Champions of Free Will Celebrate! Seminal 1983 Study on Response Potential Called Into Question

Posted By John Schinnerer On 24. September 2009 @ 17:47 In Curiosity, Danville CA, The human brain, Consciousness, Guide To Self Beginners Guide To Managing Emotion, Rational mind, Dr. John Schinnerer | No Comments

Apparently humans have some free will after all.

From New Scientist…

Champions of [1] free will, take heart. A landmark 1980s experiment that purported to show [2] free will doesn’t exist is being challenged.

In 1983, neuroscientist [3] Benjamin Libet asked volunteers wearing scalp electrodes to flex a finger or wrist. When they did, the movements were preceded by a dip in the signals being recorded, called the “readiness potential”. Libet interpreted this RP as the brain preparing for movement

For full article, click [4] here.

John Schinnerer, Ph.D.

Positive Psychology Coach

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Article printed from Shrunken Mind - Latest Positive Psychology Tools w/John Schinnerer Ph.D.: http://drjohnblog.guidetoself.com

URL to article: http://drjohnblog.guidetoself.com/2009/09/24/champions-of-free-will-celebrate-seminal-1983-study-on-response-potential-called-into-question/

URLs in this post:
[1] free will: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17092-possible-site-of-free-will-found-in-
brain.html
[2] free will doesn’t exist: http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19526154.200-free-will--is-our-understandi
ng-wrong.html
[3] Benjamin Libet: http://articles.latimes.com/2007/aug/27/local/me-libet27
[4] here: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17835-free-will-is-not-an-illusion-after-a
ll.html

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