title: Experimental facilitation of the sensed presence is predicted by the specific patterns of the applied magnetic fields, not by suggestibility: re-analyses of 19 experiments.
abstract: If all experiences are generated by brain activity, then experiences of God and spirits should also be produced by the appropriate cerebral stimulation. During the last 15 years experiments have shown that the sensed presence of a "Sentient Being" can be reliably evoked by very specific temporal patterns of weak (<1 microT) transcerebral magnetic fields applied across the temporoparietal region of the two hemispheres. Recently Granqvist et al. (2005) attributed these effects to suggestibility and exotic beliefs. Re-analyses with additional data for 407 subjects (19 experiments) showed that the magnetic configurations, not the subjects' exotic beliefs or suggestibility, were responsible for the experimental facilitation of sensing a presence. On the other hand, the subjects' histories of sensed presences before exposure to the experimental setting were moderately correlated with exotic beliefs and temporal lobe sensitivity. Several recent experiments have shown that the side attributed to the presence at the time of the experience is sensitive to the temporal parameters of the fields, the hemisphere to which they are maximized, and the person's a priori beliefs. The importance of verifying the specific timing and temporal pattern of the software-generated fields and following an effective protocol is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Behavioral Neuroscience Research Laboratory, Laurentian University, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: St-Pierre
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Persinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology*; D019992:Databases as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010268:Parapsychology / Q000379:methods*; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D010555:Personality Inventory; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects*