The capricious, actively evasive, unsustainable nature of psi: a summary and hypotheses

Journal of Parapsychology, The, Spring, 2003 by J.E. Kennedy

EXPLANATIONS FOR UNSUSTAINABLE PSI

Inconsistent psi effects are not just due to many uncontrolled variables and a poor signal-to-noise ratio. Investigation of a phenomenon with many uncontrolled variables will have either increases in effects as some variables are controlled or uniformly flat results. The declines and evasiveness found in psi research indicate methodical changes in the characteristics of psi, not just a signal buried in noise.

The skeptical explanation that the declines are due to correcting initially flawed methodology also does not adequately explain the unsustainable nature of psi. Although this hypothesis probably does apply in some situations and likely has introduced significant noise in the overall parapsychological literature, other factors appear to have a larger role in the unsustainable nature of psi. This hypothesis does not explain cases when the initial methodology is adequate or cases when declines in intended effect occur with constant or lower quality methodology.

The unsustainable nature of psi is consistent with the concept that psi effects are a dynamic or fluctuating equilibrium between opposing forces. The net results are dampened, misdirected, and perhaps sometimes oscillating effects.

Three general categories of factors that could oppose or suppress psi effects are (a) human motivations, (b) a mechanistic property of nature, or (c) some type of higher consciousness. These topics are discussed below. Recent review articles have discussed several possible explanations for the declines and elusive nature of psi (Bierman, 2001; Kennedy, 2001). Those discussions are noted here only to the extent that they relate to the actively evasive characteristics of psi.

What Is Known About Psi

As background for this discussion, it may be useful to summarize some findings related to psi that are reasonably well established.

1. The incidence of psi varies greatly among people (Kennedy, 2000, 2001; Palmer, 1979; Pratt, 1975). This is true for experimenters, participants, and the occurrence of spontaneous cases.

2. The most prominent effects of psi experiences are to alter a person's worldview, sense of meaning in life, and spirituality (Kennedy & Kanthamani, 1995; McClenon, 1994, 2002; Palmer, 1979; White, 1990, 1994). Psi experiences rarely have practical benefit, and those cases may actually serve as vehicles for an altered worldview.

3. Some people have an intractable opposition to and hostility toward the possibility of psi. Others have a strong interest in and fascination with psi phenomena. National surveys in the United States indicate that about half of adults believe in ESP, about 30% do not believe in ESP, and the remainder are not sure (Gallup & Newport, 1991; Newport & Strausberg, 2001).

Human Motivation

The initial hypothesis for explaining declines in psi effects was declining motivation, enthusiasm, and novelty by the experimenters and/or participants (Pratt, 1978; J. B. Rhine & Pratt, 1957). This hypothesis may contribute to a loss of effect, but it does not explain the full range of actively evasive effects. The overall evidence suggests that the intended, motivated effects are avoided during the actively evasive phase. Something more than reduced motivation by the experimenters and participants seems to be involved.