Samueli Institute: Can Research Into the Unconscious Mind Help Avoid Calamity?
Alexandria, Va. (PRWEB) April 02, 2014 -- A groundbreaking study published in 2012 showed that the human body can anticipate emotional future events as much as 10 seconds before they occur. Recently, scientists released a critical analysis aimed at developing practical implications for this unconscious early alert system.
The new paper, published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, points to potential use for this predicative ability in military and civilian settings.
“A few moments of advance notice could help soldiers take cover before an explosion, help first responders make course corrections for vehicles, and benefit any life-or-death task where seconds count,” said Julia Mossbridge, PhD, Department of Psychology at Northwestern University and lead author of the critical analysis.
Researchers named the anticipatory physiological response “predictive anticipatory activity” (PAA) to distinguish it from precognition. PAA measures an unconscious response to future events rather than a conscious premonition. Participants in the tests reviewed in the meta-analysis published in 2012 where subjects were presented with random visual and auditory stimuli—both emotional and neutral—while physiological data (skin conductance, heart rate, respiration, and EEG activity) were measured and recorded. A statistically significant number of participants demonstrated similar physiological responses to emotional stimuli both before and after exposure.
“The results of this research indicate a need for further exploration into the frontiers of human consciousness,” said Wayne B. Jonas, MD, President and CEO of Samueli Institute and a co-author on the study. “Deeper understanding of this topic has tremendous potential to benefit humanity and should be a research priority for organizations around the world.”
“Predicting the Unpredictable: Critical Analysis and Practical Implications of Predictive Anticipatory Activity” was published on March 25, 2014 in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. Its authors are Julia A. Mossbridge, Department of Psychology, Northwestern University; Patrizio Tressoldi, Dipartimento do Psicologia Generale, University di Padova; Jessica Utts, Department of Statistics, University of California at Irvine; John A. Ives, Samueli Institute; Dean Radin, Consciousness Research Laboratory, Institute of Noetic Sciences; and Wayne B. Jonas, Samueli Institute.
About Samueli Institute
Samueli Institute is a non-profit research organization supporting the scientific investigation of healing processes and their role in medicine and health care. Founded in 2001, the Institute is advancing the science of healing worldwide. Samueli Institute’s research domains include integrative medicine, optimal healing environments, the role of the mind in healing, behavioral medicine, health care policy, and military and veterans’ health care. Our mission is to create a flourishing society through the scientific exploration of wellness and whole-person healing. More information is available at http://www.SamueliInstitute.org.
Doug Cavarocchi, Samueli Institute, +1 (703) 299-4878, [email protected]
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