Maharishi Effect:
Papers and
Presentations

Citation

Experimental Design

Findings

The influence of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field on world events and global social indicators: The effects of the Taste of Utopia Assembly.
Reference: Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme: Collected Papers, (Vol. 4, pp. 2730–2762).
Orme-Johnson, D. W., Cavanaugh, K. L., Alexander, C. N., Gelderloos, P., Dillbeck, M. C., Lanford, A. G., & Abou Nader, T. M. (1989).

An experiment to assess the influence of the Maharishi Effect on world trends was conducted starting December 1983 for three weeks. A group of over 7,000 TM-Sidhi experts assembled at MIU in Iowa. Statistical significance was obtained in every category of the predicted results using, for heads of state-content analysis; for positive-negative event-content analysis; for Lebanon war events-content analysis; increase in stock prices-regression analysis; for traffic fatalities world-wide-chi square; for air traffic fatalities-contingency table analysis; for patent applications-chi square; for infectious disease rate-a randomization test; for crime rate-time series analysis.

• Heads of state successfully reversed prior negative trends in their nations (p<.004).

• Positive events increased and negative events decreased during the assembly (p<.002).

• In Lebanon great progress towards peaceful resolution of war was made during experiment, but was lost after (p<.006).

• World stock index rose .77 points per day during assembly, which was declining .14 points per day previous to and following the assembly (p<.001).

• Traffic fatalities were 18 percent lower than predicted (p<.0001).

• Air traffic fatalities world-wide were the fewest ever reported (p<.0001).

• Patent applications rose simultaneously in nations world-wide by 15.2% (p<.0001).

• Infectious disease rates fell by 33% in reporting nations US and Australia (p<.0001).

• Crime rates fell in national capitals (p<.000001).

Time series impact assessment analysis of reduced international conflict and terrorism: Effects of large assemblies of participants in the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi program.
Reference: Paper presented at the Annual Conference of the American Political Science Association, Atlanta, GA, U.S.A., August 1989.
Orme-Johnson, D. W., Dillbeck, M. C., Alexander, C. N., Chandler, H. M., & Cranson, R. W. (1989). same as Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Program: Collected Papers, (Vol. 5, pp. 3263–3264).
Orme-Johnson, D. W., Dillbeck, M. C., Alexander, C. N., Chandler, H. M., and Cranson, R. W (1990).

Three large assemblies approaching the Maharishi Effect threshold for the world (n=7,000) were held during the years 1983–1985. Time series analysis was used in conjunction with the content analysis of world-wide news events reported in the New York Times and London Times. The Rand Corporation data bank was used to study international conflict (p<.025, p<.005 and p<.01 for each of the three assemblies) and terrorism (p<.025). Time series analysis of the World index of stock price yielded p<.025.

• International conflict decreased 33% (p<.025).

• Terrorist casualties decreased 72% (p<.025).

• Capitol International World Stock Index increased (p<.025).

• The Maharishi Effect had a rapid onset.

• The Maharishi Effect influenced trends from distances of thousands of miles.

• Violence was reduced in other nations without intrusion by other governments.

An experimental analysis of the application of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified field in major world trouble-spots: Increased harmony in international affairs.
Reference: Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme: Collected Papers, (Vol. 4, pp. 2532–2548).
Orme-Johnson, D. W., Dillbeck, M. C., Bousquet, J. G., & Alexander, C. N. (1989).

In 1978 a total of 1,400 TM-Sidhi experts went to 5 world trouble spots—Lebanon, Iran, Rhodesia, Kampuchea, and Nicaragua—for 10 weeks to create the Maharishi Effect. 14,567 events for 1978 were recorded in the Conflict and Peace Data Bank, the world's largest such resource. Contingency table analysis of COPDAB data against a 10-week control period, against a 1-year baseline, and against a 10-year baseline all showed improvement. Time series analysis showed the project had a strong and statistically significant effect world-wide. Investigators report trouble-spot areas experienced noticeable decreases in violence and disorder upon arrival of the group, and, in general, a return to previous trends upon their departure.

Compared to a ten-week baseline, world-wide trends improved

• Hostile acts, as a proportion, decreased nationally 16.7% (p<.002).

• Verbal hostilities, as a proportion, increased nationally by 3.5% (p<.01).

• Cooperative events, as a proportion, rose nationally by 13.2% (p<.007).

• The number of cooperative events increased 115%.

Compared to a one-year baseline, world-wide trends also improved (p<.001). As proportions:

• Hostile acts decreased 8.4%.

• Verbal hostilities decreased 5.7%.

