Rose Rimler

In the Betsy case, we do know what's going on here because the facilitator like came out and talked about it, wrote a paper about it. And she explained that, you know, she'd had some doubts in the beginning, like, oh, am I really am I moving Betsy's hand or is it really Betsy? It's kind of hard to tell.

In the Betsy case, we do know what's going on here because the facilitator like came out and talked about it, wrote a paper about it. And she explained that, you know, she'd had some doubts in the beginning, like, oh, am I really am I moving Betsy's hand or is it really Betsy? It's kind of hard to tell.

But there was so much momentum and it was so exciting to think that she was making breakthroughs with her student that she kind of let herself believe in it.

But there was so much momentum and it was so exciting to think that she was making breakthroughs with her student that she kind of let herself believe in it.

Yeah, I think that's usually what people think is going on. It's actually called the ideomotor effect, the Ouija board. You don't, everyone thinks they're not, well, I don't know. I would sometimes move the planchette on purpose, but... Many of us just think we're not moving it, but then it does move and especially might move to a letter that makes a lot of sense after the previous letter.

Yeah, I think that's usually what people think is going on. It's actually called the ideomotor effect, the Ouija board. You don't, everyone thinks they're not, well, I don't know. I would sometimes move the planchette on purpose, but... Many of us just think we're not moving it, but then it does move and especially might move to a letter that makes a lot of sense after the previous letter.

And how does that happen? There's also something called the Chevrolet pendulum illusion where you think you're holding the pendulum steady in the air. But when you think about moving it to the right or to the left or up or down, suddenly it starts moving that way. And you're like, I'm not even doing that. But it's just like your brain is sending these very tiny signals to your hand.

And how does that happen? There's also something called the Chevrolet pendulum illusion where you think you're holding the pendulum steady in the air. But when you think about moving it to the right or to the left or up or down, suddenly it starts moving that way. And you're like, I'm not even doing that. But it's just like your brain is sending these very tiny signals to your hand.

And that is enough to make very small movements that can have very big consequences, you know?

And that is enough to make very small movements that can have very big consequences, you know?

Yeah. Because just to be clear, these abuse allegations we're talking about, that's part of the Frontline documentary, not the telepathy tapes. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Yeah. Because just to be clear, these abuse allegations we're talking about, that's part of the Frontline documentary, not the telepathy tapes. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

Exactly. Yeah. So that's the question, right? Is that what they're doing? Yeah.

Exactly. Yeah. So that's the question, right? Is that what they're doing? Yeah.

Yes. In all of these cases, the person with autism is speaking via a facilitator. It varies in exactly what the facilitator is doing and how they're communicating, but there's always somebody else there that has to be there. It's not fully independent. And it's typically the parent who's the facilitator. Oh! Yeah. So the... The one whose supposed mind is being read.

Yes. In all of these cases, the person with autism is speaking via a facilitator. It varies in exactly what the facilitator is doing and how they're communicating, but there's always somebody else there that has to be there. It's not fully independent. And it's typically the parent who's the facilitator. Oh! Yeah. So the... The one whose supposed mind is being read.

Well, yes and no. So what they're doing in the telepathy tapes is not technically facilitated communication in the classic sense because they're not literally holding the person's hand and hovering it over a board. What they're typically doing in the telepathy tapes, they hold up a letter board and then the person with autism points it. And then they call out P-I-R.

Well, yes and no. So what they're doing in the telepathy tapes is not technically facilitated communication in the classic sense because they're not literally holding the person's hand and hovering it over a board. What they're typically doing in the telepathy tapes, they hold up a letter board and then the person with autism points it. And then they call out P-I-R.

And in fact, the host of the podcast, she said, she just said at one point, like, oh, there was this controversy with facilitated communication, but this is different. This is different. And the big thing that they point out is we're not really touching the kid in the same way that they were touching them before. This method is often called spelling to communicate or just spelling.

And in fact, the host of the podcast, she said, she just said at one point, like, oh, there was this controversy with facilitated communication, but this is different. This is different. And the big thing that they point out is we're not really touching the kid in the same way that they were touching them before. This method is often called spelling to communicate or just spelling.