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From David Chillingworth, University of Southampton

No doubt everyone has their anecdotes about remote staring, but here is some systematic observation (13 March, p 34).

While invigilating examinations, I sometimes pass the time by staring at a student with head down hard at work, willing him/her to look up. Result: nothing. However, at other times when my mind has wandered off into a trance – which is not hard when invigilating – I have found myself staring vacantly at a student without my being conscious of it. Guess what: the student looks up. It works nearly every time.

So if remote staring does have any effect, I conjecture that it may have to do with the “sender” being in a state of mental unfocus while the “receiver” is in a state of high focus or possibly scanning around for mental input.

Have Richard Wiseman and Marylin Schlitz tried this one? They are welcome to invigilate a long exam for me any time they like.

Southampton, UK