Reflections on the Experimenter Problem in Parapsychology

摘要

At a more personal level, for more than 50 years I have been able to use the appellation so exalted in scientific circles, Experimenter, E. I will stick with the abbreviation E here, for not only are acronyms and abbreviations part of the jargon of science, E carries implications of status, intelligence, and objectivity in science, and I want us to keep those imputed qualities in mind as I share some reflections. Since my discovery of E bias effects in that hypnosis study almost 50 years ago, though, I have tried to always assume I am personally biased in designing or running an experiment, even though my conscious goal is the classic scientific one of getting clear, low-noise, unbiased data and logically and creatively thinking about it.