Theory of Mind - Definition

Theory of mind is a theory insofar as the mind is not directly observable.The presumption that others have a mind is termed a theory of mind because each human can only intuit the existence of their own mind through introspection, and no one has direct access to the mind of another. It is typically assumed that others have minds by analogy with one's own, and based on the reciprocal nature of social interaction, as observed in joint attention, the functional use of language, and understanding of others' emotions and actions. Having a theory of mind allows one to attribute thoughts, desires, and intentions to others, to predict or explain their actions, and to posit their intentions. As originally defined, it enables one to understand that mental states can be the cause of—and thus be used to explain and predict - others' behavior. Being able to attribute mental states to others and understanding them as causes of behavior implies, in part, that one must be able to conceive of the mind as a "generator of representations". If a person does not have a complete theory of mind it may be a sign of cognitive or developmental impairment.

Theory of mind appears to be an innate potential ability in humans, but one requiring social and other experience over many years to bring to fruition. Different people may develop more, or less, effective theories of mind. Empathy is a related concept, meaning experientially recognizing and understanding the states of mind, including beliefs, desires and particularly emotions of others, often characterized as the ability to "put oneself into another's shoes". Recent neuro ethological studies of animal behaviour suggest that even rodents may exhibit ethical or empathic abilities. Neo-Piagetian theories of cognitive development maintain that theory of mind is a byproduct of a broader hypercognitive ability of the human mind to register, monitor, and represent its own functioning.

Research on theory of mind in a number of different populations (human and animal, adults and children, normally- and atypically-developing) has grown rapidly in the almost 30 years since Premack and Woodruff's paper, "Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind?", as have the theories of theory of mind. The emerging field of social neuroscience has also begun to address this debate, by imaging humans while performing tasks demanding the understanding of an intention, belief or other mental state.

An alternative account of theory of mind is given within operant psychology and provides significant empirical evidence for a functional account of both perspective taking and empathy. The most developed operant approach is founded on research on derived relational responding and is subsumed within what is called, "Relational Frame Theory". According to this view empathy and perspective taking comprise a complex set of derived relational abilities based on learning to discriminate and verbally respond to ever more complex relations between self, others, place, and time, and the transformation of function through established relations. (wikipedia.org)

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Earn Cash Money From Youtube

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Learn the Secrets Mentalism and Mind Reading

Learn the secret and presentation to this incredible mind reading trick - Revelation. You get everything you need to know in this Instant Download, with in depth instructions, full performance footage and special bonuses that will turn you into a true mind reader and mentalist.

Order now and you'll receive your Instant Download within minutes. Simply grab your download at the bottom of this page. With your 60 Day 100% Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee you have nothing to lose.

This trick is a reputation maker! You'll be freaking people out with this as soon as you learn it. AND you'll be able to perform it where ever you are.
AND even if you’ve never performed before or no nothing about mentalism and mind reading this effect is perfect. Because this trick is based on an ingenious method, it's suitable for anyone who wants to have the ability to seemingly read minds or showcase the skills of a mentalist. This effect is so powerful that people will actually believe what you do is real - Body Language Expert, Mind Reader, Mentalist, NLP or Psychic - It's up to you.  As you may find, there are so many different tricks available on the internet today, but very few of those will give you the skill or ability to do what The Revelation Effect will.

Filmed and edited by a professional studio - expect the best. With amazing quality and fantastic visuals you'll enjoy learning everything you'll need to you and MORE with this great instructional video.

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Fun Facts About Criss Angel, Star of Criss Angel Mindfreak (Part - 2 end)

The Early Days. Criss Angel was introduced to the fascinating world of magic at the tender age of six by his Aunt Stella who taught him a trick with playing cards. I wonder if she knew where that one card trick would lead?

He Was Hooked. Criss Angel began his illustrious career in his teenage years by performing his magic tricks at parties, clubs, private events and of course at home for family and friends. He was in great demand right from the start for his skill, personality and infectious enthusiasm.

Influences. Criss Angel cites Harry Houdini and Aldo Richiardi as his greatest influences. On a recent episode of Criss Angel Mindfreak, Criss recreated an escape from a prison cell once performed by Houdini. It was a great success and amazed the fans that were invited to watch his progress via closed circuit television.

