From: Helgi Schweizer <jon.helgi@web.de>
Date: February 26, 2010 6:03:02 AM EST
Subject: Ideas
Dear Xin Wei.
Regarding the ouija-bord-experiment I shall ask Mirko Diclic, my phd- Student to give you an outline. He is (to my taste) sometimes disturbingly cautious and overly meticulous but these traits are usually not abundant among psychology students, so I usually do not hurry him on. If he is dawdling away too long, I shall give you a short report.
At least one point could be of immediate interest: a dancing couple (or group) is acting very much in the way we observe in the ouija-Bord exeriments. We have already designed experiments to delve into these open questions, but the experimental facilities in Innsbruck are rather unsatisfactory.
As to the ongoing brainstorm regarding ways to enstrange the body from itself I would like to point to the temporal aspect. That means we would have to conceive ideas to manipulate the alignment of the stream of behavorial decisions and the corresponding sensations. That means to interfere with the interaction between mind? and body? and environment? (and the other). Maybe the unitedness we experience is, at least to a certain extent, a temporal one. A hint might be derived from the so-called Lee-effect (William Lee), brought about by simply employing a short delay to the auditory feedback. The impact on speach production and memory! is stupendous: I was not even able to recite a simple nursery rhyme. The question would be, how can we generate a Lee-effect, particularly with regard to space (and place), either visual or auditory.
OK, these are just spontaneous ideas. I shall go on racking my brain. If I only knew the technical means at your disposal, my comments might make more sense.
By the way, do you know Steve Mann from Toronto University. I do not know him personally, but he is a friend of a friend of mine who thinks we could have some interests, talents (or cracks in the head) in common.
With warm regards,
Helgi