RetroPsychoKinesis Experiment Summary

Last updated: Wednesday 2012 May 23 4:03 UTC

This report is updated daily


Overall Summary

Total experiments: 348995
Number of subjects: 32567
Total tries: 357370880
Total hits: 178685930
Overall z: 0.0518 standard deviations

"Subjects" is the number of different E-mail addresses or "handles" in the log file; there is no assurance a given individual may not have entered a number of different identities, either intentionally or by accident. The number of experiments includes only "for the record" experiments, not those designated in advance by the subject as "practice". Since each experiment involves 1024 bits, the total number of "Tries" in the next line is 348995×1024, or 357370880. Examination of the logged bit sequences sent to the subjects shows that 178685930 of the total of 357370880 bits were "Hits"--they agree with the subject's previously-chosen goal. There were, then, 490 more bits among a total of 357370880 consistent with the subjects' intent to bias the generator. This is equivalent to changing one bit in every 729328 in the direction desired by the subject. The measured bias amounts to 0.0518 standard deviations.

Hit Histogram

The following chart summarises the results of all for-the-record experiments (excluding runs designated in advance as "practice" runs by the subject, which are logged for completeness, but do not figure in the statistical analysis) performed since the RPKP experiments were begun in January of 1997.

RPKP Experiment Hit Histogram vs. Expectation

The blue curve gives the normal distribution for a large number of trials of 1024 events with probability 0.5. (For a number of trials as large as 1024, the binomial and normal distributions are equal on the scale of this plot.) The red boxes show the actual number of experimental runs which resulted in the given number of hits. A "hit" is defined as the number of bits in the 1024 bit stream which agreed with the subject's previously chosen one-or-zero goal.

Cumulative Deviation from Expectation

Any experiment involving a random data source can be expected to, in the absence of perturbing influences, follow a random walk around the most probable value. As the number of experiments increases, overall divergences should decrease. When examining the results of such experiments, it's important to satisfy yourself that any non-chance effect you observe doesn't result from the experimenter choosing to show you results at a peak or trough of a series which is swinging to both sides of the chance expectation with a mean value equal to chance. The following is a deviation plot of the all 348995 RPKP experiments to date; it shows the absolute divergence of the experimental results in the direction of bias preselected by the subject compared to that expected by chance, and the divergence in terms of standard deviations for the cumulative number of trials for a probability of 0.5 on each trial.

RPKP Experiment Cumulative Deviation from Expectation

Cumulative Deviation by Intent from Expectation

Another way to evaluate the results of the experiments is to examine how frequently the result of an experiment (excess of one or zero bits) agrees with the subject's pre-declared goal, regardless of the magnitude of the deviation from the mean value. If the subject has chosen a goal corresponding to an excess of one bits, the experiment will be scored as a success if there is any excess of one bits at all (513 one bits out of 1024 is just as much a success as 527 one bits and, conversely, 511 one bits is as much a failure as a result of 497 one bits). If the subject chooses a goal corresponding to an excess of zero bits, the sense of the comparison is inverted: any excess of zero bits is deemed a success. To preserve symmetry, results with an equal number of zero and one bits (512 each in an experiment of 1024 bits) are considered neutral and do not change the cumulative result. Here we plot the cumulative deviation by intent as z: the number of standard deviations by which it differs from the expectation value of zero.

RPKP Experiment Cumulative Intent Deviation from Expectation

Runs by Subjects Histogram

The following table shows the number of experiments run by various subjects, and the cumulative results and standard deviation for each number of experiments. Individual subjects who have made a large number of runs appear show up at the bottom of the the table, and the results they obtained can be compared.

