't change the fact you mess with people's memories of the dead. If you successfully make those "connections" and have the sitter believing you are really corresponding with people who've "crossed over", then you can do damage by hitting them with the truth afterwards. It is as callous as claiming to be psychic (in my opinion)

But you didn't say you were going to mess with the dead so hopefully that's irrelevant.

I agree with fls about too many "thought so" replies. This implies guessing. The reality of a psychic reading is that "you KNOW so" - you're telling him, or so he thinks. You could try the "because" response:

A: What as, like a secretary or something involved with typing or writing?
D: Financial stuff, so yeah a fair bit of typing.
A: I thought so. Because I can see a keyboard and some accounting books.

This reinforces the "typing" guess then adds in "accounting" which you never guessed in the first place but were given.

On the question of how often he sees Mary, your argument was silly. Seeing someone every two weeks is pretty darned frequent if they aren't immediate family :) You could have tried something like:

A: You don't see her too often... It's too hard to?
D: No, see her reasonably frequently.
A: That's not reasonably frequently! She doesn't think it's frequent enough, give her a call tomorrow :) I'm getting the number four pretty strongly (note quick change of subject)

This is friendly, non-confronting and if he laughs, it will be with you, not at you.

By "receiving" two numbers you double your chances that one is right. If you get one right you could probably just leave the other one alone rather than mention it again and risk undoing the previous hit with a miss. If you're really lucky, an opportunity will arise later where you can say "ahh, that's the number four I was getting earlier".

Note that I've never cold-read so this is opinion based on reading, listening and watching and I haven't done either for very long.

So, where and how are you doing this? Chat room or something? Please don't see dead people.
 
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Legend, happy to help.


Ersby said:
And thanks for the plug on the psychic dice, AgeGap.
Click to expand...

I'll always plug it, I think it is brilliant. Not that everything you write is good.
These days brick and hat have been replaced by a pile of leaves......
Click to expand...

You are vile.:D
 
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AndyD said:
Hopefully you have no intention of using this to drift into the area of dead relatives. Even if you confess afterwards that you made it all up from guesses and responses, it doesn't change the fact you mess with people's memories of the dead. If you successfully make those "connections" and have the sitter believing you are really corresponding with people who've "crossed over", then you can do damage by hitting them with the truth afterwards. It is as callous as claiming to be psychic (in my opinion)

But you didn't say you were going to mess with the dead so hopefully that's irrelevant.

I agree with fls about too many "thought so" replies. This implies guessing. The reality of a psychic reading is that "you KNOW so" - you're telling him, or so he thinks. You could try the "because" response:

A: What as, like a secretary or something involved with typing or writing?
D: Financial stuff, so yeah a fair bit of typing.
A: I thought so. Because I can see a keyboard and some accounting books.

This reinforces the "typing" guess then adds in "accounting" which you never guessed in the first place but were given.

On the question of how often he sees Mary, your argument was silly. Seeing someone every two weeks is pretty darned frequent if they aren't immediate family :) You could have tried something like:

A: You don't see her too often... It's too hard to?
D: No, see her reasonably frequently.
A: That's not reasonably frequently! She doesn't think it's frequent enough, give her a call tomorrow :) I'm getting the number four pretty strongly (note quick change of subject)

This is friendly, non-confronting and if he laughs, it will be with you, not at you.

By "receiving" two numbers you double your chances that one is right. If you get one right you could probably just leave the other one alone rather than mention it again and risk undoing the previous hit with a miss. If you're really lucky, an opportunity will arise later where you can say "ahh, that's the number four I was getting earlier".

Note that I've never cold-read so this is opinion based on reading, listening and watching and I haven't done either for very long.

So, where and how are you doing this? Chat room or something? Please don't see dead people.
Click to expand...

Thanks a million AndyD. As I did with Linda's message, I also read through your's twice.

You raised really nice points.

As for the seeing "dead people", that idea is never going to be touched. EVER. I could never look at someone seriously and tell them their dead father is standing behind them telling them he's proud of them.

I was doing this over MSN by the way. It was hard which was why it wasn't the best, and that's why I'm here.

All opinions appreciated.
Alex.
 
My interpretation of many of the reads I've seen is that it's wise to speak in vague pictures rather than explicit details. This is where things like "I'm seeing a birthday cake" come in useful. It's much more likely to hit than either "it's your birthday soon" or "who's birthday is it?". Offer an "imaginary" reason for some of your guesses either before the guess or after.

This can also prove useful for misses. It's not your fault you were wrong, that's what the energy (or whatever your chosen informant is) is showing you. So, if it's no one's birthday, you only said it because you're seeing the cake. This is where you can put it back on the sitter to check that detail out since it must be someone's birthday otherwise you wouldn't be "seeing" it. Then change subject.
 
