134:. Like many of the bereaved at the time, he made enquiries of mediums concerning communication with the departed; but conducted his observations with a scientific approach. His observations surprised conventional understanding even within psychical research. Most especially, he reported a case of apparently precognitive telepathy of a situation yet to occur for a long-forgotten, but still living, friend of his, Gordon Davis. This suggested, in line with earlier speculations, that the statements of mediums had nothing to do with "spirits of the departed," but only knowledge gained - by telepathy, if need be - from the sitters themselves. What was particularly surprising was that this information was yet to be learned by Soal himself.
42:
222:. Not only were the significances of the studies - in terms of the correspondence between ESP guesses and random targets - extraordinary, the procedures appeared to allow no alternative hypothesis. There was also the testimony of 21 prominent observers who, individually, monitored Soal's work with Shackleton, that they were satisfied with the conditions, and could conceive of no means by which the results could be obtained by normal means other than ESP. Many leading academics, including
102:, he lectured in mathematics at Oxford in the Army School of Education, before returning as a lecturer to Queen Mary College, University of London. In 1944, he was awarded the D.Sc. from Queen Mary College, where he continued to lecture in mathematics until his retirement in 1954. In 1947, he presented the Ninth Myers Memorial Lecture to the
250:
the digits that appeared to interrupt some of the reused sequences. Betty
Marwick discovered that Soal had not used the method of random selection of numbers as he had claimed. Marwick showed that there had been manipulation of the score sheets "all the experiments reported by Soal had thereby been discredited."
262:, which became a best-seller. This work was immediately and severely criticised on methodological grounds; simulations of the study suggesting that the boys, with their family, could have been successfully undetected in using a code in association with an ultrasonic whistle, perhaps blown by a secreted pump.
249:
In 1978, it was reported that Soal evidently appeared to reuse some target sequences from an earlier test in a later one, often reversing, omitting or inserting one or more digits into the sequence before reusing them. It was considered suspicious that a disproportionate number of "hits" occurred on
265:
It was not until the 1970s, when Soal was already senile and no longer able to respond, that his data were finally deemed insupportable by his fellow parapsychologists. These concerned largely statistical challenges offered by members of the SPR on the basis of several novel analyses they conducted
301:
Mr. Soal was a devious character. And it's clear that in the six weeks at his disposal he had plenty of chance to find out things about number 54. I've visited the house myself and noted that all Soal had to do was walk past the place, then ride past on the double-decker bus and record everything
296:
he had lived in. In 1925, his report about these séances was published in the
Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research. However, it was discovered that fraud was involved with the case. Davis was alive and Soal altered the records of the sittings after checking out the house. Researcher
157:
Soal moved to a more statistical and controlled approach, firstly by conducting an experiment in which up to a few hundred persons participated at one time. This involved Soal and a small group of agents enacting a scenario, playing with a certain object, reciting a poem, and so on, which the
253:
For two of the 40 sessions with
Shackleton, it was claimed that it was "virtually conclusive" that this practice amounted to fraud; and fraud in another six sessions was considered to be "suggestive only". Soal was not able to replicate his earlier work while continuing to conduct telepathy
207:(a celebrated London portrait photographer, later to become associated with the "Grape Cure" for cancer) and Gloria Stewart. It was reported that Stewart performed better at chance at naming the card ahead and behind the target card; however, this was not the task, nor was it her intention.
257:
During these years, Soal conducted a long series of apparently successful experiments with a pair of young brothers, as participants, in
Northern Wales. Soal reported that the brothers could transmit information to each other via extrasensory perception. This work resulted in Soal's book
162:
contributed some trials to this research, via his pool of selected participants. While some striking correspondences were obtained, these did not hold up to Soal's statistical scrutiny, and the report of the research commenced with the note that the findings were "entirely negative".
