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Plain English Summary
Physicist Helmut Schmidt built some of the first electronic coin-flippers driven by quantum randomness, then asked people to influence the outcomes with their minds — a technique called psychokinesis (PK). Remarkably, across multiple experiments subjects scored slightly but consistently above chance, with some results hitting impressively strong statistical significance. Schmidt went further with truly wild twists: he pre-recorded random sequences and showed that people could still shift the results after the fact, and he found that if someone else looked at the data first, the PK effect vanished — as though observing the outcome "locked it in," much like the observer effect in quantum physics. These innovations — quantum random number generators, pre-recorded targets, and observer-blocking designs — became foundational tools for decades of mind-matter interaction research adopted by major labs worldwide.
Research Notes
Foundational paper for PK-RNG methodology, introducing theoretical frameworks that guided decades of research. Schmidt's innovations — electronic quantum RNGs, pre-recorded targets, outsider channeling, observer-inhibition designs — became standard tools adopted by PEAR (Jahn), GCP (Nelson), and meta-analysts (Radin, Bösch). The observer-inhibition finding connects PK directly to quantum measurement theory and the observer problem.
Theoretical-experimental paper reviewing Schmidt's PK program and articulating two key hypotheses. The 'weak violation' hypothesis proposes PK affects only quantum-indeterminate outcomes, not deterministic laws. The 'equivalence' hypothesis proposes all random generators are equally susceptible regardless of physical implementation. Reviews multiple experiments: Experiment 1 (15 pre-selected subjects, 32,768 bits, 50.9% hits, z=3.3); Experiment 2 (2 subjects, 12,800 bits, 52.4%, z=5.3). Pre-recorded PK: 54.6% of 832 blocks successful; four replications (z=3.1, 4.2, 2.0, 2.7). Outsider-channeling with Morris & Rudolph (z=2.7). Observer-inhibition experiment: PK succeeded (z=3.1) only when subject was first observer; prior observation by control blocked PK (z=-0.7), suggesting quantum state collapse prevents subsequent PK.
Related Papers
Companion
Reviewed By
- Examining Psychokinesis: The Interaction of Human Intention With Random Number Generators—A Meta-Analysis — Bösch, Holger (2006)
- Reexamining Psychokinesis: Commentary on the Bösch, Steinkamp and Boller Meta-Analysis — Radin, D (2006)
- Replication and Meta-Analysis in Parapsychology — Utts, Jessica (1991)
- Assessing the Evidence for Mind-Matter Interaction Effects — Radin, Dean (2006)
- Evidence for Consciousness-Related Anomalies in Random Physical Systems — Radin, Dean I (1989)
Cited By
- Correlations of Continuous Random Data with Major World Events — Nelson, Roger D (2002)
- Effects of Mass Consciousness: Changes in Random Data During Global Events — Nelson, R.D (2011)
- Mind/Machine Interaction Consortium: PortREG Replication Experiments — Jahn, Robert G (2000)
- Observer Effects on Quantum Randomness: Testing Micro-Psychokinetic Effects of Smokers on Addiction-Related Stimuli — Maier, Markus A (2018)
- The MegaREG Experiment: Replication and Interpretation — Dobyns, Y. H (2004)
- Assessing the Evidence for Mind-Matter Interaction Effects — Radin, Dean (2006)
- Correlations of Random Binary Sequences with Pre-Stated Operator Intention: A Review of a 12-Year Program — Jahn, Robert G (1997)
- Methods for Investigating Goal-Oriented Psi — Kennedy, J.E (1995)
- The Anomaly Called Psi: Recent Research and Criticism — Rao, K. Ramakrishna (1987)
- Effects of Consciousness on the Fall of Dice: A Meta-Analysis — Radin, Dean I (1991)
More in Psychokinesis
Observer Influence on Quantum Interference: Testing the von Neumann-Wigner Consciousness-Collapse Theory
New Year's Eve as a Case Study in Experimental Metaphysics: Exploring Global Consciousness in Random Physical Systems
Anomalous Entropic Effects in Physical Systems Associated with Collective Consciousness
Psychophysical Interactions with Electrical Plasma: Three Exploratory Experiments
Psychophysical Effects on an Interference Pattern in a Double-Slit Optical System: An Exploratory Analysis of Variance
📋 Cite this paper
Schmidt, H (1987). The Strange Properties of Psychokinesis. Journal of Scientific Exploration.
@article{schmidt_1987_strange,
title = {The Strange Properties of Psychokinesis},
author = {Schmidt, H},
year = {1987},
journal = {Journal of Scientific Exploration},
}