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differences between the envelopes were biasing Štěpánek's responses. This was controlled by next enclosing the enveloped cards within other covers, and eventually several more covers. Parapsychologists were surprised the effect failed to disappear; however, the effect completely disappeared when the envelopes were put inside a rigid box, and Štěpánek was never prevented from handling the objects, which critics claim as evidence that tactile stimuli were creeping through.
58:, in 1931. After completing secondary school, he was employed as a foreign-language correspondent for an export firm, and later as an information clerk for the Prague Central Library. He held this position throughout the duration of his participation in the experiments. These commenced when, in June 1961, Štěpánek responded to a public notice by Milan Rýzl seeking participants. He had no personal or family history of
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In 1962, the first report, principally by Milan Rýzl, was published of card-calling experiments with Štěpánek. These involved simple tests of the ability to identify the top-facing colour (either green or white) of randomly ordered and concealed cards. The aim of the study was to test the efficacy
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In some experiments, experimenters could have seen the colour, and thus transmitted information to Štěpánek. No attempt at olfactory controls was attempted, in several cases the experimenter was aware of what colour the card was, and thus could have been unconsciously broadcasting information to
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It was also observed in early studies that, when the envelopes in which the cards were concealed were reused, Štěpánek – seemingly without his conscious knowledge – started to give the same response (either green or white) to particular envelopes. It was concluded that some subtle
91:Štěpánek. Štěpánek was never prevented from handling the materials, which opened many possibilities for him to find out information through tactile and other such means. A later study, in 1990, failed to indicate any ability to identify events at a level greater than chance.
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These experiments nonetheless continued, with increased security and complexity, for 10 years, drawing in investigators from the UK, the USA, Australia, the
Netherlands, Japan, and elsewhere; although the principal investigators were Joseph Gaither Pratt, then at the
87:) for their studies with Štěpánek, as published in 1969. The complete studies were reviewed by Pratt and Keil. However, all these studies had possible experimental errors that could have given Pavel information on what colour to guess.
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of hypnotic suggestions for ESP scoring. However, in 1965, once warping of the cards was pointed out as a possible way of identifying which side of the card was facing up, Štěpánek was no longer able to perform this trick.
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Pratt, J. G., Stevenson, I., Roll, W. G., Meinsma, G. L., Keil, H. H. J., & Jacobson, N. (1968). Identification of concealed randomized objects through acquired response habits of stimulus and word association.
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experiments, both in terms of number of trials, and number of independent investigators. In 1968, results of these experiments were published in the journal
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Critics have pointed out numerous experimental flaws in the tests that would have resulted in Štěpánek being able to guess correctly with no need for
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Pratt, J. G., Keil, H. H. J., & Stevenson, I. (1970). Three-experimenter ESP tests of Štěpánek during his 1968 visit to
Charlottesville.
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Pratt, J. G. (1973). A decade of research with a selected subject: An overview and reappraisal of the work with Pavel Štěpánek.
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Kappers, J., Akkerman, A. E., Van der Sijde, P. C., & Bierman, J. (1990). Resuming work with Pavel
Stepanek.
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How Not To Test A Psychic: 10 Years of
Remarkable Experiments with Renowned Clairvoyant Pavel Stepanek
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Ryzl, M. & Ryzlova, J. (1962). A case of high-scoring ESP performance in the hypnotic state.
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46:, and have noted that when these problems were eliminated, Pavel failed the tests.
27:. He became, during the 1960s, the most tested individual participant in
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Research Letter (Parapsychology
Laboratory, University of Utrecht)
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Keil, H. H. J. (1977). Pavel
Stepanek and the focusing effect.
83:. Pratt and Keil shared the 1970 McDougall Award (from the
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Proceedings of the
American Society for Psychical Research
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Journal of the
American Society for Psychical Research
168:(1970, November). An outstanding ESP subject.
234:Journal of the Society for Psychical Research
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85:Foundation for Research on the Nature of Man
146:ESP: Deficiencies of Experimental Method
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54:Štěpánek was born in Prague, then in
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152:221, 1171-1172 (22 March 1969)
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19:(born 1931) is a retired
303:Entertainers from Prague
170:Parapsychology Bulletin
44:extrasensory perception
81:University of Tasmania
77:University of Virginia
39:as principal author.
277:. Prometheus Books;
37:Joseph Gaither Pratt
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