Abstract

Reanalysis of three earlier sets of data revealed that psi-missers showed relatively large, positive displacement effects for salient tar gets in contrast to near-zero effects for ordinary or nonsalient tar gets. In the former case, the effect sizes ranged from over two to almost five times as large as the combined effect size found in a recent meta-analysis of data from 13 relatively favorable testing con ditions. As a follow-up to a meta-analysis of displacements under relatively favorable testing conditions, two new series were de signed to produce below-chance displacement in psi-missers by in creasing attitudes of disbelief in ESP. The series made use of both relatively rare, salient targets (red) and common, nonsalient targets (black). Displacement effect sizes for both kinds of targets were considerably less positive than in the previous studies. Displacement to salient targets was still above chance for the combined two series. However, there was below-chance displacement to nonsalient targets that was significant in one case (p = .049) and for the two series combined (p = .025). A comparison of differences in displacements to salient and nonsalient targets over the five series resulted in an unweighted Stouffer z of 2.410, p < .008. The main implications were that it appears possible to produce below-chance displacement among psi-missers and that salient targets facilitate displacement re gardless of the favorability of testing conditions. These conclusions must remain tentative until there is further replication, preferably by others.