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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).

Results: Effects, medium in size (ES(r) = .4), were observed for the two experiments where state oriented subjects served as agents. In one of these two experiments, the receivers’ arousal significantly differed during the agents’ calming efforts. Most importantly, the agents’ self-regulation was not a sufficient prerequisite for experimental success as indicated by the negative correlation with self-regulatory mechanisms. This finding was furthermore supported when testing the association of experimental success and various personality functions derived from Personality-Systems-Interaction-Theory (PSI-Theory) by Kuhl. These data suggest that a low-level, intuitive personality system, whose main function serves interpersonal interaction, is indicative of the unorthodox communication effects.