Early Life & Entry into Parapsychology

Mario Varvoglis began his career in parapsychology in the 1970s, working at the Maimonides Hospital Dream Laboratory, where he investigated telepathy and other psi phenomena using the ganzfeld technique. He earned his PhD in Psychology from Adelphi University and combined experimental work with broader interests in consciousness research (sources: Psi Encyclopedia, IMI).

Career Milestones & Contributions

Maimonides & Early Research

At Maimonides, Varvoglis collaborated on telepathy experiments, applying and refining ganzfeld protocols. His work bridged classical parapsychology with more systematic, computer-assisted experimental approaches (sources: Psi Encyclopedia).

Psychophysical Research Laboratories (PRL)

Varvoglis joined Charles Honorton at the PRL in Princeton, where he contributed to micro-psychokinesis (micro-PK) experiments and to the development and execution of autoganzfeld studies. These experiments introduced fully automated procedures to reduce bias and sensory leakage (sources: Psi Encyclopedia).

Move to France & Public Outreach

In the mid-1980s, Varvoglis moved to France and engaged in public communication of psi research. He wrote popular science books in French, contributed to interdisciplinary publications, and developed the Psi Explorer CD-ROM—an interactive tool combining psi tests with educational content (sources: IMI, Psi Encyclopedia).

Institut Métapsychique International (IMI)

In 1998, Varvoglis became President of the IMI, France's leading parapsychological research institute. Under his leadership, IMI was revitalized, strengthening its research programs, international collaborations, and public presence (sources: IMI, Psi Encyclopedia).

Experimental Innovations

• Identikit Precognition Studies: Tested participants’ ability to anticipate facial features before target selection, comparing conscious choices to intuitive, rapid responses; found stronger effects for the latter (p ≈ 0.006).
• Micro-PK Game Interfaces: Designed playful, engaging interfaces for RNG-based PK tasks to study the relationship between participant mindset and psi performance.
• Autoganzfeld Results: Co-authored studies with Honorton and Berger that achieved ~32% hit rates vs. 25% expected by chance. Performance was higher with dynamic video targets, familiar senders, and participants with creative/artistic backgrounds.
• PK Research Models: With Jean-Michel Bancel, analyzed data suggesting that PK effects in large-sample studies often come disproportionately from a small subset of participants, supporting an “elitist” over a “universalist” model of psi ability.

Impact & Legacy

• Institutional Builder: Transformed the IMI into a more active, visible research body with stronger scientific standards.
• Experimental Innovator: Brought methodological rigor and creative designs to both laboratory and public-participation psi experiments.
• Public Educator: Bridged the gap between scientific parapsychology and general audiences through writing, multimedia, and outreach.

Summary Timeline

Bottom Line

Mario Varvoglis stands out as both a methodologically creative experimentalist and a capable institution builder. His work blends rigorous laboratory protocols with broader cultural engagement, aiming to keep parapsychology both scientifically credible and publicly accessible.