More than 200 practising magicians were asked for their insights on performing magic, and this was then compared with the results of experiments involving over 130 members of the public.

The results showed that while magicians felt that active participation in a trick would increase participants’ sense of wonder, the participants themselves enjoyed the trick less and were actually more confused by what was happening.

The magicians also felt that naming a card, rather than physically selecting one from a deck, would enable the audience to feel freer in their choices – but participants felt the opposite.

The study also found that a trick happening in a spectator’s hand was no more impossible or engaging than when it happened elsewhere, while magicians had assumed the opposite.

The researchers behind the study say their findings provide important insights into the feelings that magic evokes, something they hope magicians can ultimately use to further improve their art.