Award Winner. Criss Angel is the proud recipient of the Academy of Magical Arts Magician Of The Year award that was bestowed upon him in 2005. He also proudly received the IMS Magician Of The Year Award in 2001 and 2004. From the look of this skilled magician's rapidly rising star, more awards are most certainly in his future.

Tell All Book. "Mindfreak: Secret Revelations," which was published in April of 2007 contains a plethora of information about Criss Angel's life and his magic straight from the horse's mouth. A real treat for fans of the multi talented star, this book spent some time on the best seller list.

Vegas Baby. Criss Angel is opening a show at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas beginning in the Fall of 2008. The plan is for this to become a permanent Las Vegas show that will not be traveling to any other cities. One more reason to plan that trip to Las Vegas!

Much More Than Criss Angel Mindfreak. Criss Angel has appeared on many network television shows including CSI, Las Vegas, Oprah, The Late Show With David Letterman and Larry King Live. Criss has also inked a deal with NBC for a new reality television series that will attempt to find the next great mentalist. Riding the reality show wave, this show will surely be a hit and gain Criss Angel many new fans.

People have long been fascinated with magic. With family entertainment that is appropriate and interesting for family members of all ages, Criss Angel provides a form of entertainment that stands up to the test of time. With his vast talent, hip and edgy look and warm personality, Criss Angel has nearly reinvented this entertainment genre. With an already full resume, and many new projects on his plate, Criss Angel will surely be around to entertain young and old for a long, long time.
Sources: www.wikipedia.org 

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Fun Facts About Criss Angel, Star of Criss Angel Mindfreak (Part - 1)

Millions of people were introduced to the astounding feats of Criss Angel through his tremendously popular television show, Criss Angel Mindfreak. Performing a mix of illusions with dangerous stunts, Criss Angel had his viewers hooked with his skill and seemingly endless courage. In addition to his fascinating illusions and magic tricks, Criss Angel is a talented and skilled musician and stuntman who is extremely close to his family. Read this informative article for facts on the multi talented star of Criss Angel Mindfreak.

Beautiful And Lyrical Given Name. Criss Angel's full name is Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos. With his enormous talent and charismatic personality, one has to wonder if a name change was really necessary for success.

Christmas Baby. Criss Angel arrived in this world on December 19, 1967. All sources indicate that he made his presence in this world by conventional means!

A Proud New Yorker. Criss Angel's hometown is East Meadow, New York. One of Criss Angel's most charming attributes is his native New York accent. Criss Angel's hometown and his former local haunts are featured predominantly on Criss Angel Mindfreak.

Current Digs. Criss Angel currently divides his time between the Luxor Hotel in Paradise, Nevada and West Islip, New York. As his star continues to rise and more success is gained, New York and Nevada may be bidding a fond farewell to their resident illusionist.

Vital Stats. Criss Angel stands at an even six feet tall and weighs one hundred and sixty five pounds. Criss is in excellent shape and must remain that way to perform the many physically demanding stunts that are his trademark.

Loving Family. Criss Angel's parents names are John and Dimitra Sarantakos. He has two brothers whose names are Costa and JD. Tragically, Criss lost his father, John Sarantakos to stomach cancer. His brothers as well as his mother are frequently featured on Criss Angel Mindfreak, which illustrates the strong bond that he has with his family.

Romantic Situation. Criss Angel was married to Joann Sarantakos. The couple have since separated and have been apart since 2006. The tabloids have featured Criss Angel quite a bit lately, pairing him with everyone from Minnie Driver to Britney Spears. Details of his marriage and the reason for the estrangement have so far been unavailable for public opinion. Hopefully for the privacy of himself and his family, it will remain that way.

Animal Lover. Criss Angel has two feline companions that he named Minx and Hammy.

Wears Many Hats. Criss Angel is not only a magician, he is also an acclaimed illusionist, hypnotist and mentalist. He is a skilled escape artist, stuntman, musician and a working actor. He just may be the hardest working man in show business. Move over, Ryan Seacrest!

Great Love Of Music. Criss Angel grew up with a great love of music learning to play the drums, the accordion and the flute. Criss formed a band with friends named "Angel Dust." Criss can be seen performing musically on episodes of Criss Angel Mindfreak, which gives you a very personal look at the many varied passions of this man.

