Debunking Psychics
2578
Reference & Education > Psychology
Mar 1, 2007
Jamie Kepcher
Debunking Psychics
Have you ever been curious about your future? Have you ever called a phone psychic to get some answers?
If you wonder how ?psychics? work, read on. This article is for you.
Most ?psychics? are plain scammers. They use cold reading to make calculated guess about the sitters. Cold reading is an interactive psychological technique which extracts information from a person through verbal and non verbal cues. More often than not, psychics utilize known psychology techniques that can apply to almost anyone. An example would be claiming the sitter is cursed and he or she could lift that curse for a fee, because most people visit a psychic when they are down and depressed, ?being cursed? is a quick, convenient reason to blame. Paying the fee to lift the curse would be the quickest solution to their complicated life problems.
There seems to be several common factors in psychic readings. The psychic usually:
+Skillfully extracts information from non verbal cues such as breathing patterns, voice, dress, skin color, and body language.
+ Makes statements that seem to give information when they are actually out to fish for it. E.g. Prompts feedback from sitters by saying ?I see a man in uniform, why would that be??
+Feeds back to the subject what the latter wants to hear
+Makes general ?Barnum statements? such as ?You are worrisome on the outside but insecure on the inside.?
The sitter of the reading is the key to a 'successful' reading. The sitter's willingness to connect vague 'clues' came up by the psychic will often decide how successful the reading is. Many sitters who try to contact their deceased loved ones are very motivated in the first place, and will take the psychic's message as a sign that he or she have made contact with the other side. That is why psychics subtly encourage cooperation before and during the reading. Once the psychic gains the trusts of the sitter, the latter usually actively supply information and clarifications.
Although facial expressions and body languages could mean differently to people from different cultural backgrounds, many psychologists believe that certain facial and body expressions are universal to the mankind.
How to tell dominance: People who dominates have a tenancy to stand up with an erected body, speaks slowly and rarely, and look people in their eyes for an extended period of time. Because of the demonstrated link between testosterone and aggression, people with square jaws ( testosterone induced feature) are thought as more domineering and aggressive.
How to tell submissiveness: Submissive people touches themselves a lot when they are confronted with a difficult situation. This is because human have an inborn mechanism acquired very early on in life to link physical touching with comfort and safety.
Most important to keep in mind: Real, powerful psychics don't advertise on the back of a supermarket magazine and do readings for $1.99. Jamie Kepcher is the Self Discovery Editor at alittlebreak.com, a home, garden and self help community.
If you wonder how ?psychics? work, read on. This article is for you.
Most ?psychics? are plain scammers. They use cold reading to make calculated guess about the sitters. Cold reading is an interactive psychological technique which extracts information from a person through verbal and non verbal cues. More often than not, psychics utilize known psychology techniques that can apply to almost anyone. An example would be claiming the sitter is cursed and he or she could lift that curse for a fee, because most people visit a psychic when they are down and depressed, ?being cursed? is a quick, convenient reason to blame. Paying the fee to lift the curse would be the quickest solution to their complicated life problems.
There seems to be several common factors in psychic readings. The psychic usually:
+Skillfully extracts information from non verbal cues such as breathing patterns, voice, dress, skin color, and body language.
+ Makes statements that seem to give information when they are actually out to fish for it. E.g. Prompts feedback from sitters by saying ?I see a man in uniform, why would that be??
+Feeds back to the subject what the latter wants to hear
+Makes general ?Barnum statements? such as ?You are worrisome on the outside but insecure on the inside.?
The sitter of the reading is the key to a 'successful' reading. The sitter's willingness to connect vague 'clues' came up by the psychic will often decide how successful the reading is. Many sitters who try to contact their deceased loved ones are very motivated in the first place, and will take the psychic's message as a sign that he or she have made contact with the other side. That is why psychics subtly encourage cooperation before and during the reading. Once the psychic gains the trusts of the sitter, the latter usually actively supply information and clarifications.
Although facial expressions and body languages could mean differently to people from different cultural backgrounds, many psychologists believe that certain facial and body expressions are universal to the mankind.
How to tell dominance: People who dominates have a tenancy to stand up with an erected body, speaks slowly and rarely, and look people in their eyes for an extended period of time. Because of the demonstrated link between testosterone and aggression, people with square jaws ( testosterone induced feature) are thought as more domineering and aggressive.
How to tell submissiveness: Submissive people touches themselves a lot when they are confronted with a difficult situation. This is because human have an inborn mechanism acquired very early on in life to link physical touching with comfort and safety.
Most important to keep in mind: Real, powerful psychics don't advertise on the back of a supermarket magazine and do readings for $1.99. Jamie Kepcher is the Self Discovery Editor at alittlebreak.com, a home, garden and self help community.
Write a Review
Add to My Favorite
Refer it to Friend
Report Article
Other links owned by this user
Have you ever been curious about your future? Have you ever called a phone psychic to get some answers? If you wonder how ?psychics? work, read on. This article is for you. Most ?psychics? are plain scammers. They use cold
Category:
Other links at Reference & Education > Psychology
The symptoms of an attack range from ose at mimic heart attacks and strokes to somewhat less serious conditions. But, make no mistake, e symptoms manifest as real physical problems. For ose who suffer from panic-related disorders,
Category:
The origins of professional psychotherapy are to be found in psychoanalysis, developed by Sigmund Freud. In earlier days it was frequently referred to as ?the talking cure.? Although the key concept of the unconscious in Freud?s system did not originate
Category:
Have you ever been curious about your future? Have you ever called a phone psychic to get some answers? If you wonder how ?psychics? work, read on. This article is for you. Most ?psychics? are plain scammers. They use cold
Category:
4. The Karma Clearing Process of Energy Enhancement Meditation including the Kundalini Kriyas + Alchemy
The Karma Clearing Process begins with the removal of all Energy Blockages from the energetic system of a human being. Wilhelm Reich called it the Emotional Armor. These are the little stiffnesses which cause us so much pain in massage. Energy Blockages
Category:
In their opus magnum "Personality Disorders in Modern Life", Theodore Millon and Roger Davis define personality as: "(A) complex pattern of deeply embedded ychological characteristics that are expressed automatically in almost every area of
Category:
Site Sponsor
Directory Statistics
Articles: 68252
Categories: 501
Yahoo Entertainment
