Mind Control Tricks: Magicians' Forcing and Free Will

Alice Pailhès; Gustav Kuhn

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.001

Mind Control Tricks: Magicians' Forcing and Free Will

Trends Cogn Sci. 2021 May;25(5):338-341. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.001. Epub 2021 Feb 24.

Authors

Alice Pailhès¹, Gustav Kuhn²

Affiliations

¹ Psychology Department, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK. Electronic address: apail001@gold.ac.uk.
² Psychology Department, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK.

PMID: 33640253
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2021.02.001

Abstract

A new research program has recently emerged that investigates magicians' mind control tricks, also called forces. This research highlights the psychological processes that underpin decision-making, illustrates the ease by which our decisions can be covertly influenced, and helps answer questions about our sense of free will and agency over choices.

Keywords: forcing techniques; free will; illusion of control; magic tricks; sense of agency.

MeSH terms

Humans
Illusions*
Magic
Personal Autonomy*