How important is belief or reality constructs in the performance of Psi?

Question

There are reports that vodoo and shamanistic spells only work for those who believe. For those who demonstrate psi ability, how important is it that the practicioner have a world view that accepts that they are able to perform these tasks? Would experiments still produce positive results if the subject doesn't believe in psi abilities?

If you think it is important, what type of world view do you think is necessary for different skills?

Answer 1

If I believed I was cursed, going about a regular day with nothing amiss, I would associate everything bad that happened to me with the curse, and discount the good things.  I would bemoan regular occurances such as bad traffic or running out of hot water in the shower, and blame it on a curse.  If I believed I was psychic, I would remember all the times I had predicted things correctly, regardless of obviousness and relevance, and forget all the times I was way off.  I would tell everyone how I predicted gas prices were going up again, and my friend would find his keys in the couch cushions, and forget the time I predicted Ralph Nader was going to become president of the United States.  Reality doesn't change, only my perspective on it.

Answer 2

May be accepting that there is 1.human,2.computer and at the top - 3.Biointelect and also that we are in Quantum and time and distances are relatifs, and the performance of Psi existed from ancient times and as it seems there are specific repeated models of personalities/may be reincarnated sensitifs/ to do this.

Answer 3

Maybe beleif allows the subject to grasp the techniques required for succesful Psi activity. Like how keeping Chi in mind allows for better performance in some martial arts. Reality constructs can be a guideline to practice the tecniques like energy channels in acupuncture represent some phenomenae at the nerve level. Practicing Psi without these constructs may be like starting from scratch to rediscover how some Psi activity works. I think each Psi activity has a certain world view is linked to them because they developed in parallel.

Answer 4

You wouldn't waste you time doing it in the first place if you thought it couldn't work.

And what are these positive results of which you speak?

Real things don't require belief in order for them to work. Even if I don't believe in boiling water that is still what will result will be if I light a fire under a kettle.

Answer 5

Nice to see you back Tunsa.I believe there is no comparison .Voodoo spells act on believers up to a point.For instance a curse calling for debilitating stomach aches is one thing.A curse calling for a rock to fall from the sky and strike a victim is another.I think we can agree,one could work the other probably not.PSI powers,are we sure they even exist?OK,you are,but can you tell the rest of us where we can see a demonstration.I mean that question sincerely.I would change my world view in a second if you could.Honestly up to now,and my hair is as white as yours.I've seen nothing close.Mind over matter seems to me,impossible for the human animal.Whatever the world view.

Answer 6

who does your hair?

Answer 7

Experimental evidence supports that belief is important. This was established in experiments by Gertrude Schmeidler (link below) and is known as the sheep/goat effect (link below). In subjects that do not believe in psi they are more likely to score statistically significantly below chance (known as psi missing)

Psi abilities are a human ability and differ in performance just like musical talent and basketball and any other human ability. Therefore your belief has a significant effect. Just like if you believe you will play a bad basketball game then your ability will be effected and you most likely will do just that. Of course beliefs even have observable measurable effects like the well established and accepted placebo effect in medicine.

Again psi abilities are a human ability and are effected by beliefs like any other human abilities.

A comparison to reality (like gravity) not changing on the basis of person's belief is simply a nonsensical comparison.

I think based on the evidence that a world view that is open to psi abilities is required and that certain personality factors and creativity as well as some practices like meditation may enhance psi performance.

(link below)

Psiexploration

Answer 8

heres my belief on it, god (the creator as alot of ppl call him or it) gave us a protective shell against magick, but as soon as we start learning it the protective shell drops and we are even more of fair game, though curses and stuff still can get threw but the more altering ones are stopped at the door, i hope this helps