Do you know someone you are convinced has extrasensory perception (ESP)? Is it you? Zener cards are a fun way to test your ESP abilities. Want to give it a whirl in the last post of the A to Z Challenge?
Who would not want to predict the future? From the beginning of our history, humans have entertained the idea of predicting the future and exalted those believed to be true prognosticators. Skeptics view the whole affair with a raised eyebrow, but many are at least curious as to the existence of ESP.
Zener
Karl Zener was just so curious a psychologist. Before he came to invent the Zener cards, a regular pack of playing cards was used to determine if people were clairvoyant or possessed ESP. There were problems with this model, including:
The Circle: One Curve
- Low chance of correct answers (number/suit variables)
- Favoritism toward one number/suit by subject
- Knowing right answers allowed counting cards
- Statistical interpretation of answers
Zener developed a simple deck of cards for the test: Five simple shapes, five cards of each design. He conducted his tests in the 1930s with parapsychologist J.B. Rhine.
The presenter picks up one card, then records the answer of the subject.
Zorino
The Cross: Two Lines
In the early days, Zener cards grabbed a stinking reputation. They were made of a thin paper. The discovery was the most successful people taking the test were merely exploiting their ability to see through the cards.
The picture of a building at Duke University graced the cards next. Asymmetric patterns make the cards one-way now.
Rhine chose shuffling by machine to produce better results, since hand shuffling can make the frequency of cards easier to predict.
Zone
The Waves: Three Curvy Lines
One of the points skeptics like to highlight is the subject can take clues from the presenter in determining which card is chosen. In clinical trials and in lay experiments, there is often an object placed between subject and presenter to take this variable out of the equation. Another solution is to put the presenter and the subject in separate rooms.
Recording the experiment can help keep both subject and presenter honest or reveal how some scores were reached through deception.
The Square: Four Lines
Zip
Another use for the test is for telepathy. In this version of test, the subject picks the Zener card and projects the image to the receiver. Some statistical maneuvering is necessary to take into account the perception of the receiver and accurately gauge the telepathic powers of the subject.
Zero
The Star: Five Points
Typically, the base score anyone will get is five out of 25. Statistically, your chances of guessing these correctly means you are not showing any overt perception or prognostic ability. Lower scores than five are possible, and common, although a score of zero is particularly unlikely.
Zygomorphic
Are you ready to test your ESP abilities with these simply designed cards? The Internet has taken a lot of the work out of the Zener card test. Scoring is not interpretative, but is very straightforward. You have choices.
Want to have your answers listed in a data base to influence future norms? Try The Anima Project. They collect data to influence the curve on who is determined clairvoyant.
What to test with more than one deck at a time? Try Psychic Science. See if you can beat the highest score they have on record.
Want to stay right here and try it? Why go on a field trip, when Red can deliver the test to you?! For your enjoyment, the test is embedded below:
Take a few minutes to play with it. Take it as many times as you like. Try cheating, if you like. Choose two cards and only guess those two rather than trying to guess all five. Try counting cards. All is fair in this test. Use the powers you have to get the highest number correct.
If you think this would be fun for a party, the cards are readily available at sellers like Amazon in the toys category. All different types of cards are available from the original Zener card designs to other fun shapes. They can also be a great craft project for your eight-year-old.
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Have you ever played with Zener cards? Do you have any ESP, clairvoyance or telepathy skills? How did your score on the Zener card test here or on the other sites?
If you tweet or +1 this post, please use the hashtag #AtoZChallenge!
Are you glad the challenge is over?
Cat Forsley
/ April 30, 2012YOU ARE AN INCREDIBLE WOMAN
!!!!!!!!!
ALL I HAVE TO SAY ……
LEARNING AT THE SPEED OF LOVE OVER HERE !!!!!!!!!
XO
CAT
Cat Forsley recently posted..“Perspective ..” She Said by Cat Forsley ©
Red
/ April 30, 2012This one is fun! Did you take the test??
Cat Forsley
/ April 30, 2012I AM DIGESTING THIS ALL ……I WILL NOW !!!!!
I AM QUICK LEARNER BUT COME ON .,…..
!!!!!!!!!!
THIS IS LIKE A CANDY STORE FOR KNOWLEDGE AND FUN XOXOXO
THANK YOU
Cat Forsley recently posted..“Perspective ..” She Said by Cat Forsley ©
Deb
/ April 30, 2012Nice to see you here, Cat! I knew you love Reds site!
