--- In [email protected], Peter Sutphen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > --- Patrick Gillam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Peter Sutphen wrote: > > > > > > There is so much contradictory evidence > > > that refutes this magic 1%, square root, Maharishi > > effect. > > > > I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't recall any > > discussions that presented refuting evidence. I > > know plenty of posters have taken issue with the > > rigor of the research. But actually proving it > > wrong? > > Actually, research works the other way, the null > hypothesis must be rejected to "prove" the research > correct. In the "Maharishi Effect" (ME) research the > null hypothesis is that any reduction of negative > trends is by chance. Most of the ME research has > methodological problems that does not rule out the > null hypothesis. Therefore a more prosaic > explanation-chance-is in order. In terms of "evidence" > one only has to look at the crime rate in Fairfield > and then look at the number of meditators in the > community to reject the ME as it is currently > understood. Post hoc explanations of a "washing > machine effect" indicate either the immaturity of the > ME theory or the ridiculousness of it. Social > field-effect theories are fun to ponder, but there is > almost no research to support them. The use of the ME > "research" by the TMO is just cult politics.
Inherit in all ME studies is the idea that the larger the sample, the more likely the effect will show. Fairfield (not to mention MUM itself) is small enough that the ME effect might easily be confounded by variables that don't effect a larger area. For instance, if even one MUM student is a pyschopathic nut, the murder-rate on campus might shoot up drastically... Likewise with some meditator with a legitimate medical marijuana need: that single person would change the marijuana use rate in the double digits on campus, and the arrest rate in the Fairfield community by nearly as much. You should know this already, Peter. To subscribe, send a message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Or go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ and click 'Join This Group!' Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
