The mind machine: a mass participation experiment into the possible existence of extra-sensory perception

This paper describes a mass participation experiment examining the possible existence of extra-sensory perception (ESP). The Mind Machine consisted of a specially designed steel cabinet containing a multi-media computer and large touch-screen monitor. The computer presented participants with a series of videoclips that led them through the experiment. During the experiment, participants were asked to complete an ESP task that involved them guessing the outcome of four random electronic coin tosses. All of their data were stored by the computer during an 11-month tour of some of Britain's largest shopping centres, museums, and science festivals. A total of 27,856 participants contributed 110,959 trials, and thus, the final database had the statistical power to detect the possible existence of a very small ESP effect. However, the cumulated outcome of the trials was consistent with chance. The experiment also examined the possible relationship between participants' ESP scores and their gender, belief in psychic ability, and degree of predicted success. The results from all of these analyses were non-significant. Also, scoring on 'clairvoyance' trials (where the target was selected prior to the participant's choice) was not significantly different from 'precognitive' trials (where the target was chosen after the participants had made their choice). Competing interpretations of these findings are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.