Thanks for Read :  Fun Facts About Criss Angel, Star of Criss Angel Mindfreak (Part - 1)

NBC's "Phenomenon" and the Uri Geller Mentalist Deception (Part - 2 end)

Uri Geller has friends in high places...

If you see some of the powerful people on Geller's friends list--it would probably give a person pause to openly criticize the man on a national TV show. It seems perplexing that people in powerful positions would still befriend Geller after all the years of suspect things exposing him as faking his powers. Nevertheless, Geller managed to build himself into a mega pop culture figure with the magnetism to attract attention and make associations easily. He's also a litigious type of person who's had more lawsuits against those trying to bring him down than you can count. His superstar power managed to get videos of his thumb magnet on Israel's "The Successor" taken off of Youtube earlier this year if you can imagine. Now that's power of a different sort, ladies and gentlemen. He nonetheless became embroiled in some recent legal trouble for going over the heads of the copyright holders of the video to get them removed from Youtube. Geller knows how to remove evidence of his deceptions via the convenient method of time or actual public record.

It has to be noted, too, that Geller seems to have found other outlets for his creativity lately (utilizing art design as well as, yes, freelance writing!) after a lot of scientists and previous fans have long-ago had it with his deceptions. "Phenomenon", though, has to be considered another attempt for him to convince the American public that he has some kind of special ability and get him back to the forefront of all the hard-working mentalists out there. Fortunately, in a few mind-reading tricks he's done on "Phenomenon" so far--he hasn't directly stated that what he was doing was real...or trickery either. Has he finally changed--or maybe just staying neutral for the moment?

Saying you're just a magician will set you free--and people will still really, really like you...

Out of all the contestants who've performed on "Phenomenon" by the time of this writing--only three put the title of "Mentalist/Illusionist" in their title. How interesting it is then that two out of those three have already been eliminated by the time of Week Three. Of course, it's all in the presentation, but all the rest of the performers claim to be straight-ahead mentalists with real powers. All of them have survived except for "Paranormalist" Jim Callahan (who had the heated argument with Criss Angel), the disturbing Jim Karol and Uri Geller wannabe Ehud Segev. What I continue to get perplexed over is why some of these guys can't just consider what they're doing art rather than desperately trying to be liked by claiming they're truly reading minds and doing other mental gymnastic wonders. If you've ever studied even the most basic mental trick technique--many of the routines used on the show use some of the simplest methods you can imagine...while also using complex ones. Much of that is power of suggestion or pre-manipulation of something.

If you've ever seen the Amazing Kreskin at work--you'll see all those techniques used the most effectively of anybody from the past to today. He's managed to convince people he has special powers, despite him fortunately never claiming to the flock he's gifted. Well, he's given some hints on rare occasions that he may have some kind of special power--which goes to show that the temptation is too great. That grandiloquent God Effect is too dangerously tempting for some of those performing mentalists who perform so well, it enables them to take an easy step up on a pedestal.

The reality is that magic is still a viable art form--and doing psychological tricks that play with people's minds are some of the most popular things a performer can do with an audience. There's nothing wrong with admitting that it's only a trick--because learning to master the powers of suggestion isn't easy at all to learn. In that regard, you can say that mentalists do have stand-alone abilities rather than powers. Being extra sensitive to your environment is essential in being an effective magician who does mentalist routines. If you are, it's amazing what you can pick up from people who you've never even met.
___

So who will ultimately win "Phenomenon?" I don't personally care who--but I'm getting the impression that one of those guys who claims they have special powers will win. Consider this a warning letter to those of you not familiar with Uri Geller's history--that history might repeat itself...if Uri Geller just stepping in again and taking his old crown. I guarantee that all the routines you'll see on "Phenomenon" this season (and the next if it has another) are all the result of technique you can learn if you're willing to spend hours and hours of time on it.

What's that? I don't need to be a mentalist to suddenly hear you blurt that you wouldn't even spend half that time learning those techniques. It's too bad that the art of those special skills gets bogged down in these "Phenomenon" performers by convincing people it's something else entirely.

