Psychophysical interactions with photon polarization: Two exploratory studies

The present study explored possible psychophysical interactions between focused mental intention and the electromagnetic field vector, i.e., polarization. To detect the hypothesized effect, a laser beam was passed through horizontal and vertical polarizers. Participants were asked to focus their attention on the beam between the two polarizers while holding the intention for the beam’s polarization to rotate. If the photons’ electric field vector was affected, then the illumination intensity of the beam exiting the second polarizer should increase. Two exploratory experiments both showed results contrary to the hypothesis, with illumination decreasing during periods when intention was focused toward the beam as compared to periods where attention was withdrawn. Reanalysis of data from previously published experiments, also involving mental influence of beams of light, but designed for different purposes and originally analyzed in other ways, also showed a reduction in light intensity during periods of focused attention. These studies suggest that psychophysical interactions with light appears to result in scattering or absorbing photons. Further research is warranted to confirm these results.