Lecture 7: The Psychic Reading: How to Convince People that You Know All About Them
Channel: JamesRandiFoundation
Date: 2013-09-25

Examples of readings: Alan Alda befuddled by reaction of a lady to a reading.  Randi successfully re-enacts Forer's demonstration of the fallacy of personal validation. Hyman duplicates Christian Dion's approach to psychic readings. You too can guru!

A companion course guide can be downloaded here: http://jref.swmirror.com/20730

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More about the HOW TO THINK ABOUT DUBIOUS CLAIMS course:

Smart people can act stupidly by failing to apply their intelligence wisely. This course draws lessons from scientist smart people who went astray. This course provides a framework to help you avoid their mistakes.

Ray Hyman is a professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Oregon. Hyman's published research has been in such areas as pattern recognition, perception, problem solving, creativity, and related areas of cognition. He has written and published extensively on the psychology of deception and critiques of paranormal and other fringe claims. 

The James Randi Educational Foundation was founded in 1996 to help people defend themselves from paranormal and pseudoscientific claims. Through scholarships, workshops, and innovative resources for educators, the JREF works to inspire this investigative spirit in a new generation of critical thinkers. Learn more at http://www.randi.org.