Telepathy May Be Child’s Play! -  Philip S Harris

What on earth can the baby be crying for now?" queries the exasperated mother. "He’s thirsty mommy," replies the little sister, in tones that seem to imply that only an utter idiot could fail to comprehend.

Similar exchanges may have been heard quite often in domestic situations, and most of us can perhaps be forgiven for assuming that the child understands the baby’s needs by pure chance or perhaps more acute hearing. Research carried out at an English university suggests that the true explanation may be a much more subtle one. The researchers reported the results of tests for telepathic ability conducted with various age groups. About four hundred individuals aged from three years to adults were tested; the highest success rate was among the three-year-olds where, with a probability rate of 20%, they scored a surprising 46%. As the age of those tested increased, the score rate fell: four-year-old children scored 36%; five-year-olds 33%; six to seven-year-olds managed only 26% and older subjects were rated at probability level.

Now it might be asked, why stop at the three-year-olds.’ Why not test even younger ones? It is simply a matter of the test method. No one has yet devised a practical way of assessing the telepathic abilities of the very young and the standard tests such as image detection or description of emotions are not appropriate for very young subjects. It is interesting however to plot the published results in the form of a graph relating age to test scores and then extrapolate to zero age. 

© `The Theosophist’ (January 2001) published by Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, Chennai 600 020.

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