The Clairvoyant Megathread- all discussion in here please

[pmurtdlanod1]

You will likely find that the 'psychic' gives the information in the form of questions, which means they're not actually giving information but receiving information (cold reading). For example, instead of saying "Your grandmother died recently" they would ask "your grandmother.." and watch for a response.

 

If the victim looks curious or indifferent it can be deduced that the grandmother is probably still alive. If the victim looks suddenly hopeful, it can be deduced that the grandmother is likely either deceased or in ill health. The victim may have even jumped the gun and said something like "Oh! She died last year and we were all so sad..", thus freely giving the 'psychic' some bonus info.

 

This person will go away remembering that the 'psychic' had correctly known that the grandmother had died, when in actual fact nothing of the sort had happened.

 

yes i know all about the reverse psychology and cold reading, my daughter says she didnt give any info and was very bland in any answers, she doesnt live in the uk and the woman told her exactly where she lived?????? a lucky guess? unlikely, ok i will book and see what happens bearing in mind what has been said on here might be waste of money but interesting, might get my money back if its a load of ****!

[RootsBooster]

yes i know all about the reverse psychology and cold reading, my daughter says she didnt give any info and was very bland in any answers, she doesnt live in the uk and the woman told her exactly where she lived?????? a lucky guess? unlikely, ok i will book and see what happens bearing in mind what has been said on here might be waste of money but interesting, might get my money back if its a load of ****!

If you know all about cold reading you'll understand why your daughter thinks she didn't gave away any info.

[Mossway]

Am I a Clairvoyant ? I ask the question because I always look forward to this thread being bumped up on this forum ? Actually No, I didn't know it was bumped up until I logged on. Are they charlatans ? I think like many cynics on this thread that it's all a 'con'

[Robin-H]

yes i know all about the reverse psychology and cold reading, my daughter says she didnt give any info and was very bland in any answers, she doesnt live in the uk and the woman told her exactly where she lived?????? a lucky guess? unlikely, ok i will book and see what happens bearing in mind what has been said on here might be waste of money but interesting, might get my money back if its a load of ****!

 

You just have to ask yourself what is more logical. That the person giving the reading was able to pick up things your daughter did not realise she was revealing (which most good cold readers are trained to do), or that it was indeed just a lucky guess, or alternatively that the person your daughter saw was the first case in the history of humanity that someone has be proven to be an actual psychic.

[Guest]

yes i know all about the reverse psychology and cold reading, my daughter says she didnt give any info and was very bland in any answers, she doesnt live in the uk and the woman told her exactly where she lived?????? a lucky guess? unlikely, ok i will book and see what happens bearing in mind what has been said on here might be waste of money but interesting, might get my money back if its a load of ****!

When 'psychics' are placed under controlled conditions - conditions which eliminate the possibility of direct or indirect feedback from the subject - the accuracy of their readings is significantly reduced. See here and here for an example of such a test from a few years ago.

 

If consideration of psychological factors, like why people only remember the 'hits' and not the (generally more frequent) 'misses' of a reading, don't convince you, ask yourself why the information received in a reading seldom goes much beyond the 'I have someone here whose name begins with a T, he sends his love to someone called Jane (or it might be Jan or John)'. Why aren't the people who claim to be in touch with dead people not having a chat about what it's like to sit on a cloud and pluck away on a harp all day? Or where Great Uncle Bob buried the missing fortune that all the relatives have been searching for?

 

Go and see a stage magician/mentalist. You'll see cold reading demonstrated honestly, along with a few more entertaining magic tricks. It really is a fascinating skill.

[pmurtdlanod1]

If you know all about cold reading you'll understand why your daughter thinks she didn't gave away any info.

 

i understand that but getting names and specific places right first time??

intriguing! like i said i am the biggest skeptic to call BS but this is interesting:suspect: i will go and let you know what happens

[kidley]

This should put it to bed once and for all

 

http://skepdic.com/randi.html

[Robin-H]

i understand that but getting names and specific places right first time??

intriguing! like i said i am the biggest skeptic to call BS but this is interesting:suspect: i will go and let you know what happens

 

To believe this clairvoyant was actually psychic means you have to accept that this is the first case in recorded history of someone having psychic ability.

 

Psychic powers have never before been proven when tested under scientific conditions, where the ability for cold reading is removed, leaving only the possibility of genuine mystical abilities.

 

If this is the case, you should get them to win the $1,000,000 James Randi Foundation Prize. It would also of course change the world as it would mean everything we think we know would have to be rewritten.

[RootsBooster]

i understand that but getting names and specific places right first time??

intriguing! like i said i am the biggest skeptic to call BS but this is interesting:suspect: i will go and let you know what happens

 

Be aware, then, that this 'psychic' now has information about you also. You will not be anonymous.

[mojoa]

Can anyone recommend a good spiritual medium in Sheffield? Thanks!