Experiments
Run
Number of
Subjects
Hits/Tries  z 
1 12530 6406938/12830720 4.7024
2 5653 5785346/11577344 1.9550
3 3562 5468880/10942464 1.4220
4 2125 4349324/8704000 1.8141
5 1509 3864357/7726080 0.9476
6 1066 3275863/6549504 0.8682
7 765 2739661/5483520 1.7927
8 580 2375969/4751360 0.2652
9 508 2340553/4681728 0.2875
10 446 2282638/4567040 0.8254
11 339 1908976/3818496 0.2784
12 294 1806216/3612672 0.1263
13 263 1750444/3501056 0.0898
14 219 1569774/3139584 0.0203
15 205 1573952/3148800 0.5049
16 159 1303535/2605056 1.2478
17 132 1149582/2297856 0.8629
18 122 1124285/2248704 0.0894
19 117 1137900/2276352 0.3659
20 115 1178600/2355200 1.3032
21 95 1021449/2042880 0.0126
22 81 912031/1824768 0.5226
23 67 788963/1577984 0.0462
24 61 750176/1499136 0.9931
25 67 857523/1715200 0.1176
26 60 799656/1597440 1.4811
27 59 815976/1631232 0.5637
28 44 631383/1261568 1.0666
29 49 726115/1455104 2.3825
30 50 766715/1536000 2.0737
31 40 635976/1269760 1.9453
32 47 770911/1540096 1.3908
33 42 710944/1419264 2.2026
34 33 574074/1148928 0.7277
35 25 448550/896000 1.1621
36 38 701448/1400832 1.7439
37 31 585570/1174528 3.1262
38 37 719450/1439744 0.7034
39 26 519196/1038336 0.0550
40 33 676314/1351680 0.8154
41 26 546000/1091584 0.3982
42 22 473023/946176 0.1336
43 19 418384/836608 0.1749
44 19 428386/856064 0.7652
45 17 391218/783360 1.0440
46 17 400053/800768 0.7398
47 19 457727/914432 1.0687
48 15 368354/737280 0.6662
49 14 351140/702464 0.2195
50 18 460973/921600 0.3604
51 20 521715/1044480 1.0274
52 18 480134/958464 1.8427
53 12 325758/651264 0.3123
54 7 193741/387072 0.6590
55 16 451385/901120 1.7382
56 14 401770/802816 0.8080
57 9 262949/525312 0.8085
58 11 326542/653312 0.2821
59 10 302080/604160 0.0000
60 15 460900/921600 0.2083
61 11 343565/687104 0.0314
62 12 380843/761856 0.1948
63 14 452068/903168 1.0186
64 8 261561/524288 1.6103
65 8 266473/532480 0.6386
66 8 270253/540672 0.2258
67 11 377209/754688 0.3108
68 7 243870/487424 0.4526
69 6 212266/423936 0.9154
70 9 322748/645120 0.4681
71 8 290993/581632 0.4642
72 8 295314/589824 1.0469
73 4 149532/299008 0.1024
74 8 302371/606208 1.8829
75 7 268672/537600 0.3491
76 7 272289/544768 0.2574
77 4 157606/315392 0.3205
78 6 239761/479232 0.4189
79 5 202648/404480 1.2830
80 4 163989/327680 0.5206
81 4 165793/331776 0.3299
82 5 209804/419840 0.3581
83 1 42549/84992 0.3636
84 2 86078/172032 0.2990
85 2 87098/174080 0.2780
86 3 132049/264192 0.1829
87 2 88863/178176 1.0661
88 6 270223/540672 0.3074
89 1 45777/91136 1.3846
90 2 91843/184320 1.4767
91 3 139795/279552 0.0719
92 7 329515/659456 0.5246
93 3 143124/285696 1.0327
94 1 48134/96256 0.0387
95 5 242841/486400 1.0295
96 2 98517/196608 0.9607
97 3 149407/297984 1.5205
98 2 100457/200704 0.4688
99 6 303781/608256 0.8898
100 7 358282/716800 0.2787
101 7 361947/723968 0.0870
102 3 157014/313344 1.2219
103 2 105203/210944 1.1714
104 4 212797/425984 0.5975
106 2 108403/217088 0.6052
108 5 276757/552960 0.7450
109 1 55742/111616 0.3951
110 3 168772/337920 0.6468
111 5 283892/568320 0.7110
112 3 172072/344064 0.1364
113 2 115537/231424 0.7276
