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An Experimental Test of Psychic Detection

Introduction Many psychics claim to be able to help the police prevent and solve serious crime (see eg, Wilson, 1984; Lyons and Truzzi, 1991; Nickell, 1994). In addition, some American law enforcement agencies have reported using psychic detectives to help resolve investigations (Sweat and DUTm, 1993). Most of these claims are supported by only anecdotal evidence. This is unfortunate because it is often extremely difficult to rule out non-psychic explanation. For example, Hoebens (1985) has described how some psychics have made several (often conflicting) predictions relating to an unsolved crime. Once the crime was solved the incorrect predictions were forgotten whilst the correct ones were inhibited as evidence of paranormal ability. Rowe (1993) cites examples of psychics making vague and ambiguous predictions which were later interpreted to fit whatever was discovered about the crime. Finally, Lyons and Truzzi (1991) have noted that it is often difficult to obtain "baseline" information for many of these predictions. For example, a psychic may state that a murder weapon will be discovered "near, or in, a large body of water". Although this may later prove to be accurate, it is difficult to know how many criminals dump incriminating objects in areas that could be seen as "large bodies of water" (eg, streams, lakes, rivers, the sea etc.) and therefore establish a statistical baseline for the prediction. Some investigators have overcome these problems by carrying out more controlled tests of psychic detection. One of the earliest studies was carried out by a Dutch police officer, Filippus Brink. Brink carried out a one-year study using four psychics. These claimants were shown various photographs/objects and asked to describe the crimes that had taken place. Some of the photographs and objects were connected with actual crimes whilst others were not. In a report to Interpol, Brink (1960) noted that psychics had failed to provide any information that would have been of any use to an investigating officer. Additional studies have been carried out by Martin Reiser of the Los Angeles Police Department. An initial study by Reiser, Ludwig, Saxe and Wagner (1979) involved 12 psychics. Each psychic was presented with several sealed envelopes containing physical evidence from four crimes (two solved, two unsolved). The psychics were asked to describe the crimes which had taken place. They were then allowed to open the