Do the Dead Finger Trick
The dead finger trick is an interesting sensory illusion that will trick your brain into thinking that your finger has no feeling. It requires you and another person to perform it correctly, and it will give you the perception of being disassociated from your own finger.
Contents
Steps
- Find a willing partner who is easily amused and interested in sharing an unusual sensation with you.
- Remove any gloves that you may be wearing, and remove any rings that either of you have on your index finger.
- Face each other, and place your hand against your partner's, as if you were clapping together.
- Now pull your hand away from your partner, except for the tips of your index fingers, which should remain touching.
- Rub up and down along the length of the still-touching index fingers with your thumb and index finger of your free hand. Your thumb should run the length of one of the touching fingers, and your index finger should run the length of the other touching finger. When done correctly, this should give you the sensation of touching a dead finger, or a finger without any nerve endings in it.
Tips
- Make sure that both of you know that it won't hurt.
- This can also be accomplished with other fingers, or thumbs, but the index finger is the most convenient one to do it with.
- This is a good icebreaker for a first date, even before you actually hold hands.
Warnings
- Some people have hang-ups about touching another person's hands; make sure that the person you ask to perform this with you is comfortable with touching.
- Make sure that you both have clean hands as many germs can be passed through contact with another person.
Things You'll Need
- A partner to perform the trick with.
- Four hands and 20 fingers between the both of you.
