Editing Psychic (section)

{{Short description|Person claiming extrasensory perception abilities}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Paranormal|state=expanded|image=PsychicBoston.jpg|caption=Storefront psychic [[Fortune-telling|fortuneteller]] in [[Downtown Crossing|Boston]]}}

A '''psychic''' is a person{{Efn|The word "psychic" is also used as an adjective to describe such abilities.}} who claims to use powers rooted in [[parapsychology]], such as [[extrasensory perception]] (ESP), to identify information hidden from the normal [[sense]]s, particularly involving [[telepathy]] or [[clairvoyance]]; or who performs acts that are apparently inexplicable by natural laws, such as [[psychokinesis]] or [[teleportation]]. Although many people believe in [[List of psychic abilities|psychic abilities]], the scientific consensus is that there is no proof of the existence of such powers, and describes the practice as [[pseudoscience]].

Psychics encompass people in a variety of roles. Some are theatrical performers, such as [[Magic (illusion)|stage magicians]], who use various techniques, e.g. [[Sleight of hand|prestidigitation]], [[cold reading]], and [[hot reading]], to produce the appearance of such abilities for entertainment purposes. A large industry and network exist whereby people advertised as psychics provide advice and counsel to [[client (business)|clients]].<ref name="nisbet">{{Cite journal|author=Matthew Nisbet|author-link=Matthew Nisbet |date=May–June 1998 |title=Psychic telephone networks profit on yearning, gullibility |journal=[[Skeptical Inquirer]] |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2843/is_/ai_20615402 }}{{dead link|date=May 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Some famous psychics include [[Edgar Cayce]], [[Ingo Swann]], [[Peter Hurkos]], [[Janet Lee (Psychic)|Janet Lee]], [[Miss Cleo]],<ref name="ftc">{{Cite web|title=FTC Charges "Miss Cleo" with Deceptive Advertising, Billing and Collection Practices|publisher=[[Federal Trade Commission|FTC]]|date=February 14, 2002|url=http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/02/accessresource.htm|access-date=October 6, 2008|archive-date=August 28, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828180436/http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2002/02/accessresource.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> [[John Edward]], [[Sylvia Browne]], and [[Tyler Henry]]. Psychic powers are asserted by [[psychic detective]]s and in practices such as [[psychic archaeology]] and even [[psychic surgery]].<ref name="Flim-Flam!">{{Cite book|author=James Randi|author-link=James Randi|title=Flim-Flam! Psychics, ESP, Unicorns, and Other Delusions|publisher=Prometheus Books|pages=173–195|year=1982|isbn=978-0-87975-198-2
}}</ref>

Critics attribute psychic powers to intentional trickery or to self-[[delusion]].<ref name="Gracely">{{Cite web |last=Gracely, Ph.D. |first=Ed J. |title=Why Extraordinary Claims Demand Extraordinary Proof |work=PhACT |year=1998 |url=http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/extraproof.html |access-date=2007-07-31 |archive-date=2013-01-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130115045852/http://quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/extraproof.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="nova">{{Cite episode | title = Psychic Debunking | series = [[Nova (American TV program)|NOVA]] | network = [[PBS]] | airdate = April 15, 1993 | season = 19 | number = 3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=She Told Them Boy was Dead. Crystal Ball Fails Psychic in MO. Kidnap|newspaper=[[NY Daily News]]|date=January 18, 2007|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/01/18/2007-01-18_she_told_them_boy_was_dead_crystal_ball_.html|location=New York|access-date=2008-10-07|archive-date=2008-12-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081207174902/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/01/18/2007-01-18_she_told_them_boy_was_dead_crystal_ball_.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Shooting crap:Alleged psychic John Edward actually gambles on hope and basic laws of statistics.|author=Shari Waxman|date=June 13, 2002|work=[[Salon.com]]|url=http://dir.salon.com/story/people/feature/2002/06/13/probability/index.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607014609/http://dir.salon.com/story/people/feature/2002/06/13/probability/index.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref> In 1988, the [[U.S. National Academy of Sciences]] published a report on the subject, which concluded that there is "no scientific justification from research conducted over a period of 130 years for the existence of [[Parapsychology|parapsychological phenomena]]".<ref name=NAS>{{Cite book|editor1=Druckman, D. |editor1-link=Daniel Druckman |editor2=Swets, J. A.|year=1988|title=Enhancing Human Performance: Issues, Theories and Techniques|publisher=National Academy Press, Washington, D.C.|page=22|isbn=978-0-309-07465-0}}</ref> In 2012, a study attempted to repeat recently reported parapsychological experiments that appeared to support the existence of [[precognition]]. However, efforts to replicate the results, which involved performance on a memory test to ascertain if post-test information would affect it, "failed to produce significant effects", and thus did "not support the existence of psychic ability" of this kind.<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Ritchie SJ, Wiseman R, French CC |title=Failing the future: three unsuccessful attempts to replicate Bem's 'retroactive facilitation of recall' effect |journal=PLOS ONE |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=e33423 |year=2012 |pmid=22432019 |pmc=3303812 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0033423 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...733423R |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Psychics are sometimes featured in [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy fiction]]. Examples of fiction featuring characters with psychic powers include the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise, which features "[[Force (Star Wars)|Force]]-sensitive" beings who can see into the future and move objects telekinetically, along with ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' and some of the works of [[Stephen King]], amongst many others.