Mentalism
A branch of stage magic that presents apparent mind reading, prediction and influence, as entertainment.
Also: mind reading act, thought reading, psychological illusion, The Jinx
Mentalism is the branch of conjuring that seems to read thoughts, foresee choices and move objects by will. The performer is a mentalist, not a psychic, and in good practice says so. The tradition grew from nineteenth-century thought-reading acts and Spiritualist demonstrations. The American magician Theodore Annemann edited a journal called The Jinx in the 1930s that set a standard for the art. Later performers include Joseph Dunninger, Kreskin and, more recently, Derren Brown, who blends psychology with showmanship. Many mentalists have campaigned against fraudulent psychics who use similar means for money. The difference lies in honesty about what is being done, which is why the Magic Circle and other societies treat the line between entertainment and fraud as a serious matter.