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I Feel it Coming? Exploring the Relation Between Personality Traits, Expectations, and Precognition in a Forced-Choice Experiment

Helmius, Maria LU and Sundh, Joakim LU (2025) PSPR14 20251
Department of Psychology
Abstract
This thesis aimed to explore the relation between openness to experience, extraversion, belief in succeeding in a precognitive task, and precognition, measured with the forced-choice precognitive task the Selfield. Sixty participants were recruited and completed a total of 2,381 trials. Personality traits were measured using the Swedish version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and belief in succeeding in the task was measured using a single item. In contrast to previous research, we found a small to moderate negative correlation (r = - .29 to -.33, p = <.05) between openness to experience and precognition. Correlations between belief in succeeding in the task, extraversion, and precognition were non-significant. A binomial test showed that... (More)
This thesis aimed to explore the relation between openness to experience, extraversion, belief in succeeding in a precognitive task, and precognition, measured with the forced-choice precognitive task the Selfield. Sixty participants were recruited and completed a total of 2,381 trials. Personality traits were measured using the Swedish version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and belief in succeeding in the task was measured using a single item. In contrast to previous research, we found a small to moderate negative correlation (r = - .29 to -.33, p = <.05) between openness to experience and precognition. Correlations between belief in succeeding in the task, extraversion, and precognition were non-significant. A binomial test showed that our sample as a whole did not perform significantly better than chance level, thus failing to support the existence of precognition. The surprising negative relation between openness to experience and precognition challenges previous research and may reflect random variation, methodological restrictions, or more complex underlying mechanisms. The discussion explores potential explanations such as experimenter effects, limitations in construct validity, and challenges with the elusiveness of psi phenomena. Despite limitations, the study contributes to the methodological advancement of psi research. By integrating psychological variables with Selfield task, it opens new perspectives for exploring individual differences in relation to precognition. Further research using more robust measures and larger samples is necessary to replicate and build upon these findings. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Denna uppsats ämnade att undersöka relationen mellan de oberoende variablerna öppenhet, extraversion, tro på att lyckas i ett prekognitivt test och den beroende variabeln prekognition, som mättes genom ett forced-choice prekognitivt test vid namn Selfield. Sextio deltagare rekryterades och slutförde totalt 2 381 omgångar. Personlighetsdrag mättes med den svenska versionen av Big Five Inventory (BFI) och tro på att lyckas i ett prekognitivt test mättes med en enskild fråga. Till skillnad från tidigare forskning fanns en liten till måttlig negativ korrelation (r = - .29 till -.33, p = <.05) mellan öppenhet och prekognition. Korrelationer mellan tro på att lyckas i ett prekognitivt test, extraversion och prekognition var icke-signifikanta.... (More)
Denna uppsats ämnade att undersöka relationen mellan de oberoende variablerna öppenhet, extraversion, tro på att lyckas i ett prekognitivt test och den beroende variabeln prekognition, som mättes genom ett forced-choice prekognitivt test vid namn Selfield. Sextio deltagare rekryterades och slutförde totalt 2 381 omgångar. Personlighetsdrag mättes med den svenska versionen av Big Five Inventory (BFI) och tro på att lyckas i ett prekognitivt test mättes med en enskild fråga. Till skillnad från tidigare forskning fanns en liten till måttlig negativ korrelation (r = - .29 till -.33, p = <.05) mellan öppenhet och prekognition. Korrelationer mellan tro på att lyckas i ett prekognitivt test, extraversion och prekognition var icke-signifikanta. Ett binomial test visade att vår urvalsgrupp som helhet inte presterade bättre än slumpen, således gavs inget stöd till existensen av prekognition. Den oväntade negativa korrelationen mellan öppenhet och prekognition utmanar tidigare forskning och kan spegla slumpmässiga variationer, metodologiska begränsningar eller mer komplexa underliggande mekanismer. Diskussionen utforskar potentiella förklaringar såsom experimentledareffekter, begränsningar i konstruktvaliditet och utmaningar med psi-fenomens flyktiga karaktär. Trots begränsningar bidrar studien till metodologisk utveckling inom parapsykologisk forskning. Genom att integrera psykologiska variabler med Selfield öppnas nya perspektiv för att undersöka individuella skillnader i prekognitiv förmåga. Framtida forskning föreslås använda robustare mätmetoder och större urvalsgrupper. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Helmius, Maria LU and Sundh, Joakim LU
supervisor
organization
course
PSPR14 20251
year
type
H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
subject
keywords
Parapsychology, Precognition, Personality Traits, Parapsykologi, prekognition, personlighetsdrag
language
English
id
9188687
date added to LUP
2025-05-22 15:37:11
date last changed
2025-05-22 15:37:11
@misc{9188687,
  abstract     = {{This thesis aimed to explore the relation between openness to experience, extraversion, belief in succeeding in a precognitive task, and precognition, measured with the forced-choice precognitive task the Selfield. Sixty participants were recruited and completed a total of 2,381 trials. Personality traits were measured using the Swedish version of the Big Five Inventory (BFI) and belief in succeeding in the task was measured using a single item. In contrast to previous research, we found a small to moderate negative correlation (r = - .29 to -.33, p = <.05) between openness to experience and precognition. Correlations between belief in succeeding in the task, extraversion, and precognition were non-significant. A binomial test showed that our sample as a whole did not perform significantly better than chance level, thus failing to support the existence of precognition. The surprising negative relation between openness to experience and precognition challenges previous research and may reflect random variation, methodological restrictions, or more complex underlying mechanisms. The discussion explores potential explanations such as experimenter effects, limitations in construct validity, and challenges with the elusiveness of psi phenomena. Despite limitations, the study contributes to the methodological advancement of psi research. By integrating psychological variables with Selfield task, it opens new perspectives for exploring individual differences in relation to precognition. Further research using more robust measures and larger samples is necessary to replicate and build upon these findings.}},
  author       = {{Helmius, Maria and Sundh, Joakim}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{I Feel it Coming? Exploring the Relation Between Personality Traits, Expectations, and Precognition in a Forced-Choice Experiment}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}