Multiples Separating Fact From Fiction With Twin Telepathy By Pamela Prindle Fierro Pamela Prindle Fierro is the author of several parenting books and the mother of twin girls. Learn about our editorial process Pamela Prindle Fierro Fact checked by Fact checked by Shereen Lehman, MS on May 17, 2020 Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Shereen Lehman, MS Updated on May 17, 2020 Print Brad Wilson / Stone / Getty Images One of the magical mysteries associated with multiples is that they share a special connection beyond that of ordinary siblings. While the twin bond is a unique relationship, sometimes it's endowed with extraordinary, seemingly telepathic, qualities. While the phenomenon is assumed to be more common in monozygotic (identical) twins because they share a closer genetic connection, dizygotic (fraternal) twins aren't excluded. Anecdotal Evidence Commonly, twins seem to share an inherent understanding of their co-twins emotional state. Many report a sensation of "something being wrong" when their twin is in crisis. There's plenty of anecdotal data to support the idea of some sort of twin telepathy. Nearly every set of twins can relate a story. Sometimes, one twin experiences a physical sensation of something that's happening to his or her twin, such as labor pains or a heart attack. Other times they will find that they perform similar actions when they're apart, such as buying the same item, ordering the same meal in a restaurant, or picking up the phone to make a call at the exact same moment. They may appear to know the other's thoughts by speaking simultaneously or finishing each other's sentences. There's No Scientific Proof There simply is not any empirical proof at this point that twins have ESP or that twin telepathy exists. In her book, Twin Mythconceptions, Dr. Nancy L. Segal, a preeminent twin researcher, says that anecdotes about twin telepathy are simply a reflection of the loving, caring bond between the two. In cases where twins were raised separately but had similar clothes and tastes when they did meet, the similarities reflect the genetic component of personality and interests, Segal says. She does concede that if future studies ever show more concrete evidence of twin telepathy, she's willing to reexamine her conclusions. Telepathy Telepathy is the process of assessing thoughts or feelings without help from sensory input like sight, sound, or touch. ESP In the paranormal world, ESP is an ability to acquire information without relying on physical senses or previous experience. Telepathic Experiences Despite the lack of scientific proof, these personal experiences can't be denied. They do happen. It's generally accepted that such incidents are signs of a deep emotional connection that produces an intense sense of empathy, strong enough to generate physical sensations, such as feeling pain when a co-twin is hurting. Twins also know each other so intimately that they can often predict how their twin will speak or behave. This phenomenon can also be observed between two non-twin people in a close relationship, such as a husband and wife who have been married for many years. And many twins, whether due to nature or nurture, simply have the same instincts, tendencies, or preferences, explaining why they do eerily similar things simultaneously. Stereotypes About Twins Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get diet and wellness tips to help your kids stay healthy and happy. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Segal N. Twin Mythconceptions: False Beliefs, Fables, and Facts about Twins. Amsterdam,: Elsevier; 2017.