A Conditional Testing Approach to Unorthodox Forms of Interpersonal Interaction

Principal Investigator: R. Schneider, PhD

Affiliations: University Hospital Freiburg, Department of Environmental Medicine and Hospital Epidemiology

Background: A number of experiments report that individuals may interact in an unorthodox way (i.e. no conventional means of communication). Yet, besides problems regarding the measurement of the target variable for success, Direct Mental Interaction with Living Systems (DMILS) research primarily lacks an approach that identifies which psychological functional mechanisms may be involved.

Objective of the study: (1) To test which psychophysiological parameter is most sensitive for DMILS experiments. (2) To test whether high-inferential (i.e. self-regulatory, volitional) or low-inferential (i.e. intuitive programs) mechanisms are associated with experimental success.

Methods and Design: By introducing a conditional testing approach (CTA), we examined the relationship between measures of unorthodox forms of communication and process variables that should be related to unorthodox forms of communication. In a series of four experiments, 11-15 pairs each were physically isolated and one person (‘agent’) tried to mentally influence another person (‘receiver’). Target variables were the autonomic arousal of the receiver (EDA, respiration). Each experiment consisted of a combination of a specific stress inducing instruction (failure-avoiding vs. reinforcing) and a specific type of self-regulation related personality trait (action vs. state orientation).