ESPts

ESPts, or extrasensory perception tests, refer to experimental procedures aimed at evaluating claimed abilities to acquire information without ordinary sensory input. In this context, tests typically address telepathy (transmitting information between minds), clairvoyance (gaining information about distant or hidden targets), and precognition (predicting future events). ESP tests are conducted within parapsychology to determine whether participants can access information beyond what is available through the senses, under controlled conditions.

Historically, work in this area began in the early 20th century with researchers such as J. B. Rhine, who used standardized card-guessing tasks to probe ESP. The tradition expanded to include procedures such as the Ganzfeld experiment and various standardized, blinded protocols. In the late 20th century, additional lines of inquiry, including remote viewing, gained attention, though these programs remain controversial and their findings have not led to broad scientific consensus.

Methodologically, ESP tests rely on statistical comparison of observed successes against chance levels, with emphasis on controlling sensory leakage, bias, and demand characteristics. Designs often employ randomization, blinding, and preregistered hypotheses. Critics point to small or inconsistent effects, replication failures, and potential methodological flaws that can produce false positives. As a result, meta-analyses of ESP tests yield mixed conclusions, and robust, widely replicable effects have not been demonstrated.

Current scientific consensus generally regards ESP tests with skepticism; while some researchers continue to pursue standardized, preregistered studies, no ESPts have achieved the level of evidence typically required for acceptance in mainstream science.