Surveys have repeatedly shown that many people believe in the existence of anomalous cognitive phenomena, that is, phenomena directly challenging the standard ontological assumptions of conventional science. This includes the belief in the fundamental interconnectedness of consciousness and the physical world, including the belief in the power of “mental causation.” By contrast, conventional science views consciousness as an epiphenomenon, that is, a by-product of neuronal activity with no causal, or co-causal, powers of its own. This definition is consistent with the ruling scientific metaphysics called physicalism—the position that all phenomena, including life and mind, can at least in principle be wholly derived from physical processes. However, could a future breakthrough in our understanding of consciousness and cognition reach beyond neuro-determinism and physicalism? For example, might advances in research on anomalous cognition allow for a new scientific perspective on consciousness to emerge? Historically, many laboratory studies exploring anomalous cognition have claimed that consciousness is a causal, or co-causal, factor in the physical world, and not merely a vivid but powerless illusion. At the very least, the historical database from anomalous cognition research suggests the existence of anomalous correlations between human conscious intent and physical outcome measures, that is, psycho-physical correlations that—taken at face value—appear to challenge the known Laws of Nature. 

Using advanced methodologies, could new experimental studies confirm any of the extraordinary claims reported and discussed in anomalous cognition research? Paradox Science Institute seeks to make new progress towards addressing that question. Briefly, the Institute’s research projects on anomalous cognition are considering the possibility of (anomalous) information as a nexus between mind and matter, or mind and mind. For explanation, research on anomalous cognition has frequently argued that anomalous (or quantum) informational exchanges might be the source of many of the reported effects in this research area. However, whether any of the reported anomalous results presents a true-positive finding remains unknown. The Institute seeks to develop and implement advanced methodologies for increasing the chances of making reliable discoveries in anomalous cognition research. The goal of the Nexus program is to help clarify whether the wide-spread belief in the existence of anomalous cognitive phenomena could be supported by confirmatory evidence using advanced scientific methodologies.

Related projects

A second metascientific replication project sponsored and organized by Paradox Science Instituteis currently under development. Multiple laboratories have been invited to participate in the GML project to rigorously evaluate the claimed replicability of the largest laboratory effect inanomalous cognition research—the so-called Ganzfeld telepathy effect. The Ganzfeld telepathy effect concerns the phenomenon of anomalous information transmission between a sender and receiver under conditions of sensory shielding. Meta-analyses of more than 100 Ganzfeld studies have reported a highly significant anomalous effect. The GML project reinvestigates the claim ofthe anomalous Ganzfeld effect by reproducing a significant share of the database that was usedin a highly influential meta-analysis (Storm and Tressoldi, 2010). 50 years after the first report of the anomalous Ganzfeld effect (Honorton and Harper, 1974), the GML project seeks to advance new progress towards the identification of the source of this claimed anomalous finding using advanced, rigor-enhancing methodologies. A counterfactual version of the GML project is also conducted, that is, here a random event generator (REG) substitutes for the participants during the test phase. In short, the counterfactual GML project investigates the accuracy and reliability of the research methodology that is used in the GML project and, hence, presents a REG-based metascientific replication project as part of the Synergy program as well. For a recent example of a metascientific replication project conducting research on anomalous cognition with the Paradox Science Institute see Walleczek et al. (2025). Click the following link.

References:

Honorton, C, Harper S. (1974) Psi-mediated imagery and ideation in an experimental procedure for regulating perceptual input. J Am Soc Psychical Res.68: 156–168.

Storm L, Tressoldi PE, Di Risio L. (2010) Meta-analysis of free-response studies, 1992-2008:Assessing the noise reduction model in parapsychology. Psychol Bull. 136: 471-85.

Tressoldi PT, Storm L. (2024) Stage 2 Registered Report: Anomalous perception in a Ganzfeld condition: A meta-analysis of more than 40 years investigation.F1000 Res. 10: 234.

Walleczek J, von Stillfried N, Schmidt S, Wittmann M, Kirmse KA, Moll J, et al.(2025) Metascientific replication project with the advanced meta-experimental protocol of the transparent psi project procedures for testing the precognitive effect claimed by Bem. PLoS One 20(11): e0335330.

Replication Study of the Anomalous Cognitive Effect Claimed by Daryl Bem (2011) 

A metascientific replication project on the anomalous cognitive effect claimed by Daryl Bem(2011) was recently completed with support by the Paradox Science Institute. The tested effect concerned the anomalous ability to successfully guess the outcome of future random events. This project involved the participation of more than 26,400 participants and presents one of the largest studies in anomalous cognition ever performed. This replication project implemented advanced methodologies; that is, a combination of advanced protocols and techniques was used for reducing—simultaneously—the risk of false discoveries due to (i) confirmation bias, (ii) non-transparency, i.e., the lack of verifiability of the used research procedures, and (iii) intrinsic measurement bias. Towards this end, advanced test strategies were employed that have previously been used—successfully—to improve the reliability of findings: (1) The Advanced Meta-Experimental Protocol (AMP; Walleczek and von Stillfried, 2019), and (2) the Transparent Psi Project procedures (TPP; Kekecs et al., 2023). For the detailed findings and description of this combined AMP-TPP metascientific replication project please click the following link.

References:

Bem DJ. (2011) Feeling the Future:Experimental Evidence for Anomalous Retroactive Influences on Cognition and Affect. J Pers Soc Psychol. 100(3):407–25.

Walleczek J, von Stillfried N.(2019) False-Positive Effect in the Radin Double-Slit Experiment on Observer Consciousness as Determined With the Advanced Meta-Experimental Protocol. Front Psychol. 10:1891.

Kekecs Z, Palfi B, Szaszi B, Szecsi P, Zrubka M, Kovacs M, et al.(2023) Raising the Value of Research Studies in Psychological Science by Increasing the Credibility of Research Reports: The Transparent Psi Project. R Soc Open Sci. 10(2):191375.

Walleczek J, von Stillfried N, Schmidt S, Wittmann M, Kirmse KA, Moll J, et al.(2025) Metascientific Replication Project with the Advanced Meta-Experimental Protocol of the Transparent Psi Project Procedures for Testing the Precognitive Effect Claimed by Bem. PLoS One 20(11): e0335330.

A new publication with the Paradox Science Institute provides an example of the use of advanced methodologies in frontier research.

Walleczek J, von Stillfried N, Schmidt S, Wittmann M, Kirmse KA, Moll J, Kekecs Z (2025) Metascientificreplication project with the advanced meta-experimental protocol of thetransparent psi project procedures for testing the precognitive effect claimed by Bem.

PLoS One 20(11): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0335330

The use of advanced methodologies in this metascientific replication project shows how rigor-enhancing test strategies can improve the credibility, not only of anomalies research, but any type of weak-effects experiments probing the frontiers of science.