Psychophysical Interactions with Electrical Plasma: Three Exploratory Experiments
📄 Original study ↗📌 Appears in:
Plain English Summary
Can you move glowing plasma with your mind? IONS researchers ran three experiments using a xenon plasma ball — those novelty lightning globes from science shops. Unlike their double-slit studies, this tested classical ionized gas, but the question was the same: can intention alter a physical system? Results were a rollercoaster. Experiment 1 (one person) found a significant effect — in the wrong direction. Experiment 2 (ten people) hit jaw-dropping 1-in-5-million odds, but controls also showed something odd, pointing to light contamination. Experiment 3 sealed everything with shielded chambers and fiber-optic isolation; thirteen participants tried pushing plasma in specific directions, delivering roughly 1-in-17-million odds. Both frosted and clear balls showed nearly identical effects. Major caveats: nothing was pre-registered (no locked analysis plan), effect direction flipped between experiments, and true blinding was absent — everyone knew the task. Only one independent team has tried replicating this.
Actual Paper Abstract
When people visit sites of paranormal activity, they may be 'followed home' by phenomena, and their close associates, such as family members, may be affected. Examples are cited. Likened to infectious disease transmission, the process has been labelled 'contagion'. Generally, the effects may be relatively mild and transient, although there are reports from the USA suggesting that contagion manifestations can go on for years, and that some victims may develop auto-immune diseases. To try to gauge whether contagion is commonly experienced by people involved in case investigation, the author sought information from 32 fellow investigators. Among those who responded, a large majority indicated that they had not personally experienced the phenomenon.
Research Notes
A paradigm physically distinct from the double-slit series (classical ionized gas, not quantum optics) but part of the same IONS research program testing intentional influence on dynamic physical systems. Author Joyce Anastasia contributed 15 of 29 sessions in Exp. 3. Key limitations: no pre-registration; effect direction inconsistent across experiments (Exp. 1 was backwards); 'double-blind' label in original catalog entry was incorrect — participants knew their assigned task and experimenters were unblinded. Awaits independent replication. The Schwartz (2021, Explore) plasma study is the only known independent attempt; Radin cites Tiller (1990) as the historical precursor in JSE.
Three sequential experiments at IONS testing whether focused intention can alter the behavior of ionized gas streams in a commercially available xenon plasma ball lamp. Exp. 1 (N=1, 10 sessions): plasma in sealed opaque box at 3 m; significant result in wrong direction (z=−3.00, p=0.003). Exp. 2 (N=10, 21 sessions): plasma in open EM-shielded chamber; significant result (z=5.20, p=2×10⁻⁷) but controls also significant (z=2.3, p=0.02), implicating ambient-light artifact. Exp. 3 (N=13, 29 sessions): plasma in closed EM-shielded chamber with optical-fibre USB isolation; directional protocol (aim right vs. aim up); primary comparison z=5.42, p=6×10⁻⁸, effect size z/√N=1.00. Both frosted and clear plasma balls showed nearly identical effects.
Related Papers
Same Research Program
- Consciousness and the Double-Slit Interference Pattern: Six Experiments — Radin, Dean (2012)
- Psychophysical Interactions with a Double-Slit Interference Pattern: Exploratory Evidence of a Causal Influence — Radin, D.I (2021)
- Observer Influence on Quantum Interference: Testing the von Neumann-Wigner Consciousness-Collapse Theory — Radin, Dean (2025)
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📋 Cite this paper
Radin, Dean I, Anastasia, Joyce (2022). Psychophysical Interactions with Electrical Plasma: Three Exploratory Experiments. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research.
@article{radin_2022_psychophysical,
title = {Psychophysical Interactions with Electrical Plasma: Three Exploratory Experiments},
author = {Radin, Dean I and Anastasia, Joyce},
year = {2022},
journal = {Journal of the Society for Psychical Research},
}