Ouija Boards

[StayPuft]

(11-22-2012 06:49 AM)themanfromsaturn Wrote:  They function on something called the 'Ideomotor Effect'. Basically, we all have little nerve twitches, spasms, and other small fine motor adjustments. Get multiple people together trying to hold the same object steady, and we wind up involuntarily trying to correct for each other, pulling it in one direction or the other which creates the illusion of spontaneous movement. Once in motion, our expectations subtly influence the direction the object moves, and where it comes to rest.

It's an interesting excercise in applied psychology, but not an oracle.

Awesome! Thanks, manfromsaturn. I always figured it was probably something along those lines. I mean, I'm sorry, but if the entire thing operated on the assumption that somebody was going to be in on it and intentionally move the thing, wouldn't that kind of ruin it? Eventually, most people would be aware that it was just a complete hoax. At least this way, it is actually a neat little trick.

I mean, otherwise, that would be like the magician showing that he actually had a camera man record the card the person selected and then tell him in his earpiece, and then he just flips through the deck manually and picks it. Where would be the fun in that. It's not like we aren't aware that magic tricks are just tricks, but it would ruin the effect if there was no actual trick to it. LOL!