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NBC's "Phenomenon" and the Uri Geller Mentalist Deception (Part - 1)

Any show that has Uri Geller at the helm should be immediately made suspect--especially when it purports to search for legitimate mentalists who try to convince people that they have real powers. The way NBC's promoted this new reality game show (or is it a fake magic show?)--you're supposed to believe that judges Criss Angel and Uri Geller will find...yesireebob, the next phenomenon. But let's hold the psychic phone here. We have some interesting and bizarre situations on this show that I've been trying to figure out and need to be addressed to a national audience who seem to be fascinated with this concept. 

The first major credibility gap with the show is Uri Geller himself who long ago (on "The Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson in the early 1970's) was basically exposed as merely a magician and not someone with real mental powers as he consistently maintains to this day. And the second incongruity is Criss Angel's open proclamation on the first show that he doesn't even want to be in the same room with someone who claims to have real special powers.

Because this show already has a creepy and mysterious vibe to it--I had to do a little research to find out how this show got on the NBC prime-time schedule. Most probably know from press releases that it originates from a similar show produced by Uri Geller last year in Israel called "The Successor." In that, Geller tried to find a new mentalist who could (potentially) take his place in the spotlight. What the public didn't know here in America is that Geller had some non-punned tricks up his sleeve to prevent anybody from usurping his cape. As he always does, he claimed he'd try to defy physics and make something move live on the show by his sheer will. This time, it was a compass that he attempted to move by the power of his mind. 

Unfortunate yet again for Geller--more observant viewers (with likely hi-def TV) caught a tiny magnet attached to his thumb. But don't worry folks...Geller understands that people easily forget. Two generations have gone by since he was thwarted on "The Tonight Show"--and he rebuilt his stardom right after when people conveniently tucked away that incident.

Don't get me wrong here (and you probably already have): I still believe that many aspects of extra-sensory perception and telekinesis exist. I'm not a member of Skeptic Magazine or those general skeptic groups who put every little thing down related to the mysteries and abilities of the mind. What I am against is those who claim to have special abilities when they clearly don't. Uri Geller has never really proven that he truly has special extra-sensory perception and telekinetic abilities. That famous "Tonight Show" appearance in the 1970's more or less brought down his spoon-bending bit Geller became famous from back then. Days before the show, Johnny Carson consulted with renowned magician/skeptic "The Amazing Randi" (yeah, I know, guffaw now before going on)...and Randi (James his real first name) suggested bringing in a whole different set of spoons rather than letting Geller bring in his own set. 

Randi said that Geller merely prepped his own spoons before a show so they'd bend easier during his routine. When Geller was confronted on the show with a whole different set of spoons--he froze up and claimed his powers weren't up to par that night. Carson didn't outright bash him on the air, so you can say that it left room there for people to still wonder. For those in the know, it was plainly obvious.

With all that well-documented background--why did Criss Angel agree to host this show with Uri Geller? If only Geller would admit that what he does is just trickery and technique people (with some extra practice) can do themselves--there wouldn't be this strange vibe on the show I'm getting that's loaded with contradictions. You have to wonder now whether Angel just did the show to use it as a base to promote himself and his "Mindfreak" show/DVD's. I give props to Angel, though, for reminding people that the mentalist tricks he does (plus his human endurance stunts) merely use practical technique that only some can do well. 

His heated argument on the second week of "Phenomenon" with a later-eliminated performer claiming to have special mental powers gives credence to his stance to blow away all phonies. Angel was also indirectly referring to Geller that night. So why is he afraid to go after Uri Geller individually...?

Thanks for Read :  NBC's "Phenomenon" and the Uri Geller Mentalist Deception (Part - 1)

How to Do Mentalism Using 3 Awesome Mind Reading Tricks

There are a number of ways to apply mind reading tricks and techniques. If you want to know how to do mentalism, then you need to read this article.

Sometimes, you can't tell which is which, especially when you're being set up. A lot of mentalist shows, for example, often do their research on a target before calling that person on stage. You know the drill.

The so-called mind reader makes a theatrical performance out of proclaiming your name, your plate number and whether you have a dog or not. You're amazed, of course, but have no idea that all these details about you have been found out before you even stepped into the limelight.

So how then does it actually work? What mind reading techniques can you use to delve into other people's thoughts? Here are some amazing ways on how to do mentalism:

Mind Reading Trick # 1: Get to Know the Person Well

Are you aware that if you know a person well enough, you can eventually pick up on their thoughts? I'm not kidding. And I'm sure you've heard someone say this about you or about a person you know.

