Full Facts Book of Cold Reading

From book by Ian Rowland (magician)

Rainbow ruse –

Statement credits the client with both a personality trait and its opposite.”

e.g. “I would say that on the whole, you can be rather self-effacing type, but when the circumstances are right, you can be quite the life and soul of the party if the mood strikes you.”

Jacques Statement –

Tailors the statement to the age of the client.

e.g. late thirties….” If you are honest about it, you often get to wondering what happened to all those dreams you had when you were younger.”

Barnum Statement:

Statement so general that anyone would agree.

e.g. sometimes when things don’t work out like you expected, you feel sad or angry and wonder why it happens to you.”

Fuzzy Fact:

Factual statement couched in a way to leave plenty of opportunity to be developed into something more specific.

e.g. “I can see a connection with a cold climate like Maine, or maybe a warmer climate like Florida or California.”

Good Chance Guess:

Statement that can be confirmed either way:

e.g. “Moving on to career matters, you don’t work with children, do you?”

“No, I though not. That’s not really your role.” …or

“Yes, part time.” “Yes, I thought so.”

Greener Grass:

Diverted Question

Russian Doll

Sugar lumps

Forking

The New Yorker, p 44 nov 12, 2007

Dangerous Minds: Criminal profiling made easy.

Malcolm Gladwell