Mind Magic is a manual for metaprogramming oneself to achieve higher performance. Avoiding technical language, it provides guidance usable by the average person for achieving metacognition, a relatively detached perspective on one’s own thoughts and feelings, and for using that state to increase one’s skill at self-management.
I. Background
Over thirty-four universities and colleges have used Mind Magic as a course text, mostly in psychology departments, and corporations and US military organizations have also used it. Thousands of unsolicited testimonials have been received indicating high levels of reader satisfaction with the results of the stimuli on their own lives and happiness.
II. Objective
The Human Effectiveness Institute (THEI) would like to be able to actually measure improvements in performance caused by Mind Magic on something other than a self-reported basis. This document is an outline of the desired testing approach.
III. Method
- An organization such as a school, corporation, military unit, NGO, government organization, or nonprofit expresses an interest in testing the book.
- Approximately 4000 (brand new, perfect) copies of the Mind Magic edition Freeing Creative Effectiveness (FCE) are available. That edition was specifically given a more serious title in order to make it ideal for serious testing.
- Two research designs ought to be considered:
- Random Control Trial: 400 employees/students selected at random, leaving 400 or more not selected. 400 treatment group given the book and asked to read it and use its advice in order to become a more successful person. Measurements to be taken before and after reading might simply be the normal regular quarterly reviews by the individual’s supervisor/superior officer. Those given the book ought to be coded based on their self-report of how much of the book they have read prior to the post evaluation e.g.
Improvement rates also compared between those in the treatment group vs. those in the control group. (In one variation on this approach, the control group – or a random half of it – are given a placebo, that is another self-help book. This would have the advantage of having a control cell with equal Hawthorne Effect.) - All employees/students are given the book and their evaluation scores by their supervisor/superior officer are analyzed against their track record of previous regular evaluations. Those given the book ought to be coded based on their self-report of how much of the book they have read prior to the post evaluation e.g.
None of it [ ] Fewer than half the pages [ ] More than half the pages [ ] All the pages [ ].
The change in scores against previous evaluations ought to be broken out by these degrees of reading, the hypothesis being that the more of the book that was read, the greater will be the improvement over previous evaluations.
- Random Control Trial: 400 employees/students selected at random, leaving 400 or more not selected. 400 treatment group given the book and asked to read it and use its advice in order to become a more successful person. Measurements to be taken before and after reading might simply be the normal regular quarterly reviews by the individual’s supervisor/superior officer. Those given the book ought to be coded based on their self-report of how much of the book they have read prior to the post evaluation e.g.
The institution partnering in the trial may come up with a different approach and in all likelihood agreement on the final methodology may be easily reached. For example, organizations evaluating employees/personnel annually might conduct a special review two months after giving the books, in order to obtain faster results, a benefit desirable to THEI. In the agreement THEI is to receive a full copy of all results in a pre-agreed format individualized to each study.
If the institution partnering in this effort is academic, it is assumed that publication of a peer-reviewed paper would be part of the arrangement, and the departments possibly most interested might be in marketing, psychology, and/or one of the school’s sports teams (as in the case of the work of Dr. Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi, who had been an advisor and mentor to THEI, who applied his Flow state work to a team at the University of Chicago).
IV. Cost & Timing
The Human Effectiveness Institute would charge nothing for its time and $20 per copy of the book for any organization able to afford that cost, plus the cost of shipping.
For any organization unable to pay that cost, THEI will donate the books for free, but would still need the shipping cost paid. This applies for only so long as the 400 copies of the FCE edition remain available. Any interested organization is advised to move quickly in order to secure these copies. In this free version, a requirement is that the post measurement be made available to THEI within 90 days of the delivery of the books.
Please email us for further information on the Mind Magic test.
[email bill@humaneffectivenessinstitute.org]
