Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1 1988 Page 38
Participants are given name tags, which, according to one of the ground rules, must be worn at
all times during the training. The participants‘ name tags are a different color from the assistants'
name tags, thereby setting up an implicit hierarchy which can create the feeling that the
assistants have developed a special status.
On the participants' name tags, the first name is very large so that it can be read at a long
distance. The trainer uses the first names of the participants during his lectures, and in
confrontations. This catches the participants off guard, for they may forget for an instant that
they are wearing name tags. The participant can thus have a fleeting feeling that the trainer has
some ―psychic‖ ability because he knows the participant's name without having met him. Even
though reason later invalidates this conclusion, the feeling of awe can linger. Moreover, even
when participants remember that they are wearing name tags, they may feel flattered that the
trainer was ―interested‖ enough in them to use their names. A feeling of ―specialness‖ and rapport
between trainer and participant can result
The trainer magnifies his impact on participants by making many specific observations as to what
they may be thinking at the time. During my first night of the basic training, the trainer
suggested reasons why people might have come to the training. For example, he said that
perhaps some participants came because their daughter or some other relative wanted them to
come. As the trainer suggested possibilities, I looked around the room and saw people registering
positive responses to the various reasons that were given. They miss the fact that the trainer
suggests so many reasons, which he has encountered in his experience, that he is likely to hit on
nearly every reason which anyone would have for coming to the training. The feeling of surprise
and recognition engendered by being told something true about oneself can take precedence over
or even block the rational thought process of figuring out that the trainer has covered so many
possibilities that of course he would make a hit.
Also, in the opening lecture on my first night of the basic training, the trainer pointed out many
general qualities of human nature. Although there was nothing particularly striking in his insights,
the fact that he was able to discern so much of what goes on in a person's mind and emotions in
different situations could create the feeling that the trainer might in some way be able to ―read
minds.‖
I do the same sort of thing in my stage performance of ESP illusions. At the beginning I say
―Many of us have had an experience that seems to be more than a coincidence. For example, part
of a dream will come true. Or we'll be humming a song, turn on the radio, and the same song is
playing. Or maybe we'll go to call someone on the phone, and that person is already on the line.‖
A number of people will have had one of those experiences or a similar one. I already seem to be
―reading people's minds,‖ and I am creating an aura of acceptability for psychic phenomena.
Once again, the feeling that the trainer is right and seems to understand how people think
outweighs the process of figuring out that he is speaking in generalities and simply hitting on
common human experiences in the same manner as a good professional comedian. The comedian
makes observations of human nature to elicit the emotional response of laughter. While the
trainer gets quite a few laughs, he also creates the impression that, because he is always talking
about human psychology, he has special insight into the human psyche.
Some of the observations made by the trainer are ―charming.‖ For example, on my first night, the
trainer told a story about a child playing in a puddle. The point of the story was that we should be
―childlike.‖ This can create a feeling of commonality in the group, and make the trainer seem to
be ―humane,‖ even trustworthy, further setting the stage for manipulation in the intuition
exercise. The story can also create the feeling that the participants will learn something .natural‖
-something that they have ―forgotten.‖
Another manipulative technique is to present accepted science as unreliable. My trainer, for
example, told a story about a mouse in a maze looking for cheese. When the mouse has always
Participants are given name tags, which, according to one of the ground rules, must be worn at
all times during the training. The participants‘ name tags are a different color from the assistants'
name tags, thereby setting up an implicit hierarchy which can create the feeling that the
assistants have developed a special status.
On the participants' name tags, the first name is very large so that it can be read at a long
distance. The trainer uses the first names of the participants during his lectures, and in
confrontations. This catches the participants off guard, for they may forget for an instant that
they are wearing name tags. The participant can thus have a fleeting feeling that the trainer has
some ―psychic‖ ability because he knows the participant's name without having met him. Even
though reason later invalidates this conclusion, the feeling of awe can linger. Moreover, even
when participants remember that they are wearing name tags, they may feel flattered that the
trainer was ―interested‖ enough in them to use their names. A feeling of ―specialness‖ and rapport
between trainer and participant can result
The trainer magnifies his impact on participants by making many specific observations as to what
they may be thinking at the time. During my first night of the basic training, the trainer
suggested reasons why people might have come to the training. For example, he said that
perhaps some participants came because their daughter or some other relative wanted them to
come. As the trainer suggested possibilities, I looked around the room and saw people registering
positive responses to the various reasons that were given. They miss the fact that the trainer
suggests so many reasons, which he has encountered in his experience, that he is likely to hit on
nearly every reason which anyone would have for coming to the training. The feeling of surprise
and recognition engendered by being told something true about oneself can take precedence over
or even block the rational thought process of figuring out that the trainer has covered so many
possibilities that of course he would make a hit.
Also, in the opening lecture on my first night of the basic training, the trainer pointed out many
general qualities of human nature. Although there was nothing particularly striking in his insights,
the fact that he was able to discern so much of what goes on in a person's mind and emotions in
different situations could create the feeling that the trainer might in some way be able to ―read
minds.‖
I do the same sort of thing in my stage performance of ESP illusions. At the beginning I say
―Many of us have had an experience that seems to be more than a coincidence. For example, part
of a dream will come true. Or we'll be humming a song, turn on the radio, and the same song is
playing. Or maybe we'll go to call someone on the phone, and that person is already on the line.‖
A number of people will have had one of those experiences or a similar one. I already seem to be
―reading people's minds,‖ and I am creating an aura of acceptability for psychic phenomena.
Once again, the feeling that the trainer is right and seems to understand how people think
outweighs the process of figuring out that he is speaking in generalities and simply hitting on
common human experiences in the same manner as a good professional comedian. The comedian
makes observations of human nature to elicit the emotional response of laughter. While the
trainer gets quite a few laughs, he also creates the impression that, because he is always talking
about human psychology, he has special insight into the human psyche.
Some of the observations made by the trainer are ―charming.‖ For example, on my first night, the
trainer told a story about a child playing in a puddle. The point of the story was that we should be
―childlike.‖ This can create a feeling of commonality in the group, and make the trainer seem to
be ―humane,‖ even trustworthy, further setting the stage for manipulation in the intuition
exercise. The story can also create the feeling that the participants will learn something .natural‖
-something that they have ―forgotten.‖
Another manipulative technique is to present accepted science as unreliable. My trainer, for
example, told a story about a mouse in a maze looking for cheese. When the mouse has always
