These links will provide useful further information and background for anybody interested in learning more about the art and science of cold reading.
- Cold Reading – Skeptic’s Dictionary
- Cold Reading – Skeptic Friends Network
- Cold Reading: The Psychic’s True Power – The New England Skeptical society
- The Cold Reading Technique – Denis Dutton
- How come TV psychics seem so convincing? – The Straight Dope
- Psychic sophistry – Tony Youens
- Shotgunning – Skeptic’s Dictionary
- The Forer Effect – Skeptic’s Dictionary
Many of these references approach the subject from a sceptical point of view, that is not to say that there are not genuine mediums and psychics out there. Cold reading is a technique employed by mentalists and other stage performers to create an illusion. It is also unfortunately employed by unscrupulous and fake mediums and psychics to do the same thing.
A genuine psychic would not have to use cold reading techniques. If you spot these in use, then it’s probably an indication that you are not dealing with a genuine psychic.