Clairvoyant Psychometric Readings
Details of the experiment
This research is for females over the age of 18. The study will involve four phases:
- Recruitment and initial data collection.
- Handling of the psychometry object.
- Rating of the psychic reading.
- Follow-up rating of psychic reading.
Each of these phases will be described in more detail below. Participation in the project will require you to handle the object as instructed and then to visit Goldsmiths College (New Cross, South East London – SE14)on two subsequent occasions to rate the reading. In return for completion of these phases you will receive (a) a free reading from a professional psychic (normally worth £35) and (b) £10 payment as a small token of our gratitude.
If you agree to participate, we will provide you with a pack containing full instructions, the Psychometry object (a cheap keyring in this instance) and prepaid envelopes in which to initially return the keyring to us. We will also collect some basic demographic information from you (and contact details), through a brief questionnaire concerning your own paranormal beliefs.
Before you start, we ask that you wash the keyring as our psychic believes that this will eliminate the energies that have been absorbed from previous people who may have handled it. You will then need to handle the keyring for 30-60 minutes a day (e.g., while watching TV), for the following week.
After this, you will need to return the keyring using the envelope provided which we will then forward to the psychic. She will prepare her reading which will be completely confidential and we will arrange a mutually convenient time for you to collect the reading and rate it. About a fortnight later, we would ask you to come back and give another rating. Psychics often report that their clients sometimes find that aspects of the reading that might not have been clear at the time the reading was first given become clear after the client has had some time to reflect upon the reading.
We will also cover all travel expenses, so if you do participate, please keep receipts or tickets to allow us to process your claim.
Background to the experiment
Psychometry is a technique used by some psychics whereby it is claimed that if an object is handled by an individual for a period of time, it absorbs some kind of “energy” from that individual which the psychic is later able to “read”. Psychics claim that they can provide a reading for that individual dealing with past, present and future concerns, as well as character, likes and dislikes, and so on. We intend to test that claim in the present study.
Unlike many psychics, the particular psychic who is co-operating with us in this study does not believe that it is necessary for the object in question to have any particular emotional significance for the individual who is receiving a reading.