233:
Arguments against Soal's data have, however, been raised ever since their publication. These proposed "unconscious whispering" (from the experimenter to the ‘agent,’ and then from the ‘agent’ to the ‘percipient’); the inapplicability of probability theory to science (as offered by
180:. From 1936-1941, he performed over 120,000 trials of card-guessing with 160 participants, finding no evidence of supernatural abilities. In review, he scathingly offered the opinion that telepathy was a merely American phenomenon; he was described by the US researcher,
106:, largely on the topic of the card-guessing experiments he had been recently conducting. He served as president of the Society for the years 1950-1952. He was a Fulbright Scholar in 1951, for which he journeyed to the USA to work with
719:
836:
826:
292:
During 1921-1922 Soal carried out a series of séances with the medium
Blanche Cooper who claimed to have contacted the spirit of a soldier Gordon Davis and revealed the
158:
participants, situated across Great
Britain and other countries, were required, at the same time, to attempt to imaginally perceive. The French psychical researcher
114:. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in Psychology at Birkbeck College, University of London for the years 1954-1958. Thereafter, he moved permanently to
728:
141:
at this time, and pseudonymously authored a much-discussed paper on the scripts he produced, which purported to be authored by the deceased
306:
According to magician Bob
Couttie, Soal's co-workers knew that he had fiddled the results but were kept quiet with threats of libel suits.
831:
781:
720:
An encyclopedia of claims, frauds, and hoaxes of the occult and supernatural: decidedly sceptical definitions of alternative realities
343:
761:
697:
673:
130:
in
October 1922. He was partly moved to make his first parapsychological studies following the death of one of his brothers in the
91:
41:
230:, were persuaded, largely or partly on the basis of these reports, to lend academic support to psi-related ideas and research.
126:
During this time, Soal demonstrated a personal as well as scientific interest in psychical research, becoming a member of the
192:
127:
103:
196:
176:
281:
Distinguished at this time for his contribution to studies of mediumship, Soal was the chosen author for a survey of "
145:. He later himself declaimed the evidentiality of these scripts, and considered that they were largely the product of
448:
199:
in his data for two of his earlier participants. Carington and Soal co-authored a paper on the effect, published in
821:
170:
by card-guessing, Soal again changed his research processes and commenced a series of card-guessing experiments in
167:
118:, Wales, where he had routinely holidayed for each year over the past few decades, and where he died in 1975.
577:
Soal, S. G. (1956). Some statistical aspects of ESP. In G. E. W. Wolstenholme & E. C. P. Millar (Eds.),
282:
439:
79:
203:
in 1940. Soal thereupon sought to confirm these observations with new studies with these participants:
449:
The
Skeptic's Dictionary: A Collection of Strange Beliefs, Amusing Deceptions, and Dangerous Delusions
204:
47:
816:
811:
235:
107:
99:
24:
238:); and collusion between the ‘agent’ to the ‘percipient’. Outright fraud was also advanced (by
777:
757:
724:
693:
669:
339:
188:
138:
753:
75:
367:
Soal, S. G. (1925). A report of some communications received through Mrs. Blanche Cooper.
270:
239:
159:
131:
115:
111:
59:
805:
650:
The Soal-Goldney
Experiments with Basil Shackleton: New Evidence of Data Manipulation
315:
211:
71:
254:
experiments, at the University of London, after his retirement, from 1954 to 1958.
215:
146:
714:
492:
Broad, C. D. (1944). The experimental establishment of telepathic precognition.
223:
181:
142:
95:
20:
227:
526:
Hansel, C. E. M. (1959). Experimental evidence for extra-sensory perception.
214:
and F. Bateman, were widely reviewed as among the most challenging proofs of
626:
Some comments on methods and statements in parapsychology and other sciences
219:
171:
266:
by computer searches of the data from the 1941-1943 study with Shackleton.
796:
509:
Spencer Brown, G. (1953). Statistical significance in psychical research.
686:
The Establishment of Data Manipulation in the Soal-Shackleton Experiments
397:
Soal, S. G. (1932). Experiments in supernormal perception at a distance.
443:
174:, including trials canvassed over radio and via the literary magazine
475:
Soal, S. G. (1940). Fresh light on card guessing: Some new effects.
336:
Encyclopedia of Pseudoscience: From Alien Abductions to Zone Therapy
354:
Goldney, K. M. (1975, July–August). S.G. Soal: A personal tribute.
273:
has documented the fraud of Soal and the flaws in his experiments.
293:
652:. Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research, 56, 250-280.
666:
The Search for Psychic Power: ESP and Parapsychology Revisited
90:
Soal graduated with first class honours in mathematics from
384:
Soal, S. G. (1935). Spiritualism. In J. Franklyn (Ed.),
560:
Soal, S. G. (1956). On "Science and the Supernatural".
464:
The mind readers: Some recent experiments in telepathy
302:
that could be spotted through the plain glass windows.
