Telepathy (Greek τηλε, tele meaning "distant" and πάθεια, patheia meaning "to be affected by") refers to the transfer of mental information, such as thoughts, ideas or emotions between individuals by means other than the five classical senses (See Psi). The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, specifically to replace the earlier expression thought-transference. An individual gifted with telepathic ability is said to be able to read the minds of others. Telepathy, along with psychokinesis, form the main branches of parapsychological research.
Within the field of parapsychology, telepathy is considered to be a form of extra-sensory perception (ESP) or anomalous cognition in which information is transferred through Psi. It is often categorized similarly to precognition and clairvoyance. Various experiments have been used to test for telepathic abilities. Among the most well known are the use of Zener cards and the Ganzfeld experiment.