Thesis (B.A. Hons. 1975) from the Department of Psychology, University of Adelaide.

No description available.

Thesis (B.A.(Hons.))-- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Psychology, 1980.

Thesis (B.A. (Hons.)) from the Department of Psychology, University of Adelaide, 1976.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Notre Dame, 2004. / Thesis directed by George S. Howard for the Department of Psychology. "November 2004." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-49).

The aims of this investigation were firstly to find whether 371 subjects, mainly students at Rhodes University, would be able to reproduce target drawings made 470 miles away by an agent in Cape Town, by means of General Extra-Sensory Perception; secondly, to find whether any association existed between any such hit scoring ability shown and personality ratings derived from a battery of personality test material; and thirdly, to find whether providing the subjects with material designed to link them more closely with the agent would increase their scoring rate. The 17,440 drawings returned by the subjects were randomised, and scored against a randomised set of 100 drawings consisting of 50 which had actually been used as targets, intermixed with 50 that were equal in difficulty but which had not been used as targets, and which were inserted merely as controls. Three independent judges assessed the subjects' drawings, and awarded hits in terms of title, shape and association. In the crucial title hits highly significant deviations in favour of the experimental target drawings were found, the control series of drawings showing no such effects. It was found that the subjects' hits were distributed evenly throughout the whole 25 day period of the experiment for each target, and showed no tendency to occur more frequently in the week a particular drawing was being used as a target than in the other weeks when it was not. When the subjects were divided into a high scoring and low-scoring group in terms of their E.S. P. abiility, the high- scoring group proved to be significantly more extraverted (as measured by the Bernreuter B3I scale) than the low- scoring group, confirming a relationship previously reported by Humphrey. In addition the data showed several other relationships, predicted by the work of previous experimenters, although these did not reach the .01 level of statistical significance. To assess the effect of the Linkage Material the subjects were divided into an experimental and a control group. The Experimental Group was supplied with correct Linkage Material, the Control Group with incorrect Linkage Material, which they were led to believe was correct . The two sets of Linkage Material were equated in all other respects. The Experimental Group showed significant improvements in scoring rate when supplied with a photograph and description of the agent, and a probably significant improvement when supplied with squares of handkerchief which had previously belonged to him. When supplied with squares of colour, also appearing on the agent's target sheets, no significant increase in scoring rate took place on the target drawings, but a significant decrease occurred in hits scored on the control targets. By contrast no consistent significant fluctuations were shown by Control Group Subjects, leading to the conclusion that the correctness of the Linkage Material was a factor contributing to its effectiveness. A qualitative examination of the hits scored by the subjects revealed that they tended to reproduce the concepts depicted by the target drawings, rather than the actual shapes drawn by the agent, suggesting that the hits were being produced by a telepathic process rather than a clairvoyant one. The results of the experiment suggest that the subjects were assisted by the Linkage Material to gain access to the agent's mind as a whole, and not to particular items in it. This throws doubt on the correctness of Whately Carington's Association Theory of Telepathy, which the experiment was designed to test.

Second sight, a special psychic ability of having prophetic visions, is traditionally believed to be a natural inborn faculty of mind running in certain families in Scotland and other countries. Detailed written accounts of second sight from the 17th century onwards are consistent with modern-day accounts collected by folklorists and ethnologists. The visions could take the form either of direct representations of someone's fate such as seeing a funeral procession, or symbolic representations, such as seeing a death shroud on someone. The current study using questionnaire and interview methods examined the prevalence of second sight, the nature of the experiences, and whether there is any evidence to support the belief that it is hereditary. A large-scale mail survey, using random sampling methods, showed that the frequency of second sight was 10% in the Western Isles, 16% in the Highlands and Lowlands, and 33% in the Grampian region. Generally, neither highland descent nor gender seemed to be significantly related to people reporting second sight. In all the areas, people who reported having second sight were significantly more likely to report second sight in blood-related family members. A phenomenological and ethnological approach was applied to the design of the questionnaire and interview schedule, the style of the interviews and their analysis. The 65 item questionnaire covering the different types of second sight experiences found in the historical accounts and biographical and family history information, was sent to people who expressed an interest in the study. A total of 208 questionnaires were received, primarily from Scotland but also from other countries. The responses indicated that second sight is experienced by people of diverse ages, occupations, religious and cultural traditions. Women tended to report more experiences than men and an important factor related to having second sight was having had a religious experience. Fieldwork was conducted in different parts of Scotland. Seventy people were interviewed and over 500 accounts were collected. A phenomenoiogical approach was applied to looking at patterns in the accounts. A consistent feature is that the imagery, whether visual, auditory, kinaesthetic or olfactory, was described as real and not originating purely in the mind of the observer. This was true whether the emotional content was positive or negative. Some of the visions were seen as quick 'film-like' images through the mind, others appeared as projected three-dimensional images which became the central focus of perception. It was proposed that people with second sight could have an eidetic-like imagery. Two of the most common types of second sight experiences are awake visions of future deaths of people well-known to the percipient or of unfamiliar persons. Accounts of seeing funeral processions and death shrouds are rarely reported today. A total of 130 pedigrees from people with a history of second sight were constructed. The results of pedigree and segregation analyses demonstrate that second sight seems consistent with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern, especially for small family sizes. Though certain aspects of the data favoured a social and cultural model, it was argued that they were still consistent with second sight having an underlying genetic component. The importance of other studies examining the pedigrees of second sight in different cultures was stressed. If similar inheritance patterns were observed in disparate cultures, this would provide further scientific support for the view that second sight is hereditary. It was speculated that second sight may be part of a creative mental process and what may be hereditary is the way information is received and processed by the brain and expressed in different sensory modalities.

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (M. Ed.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.