Abstract

Derives a new measure of bias whereby the pattern in any finite sequence may be characterized by the distribution of the components of C. E. Shannon's redundancy vector. Z-values of these measures are standardized by Monte Carlo methods. In C. T. Tart's (1976) data ESP scoring rate is significantly correlated with the degree of patterning in the target sequences. The 3rd-order parameter is significantly negative in both target and guess sequences. In the P. R. Martin and F. P. Stribic (1940) data the 2nd-order parameter is significantly positive in both target and guess sequences and is significantly correlated with scoring rate. Measures of the estimation structure of the target sequences display optimal estimation lengths or "windows" in which scoring rate is significantly correlated with the degree to which the first part of the sequence is an accurate predictor of the whole. These findings do not disprove the ESP hypothesis, but they offer an alternative explanation of significant scoring in terms of pattern recognition and its exploitation through estimation techniques and game theoretic strategy building, particularly in games with feedback, and show that extremely minimal information, not detectable locally by statistical tests, can be utilized by the human mind. (15 ref)