It's not a coincidence, of course, that you are able to learn how to do mentalism on someone you know inside out. Being familiar with a person's habits and frame of mind makes it easier for you to anticipate their choices and decisions. It's all about putting your skills of observation to the test.

Mind Reading Trick # 2: Don't Blink

Another effective mentalism technique is to carefully observe a person's pupils. Enlarged pupils mean that the person is interested, pleased or generally receptive to what is going on. Minimized pupils, on the other hand, denotes boredom and disinterest.

Of course, this isn't a technique you can master on your first try. And it's not like you can lean forward and make an obvious effort to peer into a person's eyes.

In order to learn how to do mentalism using the eyes, you need lots of practice. The best guinea pig here would be yourself. Look into a mirror and visualize all sorts of things-from pleasant to unpleasant. Then watch how your pupils react to these thoughts. You can also practice this mind reading technique on your friends and your family before trying it out at work or on somebody you don't know very well.

Mind Reading Trick # 3: Try Shotgunning

Shotgunning is a term people use when they fire statements left and right with the hope that somebody in the audience reacts. It's a hit or miss mentalism technique, but one that is very popular among mentalists.

For example, if you mention something about a dog and somebody's expression changes, you've locked down on your target. Tell that person that their thoughts about the dog are resonating loudly across the room and you've picked up on them.

Learning how to do mentalism is an art. Give it the respect it deserves and you'll surely become one of the most sought after mentalists in town.

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Famous Mentalists

Gerry McCambridge - "The Mentalist" (Click the Name for visit Website)

Gerry McCambridge defines himself as "the Mentalist" - an entertainer who showcases an ability to screw with people's minds. He currently headlines at the Hooters Casino in Las Vegas and has appeared on NBC's "Phenomenon" and executive-produced and starred in his own network special called "The Mentalist."

The Evasons (Click the Name for visit Website)
The web site of Jeff and Tessa Evason, the renowned mentalist duo based in Washington DC and Toronto Canada.

Banachek (Click the Name for visit Website)
The web site of, Banachek, the "World's Number One Thought Reader."

Brian Gillis & Sisuepahn (Click the Name for visit Website)
Known as entertainers to the stars, Brian Gillis & Sisuepahn perform mental acrobatics and mind-power demonstrations.

Max Maven (Click the Name for visit Website)
Welcome to Max Maven's cybermind. This is the web site of the superb mentalist and magic historian who made several television appearances on "The World's Greatest Magic."

Guy Bavli (Click the Name for visit Website)
This master of the mind is a sensational mentalist and a well known instructor in the field.

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Beginner's Guide to Mentalism (Part - 2 end)

Nail Writer/Swami/Pocket Writing

At this point you should decide whether you want to work with nail writers or pocket writing.  The choice is largely a matter of personal taste.  Though I will say that pocket writing should be attempted only when you plan to regularly wear outfits that have roomy enough pockets.  Slacks, hoodies, sport jackets, that sort of thing are all better suited to pocket writing than your jeans.  If you wear dressy and casual about as often, dabble in both and see which one works better for you.

An Actor Prepares

This was the original text codifying the craft of acting in the modern era and to this day it is still one of the fundamentals.  I've heard a lot of magicians and mentalists alike recite that Robert-Houdin quote about all magicians being actors.  It's like a reflex to them, they've got the syllables down to muscle memory.  But surprisingly few of them know how to act.  Don't make the same mistake.  You've got your material, your performance theory, your utilities, now learn how to really sell it to an audience.

Okay, we have these essential fundamentals, but there are different branches of mentalism based on the nature of effects.  The following items are all optional based on specializations.

Psychokinetic Silverware/PSI Series

When it comes to PK effects, it's hard to do better than Banachek.  These DVDs will give you the essential work on metal bending.  There are a lot of good books and DVDs on the subject now of course, but this remains the best place to start bar none.

Peek Wallet

If you're going to work on mind reading, having one of these is essential.  Many would recommend the Sight Unseen Case, but this has sadly been discontinued.  I made my own peek wallet using the SUC principle and it works very well.  Barring that however, the peek wallets from Outlaw Effects are high quality and effective.

