About Me
Psychophysical Research Laboratories (1981 - 1985)
Science Unlimited Research Foundation (1985-1989)
Full Member of the Parapsychological Association (1981 - present)
Program Chair, PA Convention 1988, Montreal, Canada
Elected to PA Board of Directors, 2004-2010
PA Website designer 2000-2010
Past PA Newsletter Editor
Currently President Innovative Software Design
Personal Website
Rick E. Berger trained as an experimental social psychologist (PhD from Virginia Commonwealth University, 1981). He went on to investigate exceptional human abilities (Anomalous Cognition) full-time in 1981 at the Psychophysical Research Laboratories (PRL), Princeton NJ (created and funded in 1979 by James S. McDonnell, founder of McDonnell Douglas). There, he developed the first fully automated ganzfeld system and helped deploy the PsiLab ][ Apple-][–based platform with a dedicated hardware random number generator (RNG) to secure randomization and sealed data paths. He later continued at Science Unlimited Research Foundation (SURF), publishing psi experiments and forensic critiques of widely cited “ESP” series. Berger has served the Parapsychological Association (Program Chair, Board of Directors, website), and collaborated on target-set forensics (PRL autoganzfeld distributions) and bioelectromagnetics.
Bibliography
Journal Articles & Major Publications
- Berger, R. E. (1988). Psi effects without real-time feedback. Journal of Parapsychology, 52, 1–27.
- Berger, R. E. (1989a). A critical examination of the Blackmore psi experiments. Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 83, 123–144. (Book review)
- Berger, R. E. (1989b). A critical examination of the Spinelli dissertation data. Journal of the Society for Psychical Research, 56, 28–34.
- Honorton, C., Berger, R. E., Varvoglis, M. P., Quant, M., Derr, P., Schechter, E. I., & Ferrari, D. C. (1990). Psi communication in the ganzfeld: Experiments with an automated testing system, and a comparison with a meta-analysis of earlier studies. Journal of Parapsychology, 54(2), 99–139.
- Bierman, D. J., Broughton, R. S., & Berger, R. E. (1998). Notes on random target selection: The PRL autoganzfeld target and target set distributions revisited. Journal of Parapsychology, 62(4), 339–350.
Exceptional Human Consciousness Research: Convention Proceedings
- Berger, R. E., & Honorton, C. (1985). PsiLab ][: A standardized psi-testing system. In R. A. White & J. Solfvin (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1984 (pp. 68–71). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Berger, R. E., & Honorton, C. (1986). An automated psi ganzfeld testing system. In R. A. White & J. Solfvin (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1985 (pp. 85-88). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Berger, R. E., Schechter, E. I., & Honorton, C. (1986). A preliminary review of performance across three computer psi games. In D. H. Weiner & D. I. Radin (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1985 (pp. 1-3). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Berger, R. E. (1987a). Psi effects without real-time feedback using a PsiLab ][ video game experiment. In D. H. Weiner & R. L. Morris (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1986 (pp. 6-9). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Berger, R. E. (1987b). Psi effects without feedback: Will the real psi source please stand up? In D. H. Weiner & R. D. Nelson (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1986 (pp. 9-12). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Berger, R. E. (1988a). Psi effects without real-time feedback. In D. H. Weiner & R. L. Morris (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1987 (pp. 14-17). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Berger, R. E. (1988b). In search of “psychic signatures” in random data. In D. H. Weiner & R. L. Morris (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1987 (pp. 81–85). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Honorton, C., Barker, P., Varvoglis, M., Berger, R., & Schechter, E. (1986). First-timers: An exploration of factors affecting initial psi ganzfeld performance. In D. H. Weiner & D. I. Radin (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1985 (pp. 1-3). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
- Honorton, C., Berger, R. E., Varvoglis, M. P., Quant, M., Derr, P., Hansen, G. P., Schechter, E., & Ferrari, D. C. (1990). Psi ganzfeld experiments using an automated testing system: An update and comparison with a meta-analysis of earlier studies. In L. A. Henkel & J. Palmer (Eds.), Research in Parapsychology 1989 (pp. 25-35). Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press.
Social Psychology
- Forsyth, D. R., & Berger, R. E. (1981). The effects of self-serving vs. other-serving claims of responsibility on attraction and attribution in groups. Social Psychology Quarterly, 44(1), 59–64.
- Forsyth, D. R., & Berger, R. E. (1982). The effects of ethical ideology on moral behavior. Journal of Social Psychology, 117(1), 53–56.
Geophysical Correlates / Bioelectromagnetics
- Berger, R. E., & Persinger, M. A. (1991). Geophysical Variables and Behavior LXVII: Quieter annual geomagnetic activity and larger effect size for experimental PSI (ESP) studies over six decades. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 73, 1219–1223.
- Frei, M. R., Ryan, K. L., Berger, R. E., & Jauchem, J. R. (1995). Sustained 35-GHz radiofrequency irradiation induces circulatory failure. Shock, 4(4), 289–293.
- Ryan, K. L., Frei, M. R., Berger, R. E., & Jauchem, J. R. (1996). Does nitric oxide mediate circulatory failure induced by 35-GHz microwave heating? Shock, 6(1), 71–76.
- Frei, M. R., Berger, R. E., Dusch, S. J., Guel, V., Jauchem, J. R., Merritt, J. H., & Stedham, M. A. (1998). Chronic exposure of cancer-prone mice to low-level 2450 MHz radiofrequency radiation. Bioelectromagnetics, 19(1), 20–31.
- Frei, M. R., Jauchem, J. R., Dusch, S. J., Merritt, J. H., Berger, R. E., & Stedham, M. A. (1998). Chronic, low-level (1.0 W/kg) exposure of mice prone to mammary cancer to 2450 MHz microwaves. Radiation Research, 150(5), 568–576.
Books Edited