I understand the point of the research and the article, but it seems that
one can make the same (dis)claim(er) for alcohol. In a double blind study,
as was this one with crystals, half of the men were given orange juice with
vodka, and half were given orange juice with only 2 drops of vodka (for
those that claim they can detect the presence of vodka by smell or taste).
Half of those with real vodka and half of those with "fake" vodka were told
that they had received vodka. The other halves of each group were told that
they had received orange juice with 2 drops of vodka. So we have a 2 X 2
design. Then they show erotic videos and apply those devices that measure
arousal. Those that had alcohol experienced the "heightened" arousal
attributed to alcohol's disinihibiting effects, whether they knew that they
alcohol in their drink or not. The parallel finding is that those who
expected that they had alcohol, but did not, nevertheless experienced the
same "level" of arousal as did those with authentic drinks. One might argue
that money is wasted on alcohol, when orange juice and 2 drops of vodka
will "do the trick."
At 12:25 AM 3/31/01 -0600, Mike Lee wrote:
> ...And here's another...
>
> Scientists Find New Age Crystal
> Power All In The Mind
> By David Derbyshire and Celia Hall
> http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/
> 3-29-1
>
> Scientists may have shattered one of the fundamental
>beliefs
> of the New Age movement: that dangling a crystal
around the
> neck raises personal energy levels and uplifts the
spirit.
>
> A study has shown that the sensations reported by
believers
> in crystals - such as tingling, warmth and feelings of
>wellbeing
> - come instead from the power of suggestion. When given
> cheap, fake crystals, people reported exactly the same
> mysterious sensations as when they handle the genuine
> articles. The belief that quartz and semi-precious stones
> contain a subtle power unknown to science is a key
part of
> the New Age industry.
>
> Crystals, it is claimed, can alleviate stress, boost
>creativity,
> cure disease, raise levels of consciousness and enhance
> psychic powers in areas such as divination and dowsing.
> Three years ago, Cherie Blair caused a stir when she
> appeared at a film premiere wearing what appeared to
be an
> expensive crystal pendant designed to shield the body
from
> mobile phone and computer radiation.
>
> Dr Christopher French, a psychologist at Goldsmith's
>College,
> London, set out to test the effects of crystals on 80
> volunteers. Half were given a genuine New Age crystal
for a
> few minutes while mediating. The rest were asked to
>handle a
> cheap plastic fake, but were told that it was the genuine
> article. The volunteers were also given a booklet
>explaining
> 10 of the sensations that they might experience.
>
> These included tingling, more focused attention, balanced
> emotions, a rise in hand temperature, increased energy
>levels,
> improved sense of wellbeing, relaxation of the forehead,
> stimulation of the brain, increased swallowing reflex and
> "". Only six out of the
> 80 failed to experience at least one of these
sensations.
>
> The most common sensations reported were a warmer hand
> and increased concentration, Dr French told the British
> Psychological Society conference in Glasgow yesterday.
But
> Dr French found no difference in the sensations
reported by
> those holding a real quartz crystal and those given a
fake.
> Believers in crystals were also twice as likely to
report a
> sensation than self-professed sceptics.
>
> Dr French also looked at how susceptible the volunteers
>were
> to suggestion and hypnotism. He found that believers were
> "The
> fact that the same effects were found with both
genuine and
> fake crystals undermines any claims that crystals have
the
> " he said.
>
> "The power of suggestion, either explicit or implicit,
>seems to
> be the not-so-mysterious power that may convince many
that
> crystals have the potential to work miracles. The data
> presented are consistent with the idea that believers
>in the
> "
>
> Dr Richard Wiseman, psychologist at the University of
> Hertfordshire in Hatfield and a researcher into
paranormal
> "It is suggestive that the power of crystals is in
> the mind instead of in the crystals. Clearly there is
>an effect,
> But people are paying hundreds of pounds for crystal and
> "
> Mike Lee [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Dept of Psychology http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~mdlee
> University of Manitoba (204) 474-8169
> Canada
***********************************************
Dr. Joyce Johnson
Assistant Professor of Psychology
Developmental/ Experimental
Centenary College of Louisiana
PO Box 41188
2911 Centenary Blvd.
Shreveport, LA 71134-1188
homepage: <http://www.centenary.edu/~jjohnson>
office 318 869 5253
FAX 318 869 5004 Attn: Dr Johnson, Psychology
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