acute Posted August 1, 2017 #1 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Bare with me..... This is rather vague. I was reminded today of a paranormal experiment I saw on the TV many years ago. There was a group of people in an elevator or a room (or something!) being spied upon for a fixed period, and then not. The number of people who felt uneasy, and turned towards the watcher, during the 'spying' was supposed to be evidence of their self-defensive 'gut instinct'. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spartan max2 Posted August 1, 2017 #2 Share Posted August 1, 2017 That would be really interesting if we could find that expierment 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acute Posted August 1, 2017 Author #3 Share Posted August 1, 2017 It was very convincing at the time, but I don't know whether it has since been debunked. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imaginarynumber1 Posted August 1, 2017 #4 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Nothing psychic about it. Human brain has a built-in gaze detection system that fires whenever somebody is looking directly at you. All it takes is the slightest peripheral glance and the system is tripped. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acute Posted August 1, 2017 Author #5 Share Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Imaginarynumber1 said: Nothing psychic about it. Human brain has a built-in gaze detection system that fires whenever somebody is looking directly at you. All it takes is the slightest peripheral glance and the system is tripped. They didn't know when they were or weren't being looked at. It was a one-way mirror, remote surveillance, or something. Edited August 1, 2017 by acute .. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imaginarynumber1 Posted August 1, 2017 #6 Share Posted August 1, 2017 14 minutes ago, acute said: They didn't know when they were or weren't being looked at. It was a one-way mirror, remote surveillance, or something. Don't buy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acute Posted August 1, 2017 Author #7 Share Posted August 1, 2017 2 minutes ago, Imaginarynumber1 said: Don't buy it. I'm not selling it! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+joc Posted August 1, 2017 #8 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Do you feel uneasy yet? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrLzs Posted August 1, 2017 #9 Share Posted August 1, 2017 (edited) Can't recall anything quite like that, and a quick search didn't turn up much. I just wonder if you might be conflating two different things - it is an oft used trick to film the behavior of a group who don't necessarily know they are being monitored - but in cases like the Mythbusters and similar, they will surely be expecting the recording.. If one was to set up such an experiment, you would have to be very, very careful to ensure there was not a trace of what was or wasn't happening. If the cameras began slewing around that would be a teensy giveaway.. but to be more serious, a significant number of camera systems do make tiny sounds as they operate, eg from aperture changes as they respond to light levels, or the tiny motor that drives an autofocus mechanism. Also, and I am sorry to say this, but if the organisation performing the test is biased towards proving the paranormal, ie is a pseudo/pretend-science group (beware of the names Sheldrake, Utts and Radin, amongst others), you need to be aware that they may not use proper controls, they may 'forget' to consider all possibilities, or even use stooges or other subtle/'accidental' hints. A properly conducted scientific study would address the ways they applied suitable controls to prevent any false results. If you can find the video and it is accompanied by documentation, I'd be happy to go through it.. Can you remember anything else about it, that might help track it down? Edited August 1, 2017 by ChrLzs 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrLzs Posted August 1, 2017 #10 Share Posted August 1, 2017 I did find this: http://www.csicop.org/si/show/can_we_tell_when_someone_is_staring_at_us it's an interesting read, but they found that there is no support for the contention that the subjects can tell when they are being watched. They performed worse than random probability would suggest! Interestingly (and I can say "I warned you about this guy!") Rupert Sheldrake gets a mention and there's even a (broken) link* to his reply on the topic. Rupert is a promoter of the idea that you *can* detect when you are being stared at. Note that the tests presented by both sides are flawed! Some of Ruperts comments are worth noting, but equally, some of the techniques he used to get positive results, and also his use of unverifiable results from mailed out requests for groups of people to try it out (using god-knows-how-flawed-methodologies), are just laughable - Sheldrake does that little party trick quite often. But science works on proper controls and repeatability, and not a single reputable scientific study has followed up on these. You could ascribe that to a huge conspiracy to cover it up... or ... to scientists with a clue examining what Sheldrake did, spotting flaws, and not being willing to waste their time on such a silly idea.. In summary, we are hardwired to think we are being watched - it's a survival strategy. And as was reported earlier, we are very good at peripherally spotting subtle head/eye movements and facial expressions anywhere within a huge field-of-view of around 180 degrees... Designing studies that would control for these and other giveaways, as well as dealing with all the ways this could be skewed/detected, would take a while and it appears no-one is all that interested. Wisely, I'd say.. * The link to Sheldrakes reply at that website is broken - try here for Sheldrake's reply.. and then here for Baker's reply to Sheldrake.. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acute Posted August 1, 2017 Author #11 Share Posted August 1, 2017 Thanks, ChrLzs. It's an interesting topic! It was well before the days of Mythbusters, and the internet. I remember now that it was a group of people staring at a group of people, but i can't remember the situation of the subjects. A confined space with a glass panel in the door, that's all I've got. I'm fairly sure they were not aware of an experiment taking place until it was over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartikg Posted August 1, 2017 #12 Share Posted August 1, 2017 I saw something similar on either NG or Discovery , people were somewhat aware that they were being watched. It was not a psychic show but it was about the working of human brain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acute Posted August 1, 2017 Author #13 Share Posted August 1, 2017 It was very convincing at the time, but I'm older and wiser now, so it would be interesting to re-assess it if I could find it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes4747 Posted August 2, 2017 #14 Share Posted August 2, 2017 No comment on the original query, but being a people watcher i have some experiences to offer. A majority of people, imo, have that sensory extremely dumbed down and dont notice being watched in daylight with no sunshades. Anyone familiar with waffle house? Noticed that little mirror by the bathrooms over the last booth? Thats the managers office in there. As a district manager, i would hang out in the office writing up notes for whatever restaurant i was in at the time on production, service, etc. I was studying body language of customers and staff, attention to customers gazes to determine issues. Not once did anyone give a sign they new they were being watched. I cant tell you how many ladies waiting in line for the restaurant used the mirror to check their make-up or how many men used it to check there teeth and hair. Sometimes i couldnt resist and would bump the glass really hard lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Posted August 3, 2017 #15 Share Posted August 3, 2017 (edited) On 01/08/2017 at 11:41 AM, acute said: It was very convincing at the time, but I don't know whether it has since been debunked. It was debunked, the people behind the test didn't realise that a little red light came on each time the camera turned on. Edited August 3, 2017 by Timonthy Typo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrLzs Posted August 3, 2017 #16 Share Posted August 3, 2017 If it's an NG or Discovery show it should be reasonably easy to find, but I'm having no luck on what I would have thought weer obvious keywords... I did find a good Wiki on the subject though... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_staring_effect 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kartikg Posted August 3, 2017 #17 Share Posted August 3, 2017 15 hours ago, ChrLzs said: If it's an NG or Discovery show it should be reaso. nably easy to find, but I'm having no luck on what I would have thought weer obvious keywords... I did find a good Wiki on the subject though... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychic_staring_effect I think it was brain games on NG, theye did not use the words psychic in the show I am trying to find the episode 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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