An experimental test of psychic diagnosis of disease

Abstract

The authors, one a medical anthropologist and the other a medical doctor, investigated the claims of three acquaintances who include psychic diagnosis in the services they provide to clients. An experiment was designed that allowed each of the three psychics to diagnose five volunteers, patients of S. K. H. Aung, one at a time while hidden behind a screen. The results of the psychic diagnoses were then compared with the medical records of the patients. Results indicate some correspondence between the psychic diagnoses and the medical records, but the correspondence was not sufficiently impressive to warrant considering psychic diagnosis as a useful alternative method for diagnosing disease. It would appear that patients relying solely on psychic diagnosis as the basis for therapy are at risk of serious medical problems going undetected. Future research, with a larger sample of patients and psychic diagnosticians, is required to substantiate this conclusion.