Skeptics in the Pub, Sheffield

Suggestion and the Paranormal

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In this presentation Michael shall first talk about suggestion and suggestibility and their relation to hypnosis, demonstrating how one type of suggestion, called the ideomotor effect, can account for a number of unusual and paranormal claims and practices. These include the psychic pendulum, the ouija board, table turning, facilitated communication and dowsing or water divining.

Michael Heap is a clinical forensic psychologist in private practice and at Wathwood Medium Secure Hospital in Rotherham. He is a founding member of the Association for Skeptical Enquiry (ASKE) and is its current Chairman and Secretary.

Skeptical Activism & The Quacklash

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Simon is an active campaigner against nonsense. Using the ASA, Trading Standards, other regulatory bodies and even gaining help from MPs, his campaigns have helped shut down dodgy allergy test services, prevented traditional chinese medicine salesmen from claiming to cure cancer and exposed psychic scams.

His largest involvement in a campaign, coined the "Quacklash" by Jack of Kent involved almost 600 separate letters being sent to trading standards to report claims to treat childhood diseases with a back rub. 60 of the letters gained 500 signatories. Further complaints were issued with the General Chiropractic Council.

Simon will be explaining the techniques he's used to fight woo, what works and what doesn't and tell stories about some of the crazy nonsense he's encountered along the way.

Simon runs Leicester Skeptics in the Pub, blogs at http://adventuresinnonsense.blogspot.com and writes a skeptical column in the Leicester Mercury. You can follow him on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Simon_Perry.

The Psychology of Anomalous Experiences

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Ever since records began, in every known society, a substantial proportion of the population has reported unusual experiences many of which we would today label as "paranormal". Opinion polls show that the majority of the general public accepts that paranormal phenomena do occur. Such widespread experience of and belief in the paranormal can only mean one of two things. Either the paranormal is real, in which case this should be accepted by the wider scientific community which currently rejects such claims. Or else belief in and experience of ostensibly paranormal phenomena can be fully explained in terms of psychological factors.

This presentation will provide an introduction to the sub-discipline of anomalistic psychology, which may be defined as the study of extraordinary phenomena of behaviour and experience, in an attempt to provide non-paranormal explanations in terms of known psychological and physical factors. This approach will be illustrated with examples relating to a range of ostensibly paranormal phenomena.

Chris French is a Professor of Psychology and Head of the Anomalistic Psychology Research Unit in the Psychology Department at Goldsmiths. He has published over 100 articles and chapters covering a wide range of topics within psychology. His main current area of research is the psychology of paranormal beliefs and anomalous experiences. He frequently appears on radio and television casting a sceptical eye over paranormal claims. He is the editor of The Skeptic.

The Failure of Magic as a Tool to Promote Skepticism

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A growing number of magicians and mentalists are appearing in the skeptic community, and an obvious connection is emerging between the art and the skeptic movement. However, audiences are not joining the magicians in their jump to skepticism. Magicians are in a unique position that should allow powerful promotion of skepticism to the general public, but the message does not seem to be getting across on a large scale. Many have tried and failed. What is the problem? What is the history behind it? As a tool to promote skepticism, is it possible that magic is doomed to fail from the very beginning? Is there a practical solution?

In an experiment lasting two years, Peter has compiled post-performance data from his clients and audiences, including corporate business people, celebrities and the general public, who have witnessed a mixture of shows including traditional magic performances, and Peter's unique skepticism-themed routines. The data highlights the current problem, and some surprising results.

Peter Harrison is a skeptic and professional creator of award-winning magic, with his material appearing on television specials and a client-list that reads like a who's who of corporate Scotland. Peter is also a Scottish biologist, and the Volunteer Coordinator for registered charity "The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science".

The Angels of Mons and Other Wartime Legends

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The Angels of Mons were once described by the eminent historian A.J.P. Taylor as "the greatest wartime mystery of the 20th century." Two weeks after the outbreak of the First World War a force of 30,000 crack British troops became trapped and surrounded in the Belgian town of Mons by a massive German Army three times as strong. But at the very moment they expected to be annihilated the German attack was suddenly halted, allowing the British force to escape to fight another day.

On the Home Front the escape of the British Expeditionary Force was proclaimed as “a miracle” by patriotic newspapers whose readers believed the Germans had been stopped not by armed force but by supernatural forces - angels and phantom bowmen led by the English patron saint, St George. During the remainder of the war soldiers and nurses came forward to claim they had personally witnessed the miracle at Mons. The legend captured the imagination of thousands across the world, brought hope to those who had lost loved ones on the Western Front and was resurrected again to inspire a new generation following the retreat from Dunkirk in 1940.

But was the story it fact or fiction? For his 2004 book The Angels of Mons, David set out to discover the truth using contemporary documents from the Great War along with original accounts left by soldiers and the Red Cross nurses. For this talk he will answer this question: did the legend have any basis in reality, or was it, as Radio 4 claim, 'the first urban myth.'?

Dr David Clarke is a senior lecturer in journalism at Sheffield Hallam University. Before he entered academia he spent 15 years working for newspapers and as a public relations officer for local government. He has a Ph.D in English Cultural Tradition and Folklore and has been researching and writing skeptically about 'strange phenomena' and UFOs for as long as he can remember. David writes a skpetical column on UFOs, with Andy Roberts, for The Fortean Times and is a member of the editorial board for The Skeptic magazine.

He has contributed to a range of TV and radio programmes on UFOs including BBC Timewatch Britain’s X-Files and the recent Channel Five series Britain’s Closest Encounters. He used Freedom of Information to persuade the Ministry of Defence to release their so-called "X-files" and since 2008 he has been acting as consultant to The National Archives for the public release of their UFO records. His books include a re-examination of the First World War legend The Angel of Mons and most recently, The UFO Files.