Sharpe, Sam H.: Conjurers’ Psychological Secrets ©1988 Sam H. Sharpe, Hades Publications, Canada Hardcover, w/dj, 8.5x11", 183 pages ISBN: 0-921298-14-5

Image courtesy eBay seller KochMagic

Comments (KochMagic): This book presents the classifications, principles and examples of important psychological techniques every magician should know. There are also extensive examples of memorization aids and Key Word charts, plus tips on transmitting numbers and words to a confederate.

Other books in the series include:
Conjurors' Mechanical Secrets
Conjurors' Hydraulic and Pneumatic Secrets
Conjurors' Optical Secrets

Contents (from book ToC):

1 Psychological Principles Tabulated
3 Introduction
5 Dessoir and Triplett on the Psychology of Conjuring

11 Class One Objective Illusions

11 1. Visual Illusions
11 Optical Principles Tabulated

12 2. Auditory Illusions
12 Illusions of Direction
12 Stereophonic Illusions
13 Illusions of Duration
13 Illusions of Intensity and Distance

13 3. Illusions of Touch, Taste, and Smell
13 Tactile Illusions
13 (a) Substitution
13 (b) Contrast
13 (c) Persistence
14 Illusions of Taste and Smell

17 Class Two Subjective Illusions

17 1. Illusions of Mental Time
17 Shortening and Lengthening Mental Time
17 (a) Interest
18 Shortening of Mental Time
18 Lenqtheninq Mental Time by Division
19 (b) Age
20 Time Disorientation

20 2. Illusions of State
20 Through Assertion
21 Through Subconscious Impressions, Associations, and Comparisons
21 (a) An Illusion of Size due to Commonplace Associations
22 - Illusions of Construction
22 - An Illusion of Condition
22 (b) Impressions by False Inference
22 (c) Impressions by Mental Supplementing
22 (i) CompletionRecognition Illusions
22 (ii) Preconditioning to Induce Expectancy
22 (iii) Confusion Illusions
23 - A Confusing Force

27 Class Three Influence by Suggestion

27 1. Creating Atmosphere
28 Types of Atmosphere
28 Influences on Atmosphere

29 2. Inducing Imaginary Impressions
30 Putting on the 'Fluence
31 Magic Depends Upon Prompting the Imagination
31 Dramatise It!
31 Why We Cannot Please All The People All The Time
32 A Person's Outlook Changes In a Crowd
33 The Bounce-Back Technique

33 3. Emotional Secrets of Showmanship and Stagecraft
34 - Dramatic Techniques
35 - Consider the Audience
37 Houdini's Showmanship

39 4. Influencing Choice (Forcing)
39 Direct Forcing
39 (a) Guided Choice Forcing
41 - Telepathic Influence
41 -- The Hypnotic Eye41
42 (b) Limited Choice Forcing
42 (c) Calculated Probability or Biased Choice Forcing
43 - Indirect Forcing
43 (a) Duplication
43 (b) Substitution
43 (c) Equivocation or Misinterpretation
43 (d) Elimination
44 (e) Mathematical Forcing
45 - The Die Force
45 (f) Mechanical Forcing
46 (g) Alternative Disclosure

46 5. Misdirection
47 (a) Skill or Magic?
47 (b) Misdirection in Practice
48 (c) Purposes of Misdirection
49 (d) Attention and Inattention
50 (e) Remembering and Forgetting
50 (f) Varying the Intensity of Attention
51 (g) Direction and Misdirection
51 - Periods for Misdirection
51 - Points of Emphasis
52 (h) Disguise and Distraction
52 Active and Passive Misdirection
52 Active Misdirection to Disguise
52 (a) Authority
53 (b) Natural Uniform and Appropriate Actions
54 - Establishing a Norm
55 (c) Inference
55 - Indirect Proof and Avoidance of Over Emphasis
55 (d) Repetition or Recapitulation
55 (i) Repetition to Create a Norm
55 (ii) Repetition to Emphasise
56 (iii) Repetition to Induce Anticipation
56 (iv) Repetition to Allay Suspicion
56 (v) Repetition for Confusion
56 (vi) Repetition to Induce Monotony
56 - Avoiding Monotony by Variation
57 (e) Audacity
58 (f) Feigning
58 (i) Simulation
59 (ii) Dissimulation
59 (g) Ruse or Covering Procedure
59 (h) Timing
59 (i) Pace
59 (ii) Pause
60 (iii) The Disarming Time Lapse
61 - Unrealised Confusion
62 (i) Removal of Evidence
62 (j) Substitution of Evidence
62 (k) Varied Procedure
63 (1) Inspection
63 (i) Partial Inspection
63 (ii) Detached Inspection
63 (iii) Sequential Inspection .
63 Active Misdirection to Distract Attention
63 (a) Audience Participation
64 (b) Indication by Gesture and Gaze
64 (c) Decoy Movement or Variation
65 (d) Mental Stimulation
66 (e) Emotional Stimulation
66 (f) Surprise and Suspense
66 (i) Absolute Surprise
66 (ii) Anticipated Surprise
66 (iii) Forewarned Surprise
67 - Conradi’s Vanishing Lamp
68 (iv) Substituted Surprise
68 - Suspense
68 (g) Speech or Patter and Sound
70 - Conjuring to Children
71 - Conjuring to Juniors
72 - Personalising Patter
72 - The Ladies
72 - Patter Plots for the Scientifically Minded
73 - Topics of Interest
73 - Negative and Positive Suggestions
73 - The Illusion Plot and the Dramatic Plot
74 (h) Intentional Mishaps
75 - Errors to Convince
76 - Errors to Amuse
76 Passive Misdirection for Disguise or Effacement
76 (a) Natural Appropriate and Uniform Appearance
76 (b) Camouflage
76 (c) Disposition
77 (d) Separation
77 (e) Lack of Interest
77 (f) Lack of Glamour
77 (g) Immobility
77 (h) Multiplicity
78 (i) Identification
80 Passive Misdirection to Distract Attention
80 (a) Prominence or Intensity
80 (b) Novelty
80 (c) Inessential Features or Properties