285:", in 55 pages, for the first 1935 publication of the
94:(then East London College) in 1910. After service in
579:
Extrasensory perception: A CIBA Foundation symposium
242:) and prominently canvassed in the American journal
543:Price, G. R. (1955). Science and the supernatural.
55:
32:
837:People involved in scientific misconduct incidents
592:Experimental evidence for extra-sensory perception
477:Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research
399:Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research
369:Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research
644:
642:
210:These studies, conducted in collaboration with
184:, as one of his most harsh and unfair critics.
744:
742:
740:
660:
658:
709:
707:
705:
195:(SPR), Soal was able to report a significant
8:
827:Academics of Queen Mary University of London
774:Forbidden Knowledge: The Paranormal Paradox
166:Following popular and academic reports of
40:
29:
16:British mathematician and parapsychologist
630:British Journal for Philosophy of Science
462:Soal, S. G., & Bowden, H. T. (1959).
434:
432:
430:
428:
426:
424:
246:. Soal attempted to rebut the critiques.
611:Soal, S. G., & Bateman, F. (1954).
581:(pp. 80-90). New York, NY, US: Citadel.
414:Soal, S. G., & Bateman, F. (1954).
327:
98:, in which he suffered shelling at the
723:. New York, NY: St. Martin's Griffin.
690:A Skeptic’s Handbook of Parapsychology
187:Next however, upon the hypothesis of
7:
776:. Lutterworth Press. pp. 104-105.
50:(back right) in a card experiment.
14:
692:. Prometheus Books. pp. 287-312.
668:. Prometheus Books. pp. 100-116.
191:, a fellow researcher within the
613:Modern experiments in telepathy
416:Modern experiments in telepathy
82:in his work in parapsychology.
193:Society for Psychical Research
128:Society for Psychical Research
104:Society for Psychical Research
1:
750:Investigating the Unexplained
334:Williams, William F. (2000).
80:fraudulent production of data
46:Samuel Soal (middle) testing
19:For the village of Şoal in
853:
624:Wassermann, G. D. (1955).
388:(pp. 213-268). London, UK.
297:Melvin Harris noted that:
70:(1889–1975) was a British
18:
832:British parapsychologists
664:Hansel, C. E. M. (1989).
444:"Soal-Goldney experiment"
338:. Facts on File. p. 319.
122:Early qualitative studies
39:
748:Harris, Melvin. (1986).
386:Dictionary of the occult
287:Dictionary of the Occult
168:extra-sensory perception
797:Soal-Goldney experiment
688:. In Paul Kurtz (Ed.),
137:Soal himself practised
177:John O'London's Weekly
78:. He was charged with
772:Couttie, Bob.(1988).
684:Markwick, B. (1985).
648:Markwick, B. (1978).
356:Parapsychology Review
590:Soal, S. G. (1960).
466:. London, UK: Faber.
440:Carroll, Robert Todd
418:. London, UK: Faber.
236:George Spencer-Brown
60:Psychical researcher
615:. London, UK: Faber
197:displacement effect
153:Statistical studies
100:Battle of the Somme
92:Queen Mary College
68:Samuel George Soal
822:Academic scandals
730:978-0-312-15119-5
269:The psychologist
189:Whately Carington
139:automatic writing
65:
64:
844:
784:
770:
764:
754:Prometheus Books
746:
735:
734:
711:
700:
682:
676:
662:
653:
646:
637:
622:
616:
609:
603:
588:
582:
575:
569:
558:
552:
541:
535:
524:
518:
507:
501:
490:
484:
473:
467:
460:
454:
453:
436:
419:
412:
406:
395:
389:
382:
376:
365:
359:
352:
346:
332:
260:The Mind Readers
205:Basil Shackleton
76:parapsychologist
48:Frederick Marion
44:
30:
852:
851:
847:
846:
845:
843:
842:
841:
802:
801:
793:
788:
787:
771:
767:
756:. pp. 137-144.
