Reinterpreting Telepathy as Unusual Experiences of Empathy and Charisma

Abstract

Telepathy is often dismissed because it is judged to be contrary to the accepted facts of social psychology. This article argues that what is called telepathy may require nothing more than empathy and charisma and is reducible to these sociopsychological constructs. Two studies explore this hypothesis. In the first the proposed relationship is used to explain the sheep-goat effect. In the second study scores on charisma and empathy are used as direct predictors of telepathy scores. The results in combination support the interpretation of telepathy as phenomenologically impressive social psychological events which in Jess dramatic instances are termed empathy and charisma.