Snake charming is not an example of pseudo science but a good picture is a good picture.

Pseudo science is a term applied to a body of alleged knowledge, methodology, belief, or practice that is portrayed as scientific but diverges substantially from the required standards for scientific work or is unsupported by sufficient scientific research. In the general world, examples of a pseudo science would include Phrenology, Palmistry, Astrology and Acupuncture.

Several examples of pseudo science can be said to exist within the domain of cricket, most notably perhaps, that of Positive Reinforcement (PR), which, because it is a coached technique with standardized guidelines, and also involves a degree of brainwashing, qualifies it as such. Sledging, by comparison, is a more personal and free form practice, with no specific technical requirements, and is more commonly accepted as relative to an actual science, namely, Psychology. Many scientists conject that PR is also a psychological technique and, therefore, should not be considered as a distinct pseudo science in itself.

This page was last updated Friday, 16 February 2007