80 Principles of Midirection Tabulated
81 Active Misdirection in Disguise
82 Active Misdirection to Distract Attention
83 Passive Misdirection for Disguise or Effacement
83 Passive Misdirection to Distract Attention

87 Class Four Intellectual

87 1. Character Assessing
87 (a) Character Reading for Selecting and Managing Temporary Assistants and Audiences
88 - The Psychological Assessing of Character
88 (b) Character Grouping for Programme Building Appropriate to the Audience
88 - Performing Conditions or Environment
89 Al-fresco Conjuring
92 - Magic for the Institutionalised

92 2. Detection
93 (a) Observation
93 (i) Prior Observation
94 (ii) Direct Surreptitious Observation
94 (b) Deduction
94(i) Calculation
94 (ii) Calculated Probability
95 (iii) Mathematical Keys

95 3. Artificial Memory
96 Technical Aids to Memory
96 (a) Rhyme or Sound Linking
97 - A Simple Memory Test
98 (b) Nonsense Verse
98 (c) Location
98 (d) Similarity and Opposition
98 (e) Abbreviation
98 (f) Visual Association
99 (g) Tabulated Sequences
99 (h) Catenation
99 (i) Mnemonic Translation
100 - The Figure Alphabet
101 - The Table of Numerical Key Words
101 - The Memorisation of Long Numbers
102 - The Knight's Tour
105 - Tables of Sectional Key Words
105 - The Card Table
106 - Tables of Fixed Ideas
106 - The Nikola Card System
107 - Table of Nikola Pack Dealt into Four Hands
107 Setting-up the Pack During the Performance
108 - Rapid Cubing
108 (j) Data Bank

109 4. Verbal Substitution
109 (a) Miscalling
109 (b) General Information Substituted for Particular Information
110 Formalised Questions for the Question and Answer Act

113 5. Codes, Cues and Clues
113 Auditory Codes
113 (a) Spoken Codes
113 - The Secret Telegraph
115 - Robert Heller’s Speaking Code
117 - The Zancig System
118 Practice and Patience
119 A Secret of Showmanship
119 Guessing
119 - Fractions
120 - All alike Figures
120 - Sequences of Numbers
121 Gingering Up an Audience
121 - Sums
122 - Transmitting Letters or Initials
125 - Surnames
126 - Common Names
126 - Transmitting the Names of Articles
127 - The Article Code
129 - Transmitting Money
129 - Cueing Dates
130 - Transmitting Playing Cards
131 - The “Relation ” List
132 - The Codes for Metals
134 - Cueing Colours
135 - Cueing Papers
135 - Cueing Animals
136 - How to Cue Countries
137 - The Cues for Games
137 Special Tests
137 (b) Other Sound Cues
138 Visual Codes and Cues
138 (a) Eye Mouth and Head Codes
139 (b) Finger Hand and Gesture Codes
140 Gesture Codes
141 - Verbeck’s “Psychonotism”
143 - Devant’s “Mental Magnetism”
145 - The Figure Alphabet
147 (c) Posture Codes
147 (d) Position or Location Codes
147 Tactile and Other Sensory Codes
147 Indicator Clues and Keys
148 Synchronised Counting of Timing
149 Foreknowledge
149 (a) Withholding Information
150 (b) Prearranged Sequences or Rotas
150 (c) Tabulated Data
150 (d) Secret Prompters
150 (i) Whispering
150 (ii) Prompter Board
151 (iii Prompter Reel or Cards
151 (iv) Listening Devices
151 (v) Physical Contact Devices
151 (vi) Conveyance of Documents
151 (e) Collusion
154 Impropmtu Confederacy
154 (a) Planting
154 (b) Spectator Prompting

154 Attendants and Assistants
154 (a) Visible Assistants
155 (b) Concealed Assistants
155 (c) Animal Assistants

157 Charlatanism in Conjuring
165 Appendix 1 Music for Magic
173 Appendix 2 - Causes of Laughter
179 Index