• Cooperative events increased 14.1%.

Compared to a ten-year baseline, world-wide trends again improved (p<.001). As proportions:

• Hostile acts decreased 2.8%.

• Verbal hostilities decreased 1.0%.

• Cooperative events increased 3.8%.

The long-term effects of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field on the quality of life in the United States (1960–1983).
Reference: Scientific Research on Maharishi's Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi Programme: Collected Papers, (Vol. 4, pp. 2634–2652).
Orme-Johnson, D. W., & Gelderloos, P. (1989).

US quality of life was studied over the years 1960–1983 using a comprehensive index comprised of 12 annual measures related to crime, health, economics, education, safety, and marital happiness in society. The percentage of US TM participation together with the number in the MIU TM-Sidhi group comprised the Maharishi Effect variable. Evidence the Maharishi Effect caused improved quality of life came from lagged cross-correlations predicting quality of life from TM-participation showing this indicator accounted for 44% of the variance p<.0001. Regression analysis yielded a similar result with p<.0001 as well.

A reversal of long-term decline in US. quality of life occurred as large no. of US population began TM and accelerated sharply when the square root of 1% threshold exceeded.

• Crime rate fell for the first time in 20 yrs. by .78%, 4.3%, and 7.6% in 1981 to 1983, the first three years of the MIU TM-Sidhi group.

• Civil cases reaching trial dropped 11.5% in 1982–83.

• Infectious diseases declined 7% in 1983.

• Infant mortality reached all-time low in 1983.

• Suicides have fallen from 1977 peak.

• Hospital admissions began a decline in 1981.

• Cigarette consumption showed largest decline, 6.2% in 1983.

• Alcohol consumption began a steep decline from 1981 onwards.

• Drug abuse reversed trends starting 1982.

• GNP per capita rose 2.3% in 1983 marking the end of the recession.

• Unemployment declined sharply starting 1983.

• Poverty increases leveled off in 1982.

• Patent applications reached highest level ever in 1982.

• Degrees conferred per capita begin to rise in 1982

• Divorce rates reversed a steady increase beginning in 1982.

• Traffic fatality rate fell dramatically starting 1981.

• Fatalities due to fire started a continuing decline in 1975, while number of fires remained constant.

The effects of the Maharishi Technology of the Unified Field on the U.S. quality of life (1960–1984).
Reference: Social Science Perspectives Journal, 2(4), 127–146.
Orme-Johnson, D. W., Gelderloos, P., & Dillbeck, M. C. (1988).

US quality of life was studied over the years 1960–1984 using an index composed of 11 annual measures of crime, health, economics, creativity, marital stability, and safety. With the Maharishi Effect as the independent variable and quality of life as dependent regression analysis gives an impact with p<.0001. Checking for the impact of the TM-Sidhi group, regression analysis for years following 1976 was significant at p<.002. Cross correlation analysis was used to assess causality with result p<.05 indicating TM meditator rate could successfully predict quality of life changes, but not vice-versa. The years 1982–1984 studied separately as the Maharishi Effect index exceeded one due to growth of the MIU TM-Sidhi group. The Maharishi Effect group could account for 83.2% of the variance in the quality of life indicator with p<.0002. Testing for the effect of the group alone over the years 1982–84 gave a significance of p<.0001

• US quality of life, on a downward slide since 1960, reversed its trend in 1976 when the percentage of the US population practicing TM increased significantly.

• US quality of life continued to rise at a rate predicted by the rate of individual practice of TM together with the size of the MIU TM-Sidhi group.

• US quality of life reversed trends from decline to increase when .4% of the US population had learned TM in 1976.

• Acceleration in quality of life change without precedent was found from 1982 to 1984 as the Maharishi Effect index exceeded 1% threshold.

• Alternative explanations such as availability of new technology, change of population distribution, etc., are ruled out because they cannot predict the changes in quality of life.

• All areas of life are found to improve simultaneously as a function of the increase of the Maharishi Effect influence, and the quality of rise was unique after the 1% threshold was crossed.

Improved Quality of Life in Iowa through the Maharishi Effect.
Reference: Dissertation Abstracts International, 51(12), 6155B.
Reeks, D. (1990).

Time series transfer function analysis related the size of the MIU Maharishi Effect group to monthly rates of unemployment, traffic accidents, crime and a quality of life index composed of these three over the years 1979–86 as the group varied in size.

• Unemployment fell as group size increased (p<.004).

• Crime fell as group size increased (p<.0001).

• Traffic fatalities fell as group size increased (p<.0001).

• Quality of life improved (p<.006).