Lots of articles on cold reading here:

11 Techniques To Talk To The Dead, Part 1
Analysis of Transcript Excerpts of James Van Praagh (JVP) "readings" done on the "Larry King Live" show.

11 Techniques To Talk To The Dead, Part 2
Continuing examination of techniques possibly used by "psychic mediums" in their performances, this time of 19 of John Edward "readings" done on the "Larry King Live" show.

11 Techniques To Talk To The Dead, Part 3
Continuing examination of techniques possibly used by "psychic mediums" in their performances, this time of some of Sylvia Browne's "readings" done on the "Larry King Live" show.

Birds Of A Feather: A "Special Hit" Does Not Hold Water
One of the most touted readings by John Edward is the "Feather at Niagara Falls". It is pulled out whenever John Edward-believers want to prove that John Edward is a real genuine medium. It turns out that the evidence is not so convincing after all.

Cold Reading: Confessions Of A Psychic
A diligent channel surfer should notice a new trend in TV talk shows: psychic guests supposedly channeling the dead relatives of audience members, often conveying information they could not possibly have known in advance. Can psychics really divine the future by speaking to the dead, or do they, as skeptics insist, just use an old magician's parlour trick called "cold reading"?

Graham Bishop: One Lousy Cold Reader
Graham Bishop is a self-proclaimed "spiritual teacher, trance medium, trance healer and medium". He is also one lousy cold reader.

Great Hits & Misses Of Psychic John Edward
A collection of some of the greatest hits and spectacular misses of this television psychic.

How John Edward Got Two "Special Hits"
One of the most frequent arguments heard from believers in psychic medium John Edward is that he is real because he gets those "special hits": A lot of precise information, seemingly from out of the blue, which he did not get from the cold-reading techniques he usually employs.

The Many Contradictions Of John Edward
This illustrates with wondrous clarity the many contradictions that John Edward manages to contain within his "message".

Medium Terry Evans
Terry Evans is mainly known in Sweden for his participation as a medium in the programs "A Sense of Murder". This is a transcript of one of his seances. There is absolutely no evidence of spirit communication. There is, however, ample evidence of cold reading techniques.

Talking The John Edward Blues
John Edward is a supposed psychic who has written best selling books and has a syndicated TV show of his own: Crossing Over with John Edward. An analysis of his readings show that he is using cold reading techniques.

Readings From A Chatroom
Three astrologers are tested, with the expected result.
 
WOW.

I seriously cannot thank you enough. That's amazing.

Thanks a million for taking the time to do that, and I assure you that all links will be read thoroughly.

Cheers,
Alex.
 
I do have that as an "ebook" and some other ebooks on the matter.

Thanks though,
Alex.
 
Hi Legend,

Sorry for the late reply to this e-mail, but I only just saw it. I think you did very well. My two cents to add, though, are:

1. Like with other suggestions about using imagery and working from general to specifics, rather than starting with:

Legend said:
Alex says:
Are you an only child?
Alex says:
You are, aren't you
Dylan says:
Yeah
Click to expand...


I would have gone with imagery that widens the field. For example:

Alex says:
The first thing I see, is a small boy standing alone. A solitary boy. Are you the only son in your family?
Alex says:
You are, aren't you
Dylan says:
Yeah

At this point, if Dylan had said 'no', you could change direction, by saying that you sense there were times, while growing up, when he felt very alone or emotionally detached from those around him. That is what the image of the solitary child means.

In affect, your misses are merely your misinterpretation of the images you are sensing, rather than a lack of psychic ability. Like with AndyD's example of a birthday cake, although I prefer 'cake', which could then lead into the question of some sort of celebration, birthday or wedding, again widening the field.


2. Although I think you did fine here:


Legend said:
Alex says:
Is there an M in your family?
Alex says:
Like a grandparent or cousin...
Dylan says:
A couple
Alex says:
Thought so.
Click to expand...


I find it more convincing to lead in a certain direction with family when providing multiple options. Rather than say 'grandparent or cousin', I prefer 'an older figure, like a parent, grandparent or uncle' or 'a figure to the side, like a brother or cousin'. Again, in line with imagery, it seems that you are just seeing someone who looks older or looks roughly the same age, etc.


3. With the instrument questioning:


Legend said:
Alex says:
You once played an instrument and quit?
Dylan says:
No
Alex says:
Do you play an instrument?
Dylan says:
Several
Click to expand...


I agree with the previous poster who suggested turning it into a future prediction.


Other than those few minor things, I think you did a fantastic job.
 
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