People’s ranking of magic abilities - cool study

[robinlxs]

So I thought I’d share this article with y’all. I thought it might be useful.
People Agree It’s Harder To Conjure A Frog With Magic Than Change Its Colour – Suggesting We Use Our Intuitive Physics To Make Sense Of Imaginary Worlds

 

[FifthView]

Wow, thanks for that link. Very cool mojo!

 

[CupofJoe]

So this is what Harvard and Wharton have been up to?!?!?
I LOVE IT when Psychologist get involved in pop-culture...

 

[ThinkerX]

hmm...

in ancient days, the magics deemed most common (presumably plausible) were curses (anything from boils to ill fortune), love charms, 'spells of mental influence,' invisibility, divination, speaking with the dead, scrying, levitation, illusions, healing, and shape changing. Animated objects turned up now and again. The biggie, though, was summoning and control of a 'spirit,' ghost, demon, or god through knowledge of the entities 'true name.'

Interestingly, many of these abilities have been reputed to be within the capacity of present day psychics and mediums. There are cases of the most powerful mediums being able to manifest solid objects (though these don't last long).

 

[skip.knox]

Ah, another study, and as we know,
studies show that studies show.

 

[Darkfantasy]

Thanks for this working on my magic system now so this was interesting.
I tend to prefer the more "realistic" magic. Like potions and hexes. Native Indian magic and the spirit world. I find it less complicated - i only have a simple mind.

 

[robinlxs]

I have a character that will eventually be able to manipulate reality. I found the article useful. When he’s learning proper control he’s like a sledgehammer because he can handle so much more magical energy than everyone else around him. Everyone else around him has trouble tapping into the source. Where as for my character he doesn’t do much as tap into it, he struggles to close the flood gates. So he would have trouble changing the colour of a frog, without it exploding but the harder things he could do more easily.