Invisible Elastic Thread/Loops and the Loops Trilogy and The Cloak

Yigal Mesika's invisible elastic thread is incredible as a resource, but tying your own loops is a pain.  You can purchase loops pre-tied, so if you question your own fine dexterity and don't want to spend the time learning to handle the finicky material, it's a good way to go.  Thread and loops both are excellent PK utilities with a huge number of effects and applications.  Justin Miller's Cloak is a great thread setup and the Ellusionist Loops trilogy provides plenty of effects and inspirations.

Quick and Effective Cold Reading

I'm just going to come out and say it.  You will be hard pressed to find a better teacher for cold reading than Richard Webster.  There are other great books on the subject by such giants as Herb Dewie and Bob Cassidy, but Richard is an indisputable master.  If you're not comfortable making the transition into cold reading just yet, instead pick up Richard's Cold Reading for the Magician booklet first to give you a primer into the basic concepts of cold reading.

So there you have it.  A straightforward beginner's guide to starting your education in mentalism.  Among the vast ocean of books, DVDs and gimmicks available, I hope this simplifies things and gives you a stable jumping point.  Truthfully, the material here is enough to last you for a long time to come. 

Thanks for Read : Beginner's Guide to Mentalism (Part - 2 end)

Beginner's Guide to Mentalism (Part - 1)

Mentalism is like so many other things like singing and writing: everyone thinks they can do it and they're usually wrong.  To that effect, I've decided to assemble this little beginner's guide to mentalism for the newbie.  It took me some time to figure out what to include and what not to, but I've organized everything into a sequence as best I can.  The intent is to keep things simple and straightforward, giving you a clear progression through those first steps into a new skill.

I'm going to note right away that the first two on this list are an either/or situation.  It depends entirely on your background.

Mark Wilson's Complete Course in Magic
If you're a magician and want to break into mentalism, this is good for introducing you to certain mental magic concepts, particularly in some of the card effects and the Mental Magic section (duh!).  The wealth of material available makes for a good jumping point while still providing plenty of fodder to keep you busy into the foreseeable future.  Of course, I should point out that if you're a magician and do not already possess a copy of Mark Wilson's, you're doing it wrong.

Magic for Dummies
If you're new to magic, this is probably going to be one of the best places to start.  There's plenty of fundamentals, time-tested effects, and some rudimentary performance theory.  A pretty good bargain.  If you're so inclined, you can acquire Mark Wilson's at a later date.  The important thing is to establish a strong foundation in sleight of hand.  Investing the time and energy into this now will make the journey later on much smoother.

Self-Working Mental Magic
As regular readers probably remember, I have a lot of very positive things to say about this book.  And I hope my recommendation will be enough to cancel the stigma that seems to follow self-working effects.  Especially when new magicians get a grasp on sleight of hand, they start to imagine that self-working magic is beneath them.  For more info, please refer to my earlier review of the book.

Fundamentals
So the previous choices gave you material to work with.  Now you need to know how to use it.  This is quite possibly the best of Bob Cassidy's output, and he's put out some pretty good material.  Performance theory, showmanship, routining, character building, and more are all covered here.  There's also an appendix called 39 Steps that lists 39 different books that Bob considers essential to any working mentalist's library.  Fundamentals is a must-have.  This is not negotiable.

Practical Mental Effects/13 Steps to Mentalism
The reason you want to hold off on a large book of mentalism effects until this point is to prevent information overload.  That was a mistake I made.  I bought 13 Steps before I was ready for it and kneecapped my progress because I was trying to absorb too much information at one time.  The choice between Anneman's Practical Mental Effects and Corinda's 13 Steps to Mentalism is a neverending debate and for the longest time I championed the former.  However, in more recent times I understand that both are equally strong texts, if a bit dry in writing, and though some would call their material dated it's still very strong and time tested.  Do not underestimate this material.  Pick up one of these books and save the other for later.

Thanks for Read : Beginner's Guide to Mentalism (Part - 1)

Mentalism in Television

America's Got Talent: Eric Dittelman, a mind reader, performed on Season 7 of the NBC talent competition America's Got Talent. He was eliminated in the semifinals.

The Mentalist: an American crime procedural television series in which the main character, Patrick Jane, works as an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation solving serious crimes by using his amazing skills of observation and his frequent use of his abilities as a mentalist.

