You’re probably here because you’ve found an interest in mentalism and are eager to start learning.
Don’t rush it. It’ll most likely take you a good amount of time before you can pull a mentalism trick successfully.
First, you’ll have to know about mentalism terms, and today, you will learn some of them.
Before we give you a list of 15 mentalism terms all mentalists should know, though, let’s first define mentalism.
What is Mentalism?
Well, mentalism may be simply magic to some, but it is actually much more than that.
While magicians are experts at illusion, mentalists are masters of persuasion. Magicians use sleight of hand and trickery, whereas mentalists use techniques that are based on psychology.
Most people will define mentalism as a performing art where one leverages their deep understanding of human behavior to influence others and perform magic for the mind.
15 Mentalism Terms Defined
To fully understand mentalism, you will need to familiarize yourself with mentalism terms. So we’re going to give you the 15 most common ones.
1. Barnum Effect
Also known as Forer Effect, Barnum Effect happens when an individual believes that a statement, such as a personality description, applies to them specifically, when in fact, it could apply to anyone. People tend to find personal meaning in rather generic information.
Mentalists use the Barnum Effect in cold reading, where they make vague assumptions about a person. It works because humans have an innate gullibility toward information they think is unique.
2. Billet Reading
Billet reading is a widely used mentalism trick that has existed since the middle of the 19th century.
Here, the mentalist asks a participant to write statements or questions on a piece of paper and secure them in an envelope. The mentalist then pretends to read the message by using clairvoyance.
To successfully perform this trick, mentalists often use “plants” or accomplices who allow him or her to read the message in advance.
3. Book Test
A book test is a classic mentalism trick designed to demonstrate telepathy skills. It is carried out by asking a participant to choose a book and read a passage. The mentalist will then attempt to guess the passage chosen by the participant by reading his or her mind.
There are other variations to this trick. You can also use a deck of cards from which the participant will select three number cards. The first two cards will represent the page number, and the last one will be the nth word on the page.
You can learn how to perform this trick by watching the video below:
4. Card Stack System
A card stack system is a carefully arranged deck of cards designed to trick a mentalist’s audience into believing they are demonstrating clairvoyance.
5. Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance is the French word for “clear seeing”. In psychology, it refers to one’s ability to perceive events not necessarily known by others. An example is when someone predicts the order of cards in a shuffled deck.
People who are believed to possess this skill are called clairvoyants.
6. Cold Reading
Cold reading is a process that depends mostly on the Barnum Effect. The mentalist gives a reading without any known knowledge about the participant. He or she uses general, Barnum-type statements and also observes the participant’s body language, physical appearance, etc.
7. ESP (Extrasensory Perception)
ESP or extrasensory perception is a phenomenon that occurs when one obtains information or knowledge through non-physical means. Also called sixth sense, it is a broad term that includes mental abilities, such as clairvoyance, intuition, psychometry, and telepathy. The term was first used in 1934.
8. Hot Reading
Hot reading is simply the opposite of cold reading. Here, the performer does a reading on a participant based on previous knowledge.
They don’t just guess the spot, like cold reading. They already know a thing or two about the person.
9. Hypnosis
Hypnosis or hypnotherapy is an artificially-induced sleep-like state where a person’s mind becomes more easily accessible. This procedure is done by a professional called a hypnotist. Hypnosis is usually performed clinically, sometimes to help reduce one’s pain caused by traumatic events.
10. Metal Bending
Popularized by Uri Geller, metal bending is a psychokinetic ability that enables a performer, such as a mentalist, to bend metal objects. A common tool used in this trick is a spoon. The spoon or any metal object appears to deform without a mentalist’s use of physical force.
Watch this video for a quick introduction to spoon-bending:
11. Pendulum
A pendulum is any object or weight suspended by a thread so it can swing freely. This tool is often used in hypnosis where the hypnotist asks the participant to stare at the pendulum. Because it gets tiring, the participant will usually begin to feel their eyelids getting heavy.
This is when the hypnotist begins to go deeper into the hypnosis and accesses the participant’s now vulnerable mind.
12. PSI
Read with a silent p, psi is a neutral term for parapsychological phenomena and a non-theoretical description for the likes of ESP and PK (Psychokinesis). It represents the processing or transfer of information via unexplained means.
13. Sherlock Holmes Technique
As the name suggests, this technique is used by none other than the famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes.
In the movies, Holmes makes inferences about an individual based on information obtained through detailed observation. Holmes stores information in what is called a “memory palace.”
This method is known as the Method of Loci.
To learn more about the Sherlock Holmes technique, watch this short video:
14. Telekinesis
Telekinesis is described as the ability to move an object without using physical force. In movies, it is depicted as a superpower that allows a person to mentally move and manipulate objects. It is an umbrella term that includes any ability to control an object.
Examples are binding, levitation, and object calling.
15. Two-Person Telepathy
Two-person telepathy is an act usually done by two performers by communicating telepathically. To successfully pull off a two-person telepathy performance, mentalists use verbal codes that are complex and undetectable.
One of the most popular verbal codes is called the Zancig code, which was created by a husband-and-wife magician duo from Denmark.
Conclusion
These are just 15 of many mentalism terms you will need to know if you are passionate about becoming a professional mentalist.
However, these are some of the most commonly used, and you will most likely encounter these terms as you study and prepare various mentalism tricks.
Familiarizing yourself with these terms will help you learn more about the craft.