114 7 409134/817152 1.2346
115 5 295078/588800 1.7672
116 8 475446/950272 0.6360
117 1 59967/119808 0.3640
118 3 181086/362496 0.5381
119 3 183021/365568 0.7840
120 5 307260/614400 0.1531
121 1 62175/123904 1.2670
122 6 374917/749568 0.3072
123 2 125473/251904 1.9087
124 1 63580/126976 0.5164
126 2 128874/258048 0.5906
127 1 64968/130048 0.3106
128 1 65799/131072 1.4529
129 3 198940/396288 2.5289
130 5 333096/665600 0.7256
132 3 202354/405504 1.2500
133 1 67967/136192 0.6991
134 2 137337/274432 0.4620
135 3 207396/414720 0.1118
136 2 139092/278528 0.6518
137 1 69880/140288 1.4097
138 1 70624/141312 0.1703
139 1 71128/142336 0.2120
140 5 358635/716800 0.5551
141 2 144591/288768 0.7704
142 1 72469/145408 1.2325
143 2 146331/292864 0.3733
144 3 221358/442368 0.5232
145 3 222983/445440 0.7881
146 2 149586/299008 0.2999
148 2 151121/303104 1.5657
149 3 228586/457728 0.8218
150 5 384307/768000 0.7006
151 2 154761/309248 0.4927
153 2 156960/313344 1.0290
154 3 236762/473088 0.6339
155 1 79604/158720 1.2249
157 1 80384/160768 0.0000
158 1 80734/161792 0.8055
159 3 244373/488448 0.4264
160 1 82202/163840 1.3934
161 3 247386/494592 0.2559
162 4 331943/663552 0.4100
163 1 83338/166912 0.5777
165 2 168827/337920 0.4576
166 1 85200/169984 1.0090
170 1 86917/174080 0.5896
171 3 262304/525312 0.9713
172 2 175786/352256 1.1525
173 2 177011/354304 0.4738
174 3 267185/534528 0.2161
175 3 268489/537600 0.8483
176 2 180539/360448 1.0493
177 1 90903/181248 1.3107
178 1 91059/182272 0.3607
180 2 184287/368640 0.1087
182 1 93122/186368 0.2872
183 1 93828/187392 0.6099
186 1 95235/190464 0.0137
189 3 290190/580608 0.2992
191 1 97737/195584 0.2487
192 2 196641/393216 0.1053
195 1 99196/199680 2.8824
197 2 201707/403456 0.0661
200 1 102391/204800 0.0398
201 2 205561/411648 0.8198
202 2 206657/413696 0.5939
204 2 209659/417792 2.3609
205 3 314810/629760 0.1764
208 1 106929/212992 1.8764
210 2 215776/430080 2.2446
212 2 217415/434176 0.9925
217 1 111148/222208 0.1867
219 1 112187/224256 0.2492
224 1 114861/229376 0.7224
225 1 115213/230400 0.0542
227 2 232680/464896 0.6805
229 1 117253/234496 0.0207
232 1 118732/237568 0.2134
235 2 240535/481280 0.3027
236 1 120846/241664 0.0570
238 1 121802/243712 0.2188
240 1 122412/245760 1.8881
241 1 123381/246784 0.0443
245 2 251131/501760 0.7087
250 1 128051/256000 0.2016
251 1 128793/257024 1.1085
252 2 258266/516096 0.6069
259 1 132992/265216 1.4913
272 1 139725/278528 1.7470
278 1 142232/284672 0.3898
280 1 143009/286720 1.3110
282 1 144776/288768 1.4590
284 1 145732/290816 1.2016
286 1 146644/292864 0.7835
291 1 149196/297984 0.7474
292 1 150030/299008 1.9239
296 1 151540/303104 0.0436
305 1 155684/312320 1.7035
306 1 155855/313344 2.9190
307 1 156831/314368 1.2592
313 1 160538/320512 0.9962
315 1 160439/322560 2.9616
330 1 169191/337920 0.7948
332 1 169748/339968 0.8095
342 1 175610/350208 1.7101
343 1 175927/351232 1.0495
346 1 177270/354304 0.3965
348 1 178012/356352 0.5495
349 1 178566/357376 0.4082
357 1 182946/365568 0.5359
368 1 188552/376832 0.4431
375 1 192355/384000 1.1458