Psych: an American criminal comedy-drama television series in which the main character, Shawn Spencer, works as a consultant to the Santa Barbara Police Department as a "psychic detective." Though he purports to be a psychic, in truth it is his exceptional observational skills and near-photographic memory that allows him to portray himself as such.

Deception with Keith Barry: Discovery Channel.

Tricks of the Mind: a British TV show starring Derren Brown.

Pasamones Kontrole: Kobra TV Channel Nicholas Kin. (wikipedia.org)

Thanks for Read : Mentalism in Television

What is Mentalism (Part - 2)

Mentalist or Magician

Mentalists generally do not mix "standard" magic tricks with their mental feats. Doing so associates mentalism too closely with the theatrical trickery employed by stage magicians. Many mentalists claim not to be magicians at all, arguing that it is a different art form altogether.

Many magicians, however, mix mentally themed performance with magic illusions. For example, a mind-reading stunt might also involve the magical transposition of two different objects. Such hybrid feats of magic are often called mental magic by performers. Magicians who routinely mix magic with mental magic include David Copperfield, David Blaine, The Amazing Kreskin and Dynamo (Steven Frayne)

Notable Mentalists
This list of "famous" or "notable" persons has no clear inclusion or exclusion criteria. Please help to define clear inclusion criteria and edit the list to contain only subjects that fit those criteria. (August 2012)

1.     Alexander
2.     Shawn Spencer
3.     Patrick Jane (Fictional Character)
4.     Theodore Annemann
5.     Banachek
6.     Keith Barry
7.     David Berglas
8.     Derren Brown
9.     Paul Brook
10.     Luke Jermay
11.     Kuda Bux
12.     Nefesch
13.     Chan Canasta
14.     Bob Cassidy
15.     Nicholas Kin
16.     Corinda
17.     Davenport brothers
18.     Paul W. Draper
19.     Joseph Dunninger
20.     Mark Edward
21.     Glenn Falkenstein
22.     Uri Geller
23.     Haim Goldenberg
24.     Nimrod Harel
25.     Axel Hellstrom
26.     Matt the Knife
27.     Al Koran
28.     The Amazing Kreskin
29.     Gary Kurtz
30.     Max Maven
31.     Gerry McCambridge
32.     Richard Osterlind
33.     Marc Paul
34.     The Piddingtons
35.     Morgan Strebler
36.     Frances Willard
37.     The Zancigs
38.     Neil Tobin, Necromancer
39.     John Edward

Historical Figures 

Mentalism techniques have, on occasion, been allegedly used outside the entertainment industry to influence the actions of prominent people for personal and/or political gain. Famous examples of accused practitioners include:

1. Erik Jan Hanussen, alleged to have influenced Adolf Hitler
2. Grigori Rasputin, alleged to have influenced Tsarina Alexandra
3. Wolf Messing, alleged to have influenced Joseph Stalin
4. Count Alessandro di Cagliostro, accused of influencing members of the French aristocracy in the Affair of the Diamond Necklace

"The Amazing Kreskin" has audience members hide his checks before the show; if Kreskin cannot find the check at the end of his performance, he does not get paid. (wikipedia.org)

Thanks for Read :  What is Mentalism (Part - 2)

What is Mentalism (Part - 1)

Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may appear to include telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats and rapid mathematics. Hypnosis may also be used as a stage tool. Mentalists are sometimes referred to as psychic entertainers.

Background 

Much of what the modern mentalist performs in his or her act can be traced back directly to tests of supernatural power that were carried out by mediums, spiritualists and psychics in the 19th Century.[attribution needed] However, the history of mentalism goes back even further. Accounts of seers and oracles can be found in works by the ancient Greeks[attribution needed] and in the Old Testament of the Bible. Among magicians, the mentalism performance generally cited as one of the earliest on record was by diplomat and pioneering sleight-of-hand magician Girolamo Scotto in 1572.

Performance approaches 

Styles of presentation can vary greatly. A few performers, in the mold of Uri Geller, or James Van Praagh, claim to actually possess supernatural powers such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, or telekinesis.

Many contemporary performers, including Richard Osterlind, Banachek, Max Maven, and Derren Brown, attribute their results to mundane skills, such as the ability to read body language or to manipulate the subject subliminally through psychological suggestion. (wikipedia.org)

Thanks for Read : What is Mentalism (Part - 1)