Hugs, xx
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Cat Forsley
/ April 30, 2012I DO !!!!!! THANK YOU DEB XOXO
IT’S SO FUN IN HERE …..
LIKE A WORLD WITHIN A WORLD WITHIN ANOTHER WORLD !!!!!!
🙂 SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE AND INSIGHT FROM RED ……
A WONDERFUL WOMAN = JUST LIKE YOU
XX
LOVE
XX
C
Cat Forsley recently posted..“Perspective ..” She Said by Cat Forsley ©
Cat Forsley
/ April 30, 2012I AM OFFICIALLY NOT PSYCHIC !!!!!!!!!!
LOL 🙂
THAT WAS FUN THANK YOU
I GOT A 5 …….
I KNOW I AM INTUITIVE
BUT THAT’S PROBABLY IT …….LOL
XX
Cat Forsley recently posted..“Perspective ..” She Said by Cat Forsley ©
Red
/ April 30, 2012I think I have gotten a five about an half dozen times. It is fun 😉 xxx
Raymond Alexander Kukkee
/ April 30, 2012I got a 4 and a 5, that’s bound to happen sooner or later just guessing. I’m certainly not psychic at all, maybe a bit intuitive and read people like books. ……”:))
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Red
/ April 30, 2012Intuition is just as important as prediction in my book.
Cat Forsley
/ April 30, 2012YES THANKS FOR THE FUN
I SOOO NEEDED A BIT OF THAT TODAY
MAYBE I WILL TAKE IT AGAIN …..
AND GET A FIVE AGAIN AND AGAIN XOXOOXXO
I NEED A NAP AFTER ALL THIS FUN !
SERIOUSLY ………..
THANKS FOR EVERYTHING TODAY XOXO
SEE YOU SOON XO
Cat Forsley recently posted..“Perspective ..” She Said by Cat Forsley ©
Deb
/ April 30, 2012Ooh, a game. I tried twice, and my best score was 5 out of 25 tries.
No psychic here.
Hugs, xx
Deb recently posted..R is for Red
Red
/ April 30, 2012Not much of a psychic myself. Best I have ever scored is an eight 🙂 Still fun, though! {HUGZ} Red. xxx
Angela
/ April 30, 2012I scored worse when I only guessed one card lol. I actually do have times when I know things before they happen or know things others don’t see. I think this is more a gift from God than ESP, however. Fun:)
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Red
/ April 30, 2012I find it interesting you used those terms. Most who have ESP consider it a divine gift.
Angela
/ April 30, 2012I suppose that’s true – at least a spiritual gift. I would probably call it the gift of prophecy or discernment (or both). I can’t predict cards and things like that, but I often get a word about something before it comes. I learned that God gave this to me because He wanted me to bathe it in prayer and be prepared when the moment comes. I don’t always know the what, but sometimes I do. Sometimes this comes in a dream. The funny thing is that when it’s from God, I know it, and it’s never wrong. It took me a while to understand all this. Not something I talk about a lot because people don’t tend to understand — see it through their own filter — and it’s not about them anyway.
Angela recently posted..Eureka! It’s a Celebration!
Red
/ April 30, 2012True, it is not about them. Most wish it would be to exploit it.
Binky
/ April 30, 2012I successfully predicted I’m not psychic.
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Red
/ April 30, 2012Me, too 😉
Bearman
/ April 30, 2012woo hoo…you made it. Next month is the GREEK Alphabet.
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Red
/ April 30, 2012And that will be significantly easier…only 24 letters!
Lizzie Cracked
/ May 1, 2012I have super intuitive powers because I pick up on the smallest nuances…changes in behavior from people I am close too, no esp though.. maybe telepathy lol if I think hard enough bout a person, they often call text or email me. It’s a little spooky actually lol. Um..the test above, I have spent an inordinate amount of time completely focused on it. What’s up with that? I learn so much here 🙂 Thanks Red.
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Red
/ May 1, 2012ROFL! Because it is fun! I am horrifically observant. It helps. My premonitory powers are for major things. My late husband swore I had a rectally implanted horseshoe. I have the telepathy with those I am closest to…as in I know when they are in trouble or hurt and most times just before it happens. 😉 Glad you liked this one.