381 2 390153/780288 0.0204
383 1 196677/392192 1.8555
387 1 197695/396288 1.4265
401 2 411195/821248 1.2602
404 1 206995/413696 0.4571
416 1 213097/425984 0.3218
419 1 214682/429056 0.4702
423 1 216977/433152 1.2186
426 1 218034/436224 0.2362
432 1 221882/442368 2.0989
435 1 222783/445440 0.1888
438 1 223835/448512 1.2573
440 1 225551/450560 0.8075
445 1 228040/455680 0.5926
456 1 233269/466944 0.5941
465 1 238314/476160 0.6782
477 1 244153/488448 0.2032
483 1 248038/494592 2.1101
486 1 248975/497664 0.4054
500 2 512273/1024000 0.5396
504 1 258187/516096 0.3870
513 1 263453/525312 2.1993
525 1 269535/537600 2.0049
527 1 270066/539648 0.6589
531 1 271399/543744 1.2829
539 1 275737/551936 0.6219
555 1 283962/568320 0.5253
559 1 286180/572416 0.0740
579 1 296000/592896 1.1636
618 2 633017/1265664 0.3289
622 1 319329/636928 2.1677
657 1 337081/672768 1.6995
659 1 337721/674816 0.7620
666 1 341240/681984 0.6006
670 1 343489/686080 1.0841
698 1 357541/714752 0.3903
708 1 362383/724992 0.2654
724 1 371383/741376 1.6143
748 1 383207/765952 0.5279
765 1 390911/783360 1.7377
787 1 402579/805888 0.8132
791 1 404683/809984 0.6867
847 1 434412/867328 1.6063
864 1 442760/884736 0.8335
902 1 461910/923648 0.1790
973 1 498360/996352 0.3687
992 1 507591/1015808 0.6211
1005 1 514573/1029120 0.0256
1024 1 523462/1048576 1.6133
1027 1 525719/1051648 0.2048
1101 1 563674/1127424 0.0716
1241 1 635247/1270784 0.2573
1261 1 645933/1291264 0.5298
1349 1 690715/1381376 0.0459
1407 1 719699/1440768 1.1414
1415 1 724351/1448960 0.2143
1458 1 746586/1492992 0.1473
1481 1 758020/1516544 0.4093
1652 1 846016/1691648 0.2952
1742 1 891790/1783808 0.1707
1769 1 906121/1811456 0.5840
1947 1 996742/1993728 0.1728
2000 1 1024947/2048000 1.3235
2198 1 1126814/2250752 1.9170
2257 1 1156265/2311168 0.8959
2296 1 1174949/2351104 0.7865
2591 1 1327380/2653184 0.9675
4210 1 2154581/4311040 0.9045
4223 1 2161820/4324352 0.3424
4261 1 2181516/4363264 0.1111
4601 1 2355712/4711424 0.0000
4731 1 2422549/4844544 0.2517
5250 1 2689581/5376000 1.3637
5724 1 2929525/5861376 0.9607
6371 1 3259087/6523904 2.2434
6565 1 3361825/6722560 0.4204
8322 1 4261389/8521728 0.3597
12950 1 6631971/13260800 0.8628
13729 1 7028037/14058496 0.6460

Results by Visual Feedback Program

Feedback Program Runs Hits/Tries  z 
bellcurve 177664 90963732/181927936 0.0350
clockface 70954 36327622/72656896 0.1938
experiment 972 497061/995328 1.2088
pendulum 99405 50897515/101790720 0.4272
The table at the right shows results obtained by all subjects, sorted by the visual feedback program they selected.

Results by Goal

Goal Runs Hits/Tries  z 
0 83652 42830091/85659648 0.0577
1 265337 135852822/271705088 0.0337
Each visual feedback program allows the user to choose a goal which corresponds to either an excess of zero or one bits in the data stream. The following table gives results by goal, indicating how many times each goal was chosen. The default goal is an excess of one bits.

Control Run Report

Custom Log Report

Experiments Table of Contents

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