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Ganzfeld telepathy experiments

Charles HonortonDaryl BemRay HymanRichard Wiseman

This page delivers no verdict; it presents claims and evidence with their sources. No theory in science is absolute. Method

For everyone

In ganzfeld experiments a "receiver", with eyes covered and listening to white noise, tries to identify from four options the image a "sender" in another room is viewing. Chance gives a 25% hit rate. Some meta-analyses reported about 32% hits; others found the effect at chance level.

For specialists

Hyman and Honorton's 1986 joint communiqué set strict protocols for future experiments. Bem and Honorton (1994) reported 32% hits in automated "autoganzfeld" experiments. Milton and Wiseman (1999) found no significant effect in a meta-analysis of 30 new studies. Storm, Tressoldi and Di Risio (2010) again reported a significant effect across 29 studies. Rouder et al. (2013) argued in a Bayesian reanalysis that this evidence is weaker.

Claims

Evidence

Supporting

Statistics / meta-analysis

In automated ganzfeld experiments the hit rate was about 32% against a chance expectation of 25%.[1]

Statistics / meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of 29 ganzfeld studies from 1997–2008 reported a significant effect.[3]

Challenging

Statistics / meta-analysis

A meta-analysis of 30 new ganzfeld studies found no significant departure from chance.[2]

Statistics / meta-analysis

A Bayesian reanalysis argued that the evidence is much weaker once heterogeneity and possible biases are taken into account.[4]

Connections

Parent

Parapsychology

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Sources

  1. ArticleBem, D. J.; Honorton, C. (1994). Does psi exist? Replicable evidence for an anomalous process of information transfer. Psychological Bulletin 115(1), 4–18DOI 10.1037/0033-2909.115.1.4archive
  2. ArticleMilton, J.; Wiseman, R. (1999). Does psi exist? Lack of replication of an anomalous process of information transfer. Psychological Bulletin 125(4), 387–391DOI 10.1037/0033-2909.125.4.387archive
  3. ArticleStorm, L.; Tressoldi, P. E.; Di Risio, L. (2010). Meta-analysis of free-response studies, 1992–2008: assessing the noise reduction model in parapsychology. Psychological Bulletin 136(4), 471–485DOI 10.1037/a0019457archive
  4. ArticleRouder, J. N.; Morey, R. D.; Province, J. M. (2013). A Bayes factor meta-analysis of recent extrasensory perception experiments: comment on Storm, Tressoldi, and Di Risio (2010). Psychological Bulletin 139(1), 241–247DOI 10.1037/a0029008archive

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Cite this page

APA

Athena contributors. (2026). Ganzfeld telepathy experiments. Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Retrieved November 1, 2026, from https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/ganzfeld/

BibTeX
@misc{athena_ganzfeld,
  title        = {Ganzfeld telepathy experiments},
  author       = {{Athena contributors}},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://latifkedi.github.io/athena/en/d/ganzfeld/}},
  note         = {Athena: The tree of human knowledge. Accessed: 2026-11-01}
}

Added: September 27, 2026 · Last changed: September 27, 2026 · Page history

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