Saskatoon Freethinkers confront “physic” Sylvia Browne

April 04, 2010

The press release is below.  Attached is a flyer distributed at Browne's presentation. 

Saskatoon Freethinkers
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Freethinkers Challenge Psychic’s Claims
Saskatoon April 4, 2010 – On Tuesday, April 6, 2010, Sylvia Browne will be in Saskatoon for a show at TCU Place and a local community group will be present to hand out information challenging her claims to psychic powers. While Sylvia Browne claims to be a spiritual teacher and psychic who does readings consulting the dead during her shows, and also claims to solve missing persons cases for the police (1.), there are excellent reasons for regarding her as a fraud.

‘Cold reading’, a technique used by mentalists and magicians as well as con-men, is very likely the basis of Browne’s apparent psychic abilities. (2.) With this technique, a reader will begin by making very general statements about a person’s case, and by carefully observing their reactions, will be able to make more specific claims, simply by using information the person has unwittingly supplied themselves. This creates the appearance of the reader having greater knowledge than could ordinarily be expected, but is no more than what a stage magician can do. Psychologists have proven that most people will accept very general descriptions as being
specific and unique to themselves, and are easily taken in by these techniques. (3.)

Sylvia Browne also claims to have a success rate better than 85% in solving missing person cases. However, on close inspection it has been found that no information she has given has ever led to persons being found or a crime being solved. (4.)

The show would be innocent entertainment, if both the psychic and the audience were aware of the trickery. However, Sylvia claims her psychic abilities are real and this has caused significant emotional harm to the families of missing persons. In addition to wasting police resources by giving false leads, she has told missing person’s loved ones that they were alive when they were really dead, and dead when they were really alive. (4.) The website “StopSylvia.com” documents many instances where Sylvia Browne’s claims have been proven false. (5.)

The Saskatoon Freethinkers will be passing out information on Sylvia Browne and cold reading techniques before the show on April 6th. The purpose of the handout is to inform Sylvia's audience who might otherwise be unaware that cold reading is a stage trick that Sylvia is likely using. It is the position of the Freethinkers that shows like Sylvia Browne’s are misleading, dishonest and potentially harmful.

The purpose of the Saskatoon Freethinkers is to support its members and the local community through social activities and educational outreach. It also undertakes activism to promote and defend secularism, separation of church and state, science, reason, and free inquiry. The group holds regular meetings and hosts public events, such as the Darwin Day celebration and film
screenings.
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Resources:
1. Sylvia Browne’s website: http://www.sylviabrowne.com/
2. Learn to Cold Read: http://www.wikihow.com/Cold-Read
3. Hyman, Ray. “Cold Reading: How to Convince Strangers That You Know All About Them.”
Skeptical Inquirer, (1977). http://www.skepdic.com/Hyman_cold_reading.htm
4. Shaffer, R. & Jaswiszczok, A. “Psychic Defective: Sylvia Browne's History of Failure”.
Skeptical Inquirer, vol 34, issue 2 (2010): 38-42.
5. Stop Sylvia website: http://stopsylvia.com/home/