| − | The term “'''ideomotor'''” was introduced in 1854 by physician William Carpenter to describe phenomenon when we can all too easily fool ourselves.<ref name="Carpenter1852">{{cite web |title=On the Influence of Suggestion in Modifying and directing Muscular Movement, independently of Volition |author=William B. Carpenter |publisher=Royal Institution of Great Britain (originally) |year=1852 |issn=1430-6972|url=http://www.sgipt.org/medppp/psymot/carp1852.htm |quote=Materialien und Dokumente zum ideomotorischen (Carpenter) Effekt, hier die Originalarbeit. |accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> Our ability to fool ourselves is unparalleled, and the ideomotor effect is just one persistent way our own curious [[psychology]] can push us towards ''erroneous conclusions''. Ideomotor effect has to do with actions, behavior and mindset of a person being subconsciously influenced by suggestion and/or expectations, often without admitting such influence and even with trying to explain it away. In the original situation, the discovery of the ideomotor effect was used to demonstrate that there was no mystery underpinning the eerie happenings of late 19th and early 20th century séances – merely the heady mixture of ''delusion'' and occasionally, outright ''fraud''. [[Spiritism]] fascinated the 19th century public and was furiously debunked by scientists (such as, ''i.a.'' the prominent British scientist [[Michael Faraday]]<ref name="Faraday">{{cite journal |title=Experimental investigation of table-moving |author=M. Faraday |journal=Journal of the Franklin Institute |volume=56 |issue=5 |date=November 1853 |doi=10.1016/S0016-0032(38)92173-8 |pages=328–333 |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016003238921738 |quote=The object which I had in view in this inquiry was not to satisfy myself, for my conclusion had been formed already on the evidence of those who had turned tables,--but that I might be enabled to give a strong opinion founded on facts, to the many who applied to me for it. Yet, the proof which I sought for, and the method followed in the inquiry, were precisely of the same nature as those which I should adopt in any other physical investigation. The parties with whom I have worked were very honorable, very clear in their intentions, successful table movers, very desirous of succeeding in establishing the existence of a peculiar power, thoroughly candid, and very effectual. |accessdate=28 January 2016}}</ref>) who were exposing ''trickery'' and detecting ''bogus claims''. But modern “[[scientism|scientific]]” incarnations of the ideomotor effect are just as sinister.<ref>{{cite web |title=Science of the seance: why speaking to spirits is talking to yourself |author=David Robert Grimes |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |date=30 October 2015 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2015/oct/30/science-of-the-seance-why-speaking-to-spirits-is-talking-to-yourself |accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> | + | The term “'''ideomotor'''” was introduced in 1854 by physician William Carpenter to describe phenomenon when we can all too easily fool ourselves.<ref name="Carpenter1852">{{cite web |title=On the Influence of Suggestion in Modifying and directing Muscular Movement, independently of Volition |author=William B. Carpenter |publisher=Royal Institution of Great Britain (originally) |year=1852 |issn=1430-6972|url=http://www.sgipt.org/medppp/psymot/carp1852.htm |quote=Materialien und Dokumente zum ideomotorischen (Carpenter) Effekt, hier die Originalarbeit. |accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> Our ability to fool ourselves is unparalleled, and the ideomotor effect is just one persistent way our own curious [[psychology]] can push us towards ''erroneous conclusions''.{{#tag:ref|cf. irrational Beliefs in [[ABC Theory of Emotion]]|group=note}} Ideomotor effect has to do with actions, behavior and mindset of a person being subconsciously influenced by suggestion and/or expectations, often without admitting such influence and even with trying to explain it away. In the original situation, the discovery of the ideomotor effect was used to demonstrate that there was no mystery underpinning the eerie happenings of late 19th and early 20th century séances – merely the heady mixture of ''delusion'' and occasionally, outright ''fraud''. [[Spiritism]] fascinated the 19th century public and was furiously debunked by scientists (such as, ''i.a.'' the prominent British scientist [[Michael Faraday]]<ref name="Faraday">{{cite journal |title=Experimental investigation of table-moving |author=M. Faraday |journal=Journal of the Franklin Institute |volume=56 |issue=5 |date=November 1853 |doi=10.1016/S0016-0032(38)92173-8 |pages=328–333 |url=http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016003238921738 |quote=The object which I had in view in this inquiry was not to satisfy myself, for my conclusion had been formed already on the evidence of those who had turned tables,--but that I might be enabled to give a strong opinion founded on facts, to the many who applied to me for it. Yet, the proof which I sought for, and the method followed in the inquiry, were precisely of the same nature as those which I should adopt in any other physical investigation. The parties with whom I have worked were very honorable, very clear in their intentions, successful table movers, very desirous of succeeding in establishing the existence of a peculiar power, thoroughly candid, and very effectual. |accessdate=28 January 2016}}</ref>) who were exposing ''trickery'' and detecting ''bogus claims''. But modern “[[scientism|scientific]]” incarnations of the ideomotor effect are just as sinister.<ref>{{cite web |title=Science of the seance: why speaking to spirits is talking to yourself |author=David Robert Grimes |publisher=Guardian News and Media Limited |date=30 October 2015 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2015/oct/30/science-of-the-seance-why-speaking-to-spirits-is-talking-to-yourself |accessdate=2 January 2016}}</ref> |