Test subjects at Princeton ardently hoped for a machine to show the number '1'. Over 10 years, it proved manifestation is real
The device functioned like a digital coin flipper, producing sequences of ones and zeros that were to remain balanced at 50-50 odds
In 1979, researchers at Princeton University launched an experiment that would continue for 12 years, spanning millions of respondents. In the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) lab, established by Robert G. Jahn, researchers asked participants a simple yet unusual question: Could human intention influence a machine designed to behave randomly? The project was recently discussed by Matt Cooke (@mattcookecoach) on his Instagram page, where he describes the findings as evidence that the modern concept of "manifestation" may be a tangible reality.
According to the official PEAR Lab archive, researchers invited everyday volunteers to sit in front of what is known as a Random Event Generator, or REG. The device functioned like a digital coin flipper, producing sequences of ones and zeros that were statistically programmed to remain balanced at 50-50 over long periods. Participants were given one instruction: focus on getting more "1"s.
There were a few caveats: they were not allowed to touch the machine, and they could not interfere physically. Their only task was to hold the intention that the device would favor "1" over "0." Over a few short rounds, slight imbalances would not be unusual, but across millions of trials, the numbers should always even out. According to the lab’s own summaries, that did not fully happen. Somehow, the machine's output had many shown more "1"s to some than others. According to Enigmatic Ideas, over 12 years and approximately 2.5 million trials involving 91 participants, the cumulative results showed small but statistically measurable changes away from pure chance when subjects attempted to influence the outcome. The effect was tiny on a per-trial basis, but over time it added up enough to exceed the statistical threshold physicists use to confirm discoveries.
When researchers later interviewed participants, they noticed a pattern — those who consistently produced more "1s" often described being relaxed and confident during the sessions. Some reportedly said they "just believed it" and enjoyed the process. Others said they entered a calm, focused state and felt connected to what they were doing. Meanwhile, some participants who were instructed to focus on "1"s ended up generating more "0"s. According to GoWyrd, those participants often described doubt, frustration, or a sense that it would not work for them. In other words, while they were attempting to manifest "1," their dominant expectation may have been that nothing would change.
What often gets overlooked in discussions about the Princeton experiments is how the researchers themselves described what actually worked. According to Brenda Dunne, who managed the lab for nearly three decades, it was intention paired with emotional connection. The lab found that people who approached the experiment playfully and with genuine belief tended to produce results aligned with their intention. Those who tried too hard, doubted themselves, or felt internally conflicted often produced weaker effects, or even results in the opposite direction.
The broader idea that belief influences measurable outcomes has been explored in other areas of research. In 2018, a study published in Frontiers in Psychology examined whether focused attention could influence quantum-based random number generators. The researchers analyzed large datasets involving intentional observation and reported subtle statistical deviations from expected randomness under certain conditions. They concluded that the data warranted further investigation into possible observer-related effects in quantum systems. Cooke highlighted this contrast in his video, suggesting that belief itself influenced the result. "The dominant reflection or observation was the belief," he said, describing how confidence appeared to correlate with the intended outcome.
You can follow Matt Cooke (@mattcookecoach) on Instagram for more manifestation coaching content.
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