Elaine,
I just found this site;
http://homepage.bluewin.ch/Ysewijn/english_Barnum.htm
This is a nice demonstration of the Barnum Effect, and goes some way to showing how a person might 'know things about you, that nobody could have known'.
If you imagine this combined with the practice of 'cold reading' I think you will see how easily tarot readers/mediums can achieve their effect.
I hope that you will find this interesting.
Thank you I will read about that.
Hi Elaine,
did you know the person before the reading? Is she local to you? You should also consider the possibility that there was a bit of "hot reading" (foreknowledge) going on too.
Elaine,
Do you have a tape of the reading? It would be good to go back over the reading after you've familiarised yourself with the techniques of cold reading. Your memory can be deceptive.
We often find that the sitter offers information only hinted at by the reader but later remembers it as the reader saying everything.
E.g.
Amidst a vague "fishing trip" of generally applicable barnum statements the reader suggests that you might have some family problems, (who doesn't?) but you emphatically agree and the reader hones in. She suggests some sort of feud. Basically simpy restating a suggestion you've just confirmed. "With my brother in law" you offer "yes feud with your brother in law"
Later the sitter remembers that the reader knew she had a feud with her brother in law. In fact all the sitter suggested were generic family problems of the sort anybody might relate to.
It's also worth trying a quick 'Vanity Google', just Google your name. Whilst it varies by person there can be a lot of personal information out there, think how popular the social networking sites are.
No that was why it was so creepy it was a man from England at an alternative do .He told me dates and times about spesific things that had happed to me not just general things and he just shaked his head not good Thats why I have got so upset and need ration advice.Originally Posted by filippo lippi
Then he's a good cold-reader
How specific were the dates and times that he gave you, Elaine?
Only a hypothetical example obviously, but did he say things like "On May 23rd, last year, at 3.30pm you had a car accident". That kind of precision - no room for doubt about what he was telling you. All the details offered, with no confirmation or comment from you.
Or, was it more along the lines of "why was May last year important to you?" or "why am I seeing 2003 as an especially significant year?". That kind of thing.
It's important to realise that the first example would be a statement, the others are questions - they invite you to fill-in-the-blanks. This is how cold readers work. They disguise vague, general questions as statements, and leave a person with the impression that they have been told very precise things. That's how the game is played, and it's very effective and convincing.
But don't worry about it, Elaine, because is is only a trick!
Hey everyone, on the subject of bad tarot readers, I've found one!
This woman predicted a heavy McCain victory in the recent US election and we all know how that went. Ooops!
Re: Bad Tarot readers
Of course I don't believe in tarot, or any other psychic baloney. However, I used to go to this gothic industrial club in san diego, CA that had a tarot reader. I had a friend who used his services every week. Wasn't real bad, ten bucks. Every once in a while she'd convince me to "get a reading" while she watched. The advice and "readings" were pretty harmless and the guy is actually pretty cool (he mostly asks questions and gives generally reasonable, non-specific advice). I just couldn't resist doing it once in a while, because this little girl friend of mine is quite a dish, and I'll spend ten bucks for her amusement any day.
Telling someone that their wife or husband or whatever is the wrong person... that's going beyond the standards of reasonable entertainment value. Also, many or most of these people don't know the difference between entertainment value and genuine advice, and that tarot cards only have legitimate uses as entertainment.
al
WTF!!!
it doesnt metter what the reader says it important what you think and what you believe in. The readers know how to get ideas inside our minds so we will not be able to forget it and its effecting our daily life and can make it worse
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