In 2007 a group of magicians including James Randi, Teller, one half of Penn & Teller and others, gathered in Las Vegas to talk about the psychological principles they use to produce magic. Nothing unusual there, except that their audience was made up of psychologists and neuroscientists attending ‘The Magic of Consciousness Symposium’ organised by the Association for the Scientific Study of Consciousness.
The aim of this collaboration between magicians and psychologists was to help uncover new ways of investigating human thought and behaviour. Now two articles on the psychology of magic have been published in prestigious academic journals. In one paper in Nature Neuroscience the magicians, with the help of academics Stephen L. Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde explain the psychological principles magicians use. In the other, appearing in Trends in Cognitive Science, Dr Gustav Kuhn, points to how magician’s techniques can be used by psychologists to develop new avenues of research.
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Maybe the psychologists should listen more to their clients and accept them a bit more, and be aware that the patient him/herself holds the key, quite often knows where stuff comes from. Not all, but quite a lot.
Working with magicians wont help the patients. Unless they will start a new manipulation program in which people are being programmed the way they think they should have been. Still not being aware why the body will not readapt to a new brainsystem after many years.
The results may be more damaging than they ever will want to know .. Besides when starting to manipulate people will sense it immediately and will not be in their normal selfes either anymore, the trust will not be there. Which is necessary in therapy.
It is interesting to study these things, but the use .. I don’t see it in this area .. humans stay humans .. and who can decide for someone else what she/he should see/be like, The results will not be so predictable as they want it to see. Already difficult when there would be one standard model human …
As with many studies in psychology, interesting, a hobby, but not really of use for people/patients.
There will only be a few who can step into their own psyche and search for the spot where their patient is and follow processes in that person from there … experience it ..
Commerce etc .. that will work. Is being used there already all the time as we know.
Interesting nevertheless .. can be seen, done and experienced not only /by with magicians ..
I love Teller. Just look at that face!
Agreed. Penn is a bit too shouty for me. Teller rules.