747:
738:
731:
713:
712:
703:
683:
679:
663:
656:
647:
640:
623:
619:
610:
606:
589:
585:
576:
572:
559:
555:
542:
538:
525:
521:
508:
504:
491:
487:
474:
470:
461:
457:
438:
437:
422:
413:
409:
396:
392:
383:
379:
366:
362:
353:
349:
333:
329:
324:
312:
279:
271:C. E. M. Hansel
240:George R. Price
160:Rene Warcollier
155:
132:First World War
124:
116:Caernarvonshire
112:Duke University
88:
51:
35:
28:
17:
12:
11:
5:
850:
848:
840:
839:
834:
829:
824:
819:
814:
804:
803:
800:
799:
792:
791:External links
789:
786:
785:
782:978-0718826864
765:
736:
729:
701:
677:
654:
638:
617:
604:
583:
570:
553:
536:
519:
502:
485:
468:
455:
420:
407:
390:
377:
360:
347:
344:978-0816033515
326:
325:
323:
320:
319:
318:
311:
308:
304:
303:
278:
275:
228:Sir Cyril Burt
154:
151:
123:
120:
87:
84:
63:
62:
57:
53:
52:
45:
37:
36:
33:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
849:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
809:
807:
798:
795:
794:
790:
783:
779:
775:
769:
766:
763:
762:0-87975-367-6
759:
755:
751:
745:
743:
741:
737:
732:
726:
722:
721:
716:
710:
708:
706:
702:
699:
698:0-87975-300-5
695:
691:
687:
681:
678:
675:
674:0-87975-516-4
671:
667:
661:
659:
655:
651:
645:
643:
639:
635:
631:
627:
621:
618:
614:
608:
605:
601:
597:
593:
587:
584:
580:
574:
571:
567:
563:
557:
554:
550:
546:
540:
537:
533:
529:
523:
520:
516:
512:
506:
503:
499:
495:
489:
486:
482:
478:
472:
469:
465:
459:
456:
451:
450:
445:
441:
435:
433:
431:
429:
427:
425:
421:
417:
411:
408:
404:
400:
394:
391:
387:
381:
378:
374:
370:
364:
361:
357:
351:
348:
345:
341:
337:
331:
328:
321:
317:
316:K. M. Goldney
314:
313:
309:
307:
300:
299:
298:
295:
290:
288:
284:
276:
274:
272:
267:
263:
261:
255:
251:
247:
245:
241:
237:
231:
229:
225:
221:
217:
213:
212:K. M. Goldney
208:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
185:
183:
179:
178:
173:
169:
164:
161:
152:
150:
148:
144:
140:
135:
133:
129:
121:
119:
117:
113:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
85:
83:
81:
77:
73:
72:mathematician
69:
61:
58:
54:
49:
43:
38:
31:
26:
25:Roşia Montană
22:
773:
768:
749:
718:
715:Randi, James
689:
685:
680:
665:
649:
633:
629:
625:
620:
612:
607:
599:
595:
591:
586:
578:
573:
565:
561:
556:
548:
544:
539:
534:, 1515-1516.
531:
527:
522:
514:
510:
505:
497:
493:
488:
480:
476:
471:
463:
458:
447:
415:
410:
402:
398:
393:
385:
380:
372:
368:
363:
355:
350:
335:
330:
305:
291:
286:
283:Spiritualism
280:
268:
264:
259:
256:
252:
248:
243:
232:
216:precognition
209:
200:
186:
175:
165:
156:
147:cryptomnesia
136:
125:
89:
67:
66:
817:1975 deaths
812:1889 births
224:C. D. Broad
182:J. B. Rhine
143:Oscar Wilde
108:J. G. Pratt
96:World War I
34:Samuel Soal
21:Alba County
806:Categories
636:, 122-140.
602:, 950-951.
551:, 359-367.
517:, 154-156.
500:, 261-275.
494:Philosophy
483:, 152-198.
405:, 165-362.
375:, 471-594.
322:References
277:Mediumship
56:Occupation
220:telepathy
172:telepathy
86:Biography
717:(1995).
442:(2010).
358:, 21-24.
310:See also
568:, 9-11.
562:Science
545:Science
244:Science
780:
760:
727:
696:
672:
596:Nature
528:Nature
511:Nature
342:
201:Nature
23:, see
294:house
778:ISBN
758:ISBN
725:ISBN
694:ISBN
670:ISBN
340:ISBN
226:and
218:and
74:and
600:185
566:123
549:122
532:184
515:172
149:.
110:at
808::
752:.
739:^
704:^
657:^
641:^
632:,
628:.
598:,
594:.
564:,
547:,
530:,
513:,
498:19
496:,
481:46
479:,
446:.
423:^
403:40
401:,
373:35
371:,
289:.
733:.
634:6
452:.
27:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
