Modern research Anomalistic psychology

1 modern research

1.1 hauntings
1.2 mediumship
1.3 paranormal healing
1.4 psychokinesis
1.5 remote viewing
1.6 telepathy

modern research

the phrase anomalistic psychology term first suggested psychologists leonard zusne , warren jones in book anomalistic psychology: study of magical thinking (1989) systematically treats phenomena of human consciousness , behaviors may appear violate laws of nature when not.

the canadian psychologist graham reed published major work on subject psychology of anomalous experience (1972).

various psychological publications have explained in detail how reported paranormal phenomena such mediumship, precognition, out-of-body experiences , psychics can explained psychological factors without recourse supernatural. researchers involved anomalistic psychology try provide plausible non-paranormal accounts, supported empirical evidence, of how psychological , physical factors might combine give impression of paranormal activity when there had been none. apart deception or self-deception such explanations might involve cognitive biases, anomalous psychological states, dissociative states, hallucinations, personality factors, developmental issues , nature of memory.

chris french founder of anomalistic psychology research unit.

the psychologist david marks wrote paranormal phenomena can explained magical thinking, mental imagery, subjective validation, coincidence, hidden causes, , fraud. robert baker wrote many paranormal phenomena can explained via psychological effects such hallucinations, sleep paralysis , hidden memories, phenomenon in experiences make little conscious impression filed away in brain remembered later in altered form.

massimo polidoro professor of anomalistic psychology @ university of milano bicocca, italy taught course scientific method, pseudoscience , anomalistic psychology . notable researcher british psychologist chris french set anomalistic psychology research unit (apru) in department of psychology @ goldsmiths, university of london.

hauntings

a psychological study (klemperer, 1992) of ghosts wrote visions of ghosts may arise hypnagogic hallucinations ( waking dreams experienced in transitional states , sleep). in experiment (lange , houran, 1997) 22 subjects visited 5 areas of performance theatre , asked notice environment. half of subjects informed locations in haunted, whilst other half told building under renovation. subjects perceptions in both groups recorded experiential questionnaire contained 10 subscales related psychological , physiological perceptions. results showed more intense perceptual experiences on 9 of ten subscales group told building haunted has indicated demand characteristics alone can stimulate paranormal experiences.

a study (lange , houran, 1998) suggested poltergeist experiences delusions resulting affective , cognitive dynamics of percipients interpretation of ambiguous stimuli .

two experiments alleged hauntings (wiseman et al. 2003) discovered data supported notion people consistently report unusual experiences in ‘haunted’ areas because of environmental factors, may differ across locations. of these factors included variance of local magnetic Žfields, size of location , lighting level stimuli of witnesses may not consciously aware .

mediumship

research , empirical evidence psychology on hundred years has revealed there not fraud, mediumship , spiritualistic practices can explained psychological factors. trance mediumship claimed spiritualists caused discarnate spirits speaking through medium have been proven in cases alternate personalities medium s subconscious mind.

the medium may obtain information sitters secretly eavesdropping on sitter s conversations or searching telephone directories, internet , newspapers before sittings. mediums known employing technique called cold reading , obtain information sitter s behavior, clothing, posture, , jewellery.

in series of fake seance experiments (wiseman et al. 2003) paranormal believers , disbelievers suggested actor table levitating when, in fact, remained stationary. after seance, approximately 1 third of participants incorrectly reported table had moved. results showed greater percentage of believers reporting table had moved. in experiment believers had reported handbell had moved when had remained stationary , expressed belief fake seances contained genuine paranormal phenomena. experiments supported notion in seance room, believers more suggestible disbelievers suggestions consistent belief in paranormal phenomena.

an experiment (o keeffe , wiseman, 2005) involving 5 mediums found no evidence support notion mediums under controlled conditions able demonstrate paranormal or mediumistic ability.

paranormal healing

a study in british medical journal (rose, 1954) investigated spiritual healing, therapeutic touch , faith healing. in hundred cases investigated no single case revealed healer s intervention alone resulted in improvement or cure of measurable organic disability.

a trial carried out group of scientists (beutler, 1988) see whether 3 treatment groups, paranormal laying on of hands, paranormal healing @ distance , no paranormal healing test if might reduce blood pressure. data did not reveal paranormal effects no significant differences between 3 treatment groups found. results concluded fall in blood pressure in 3 of groups caused psychosocial approach , placebo effect of trial itself.

one form of paranormal healing known psychic surgery has been discovered result of sleight of hand tricks. psychic surgeons pretend reach patient s body skin never punctured, there no scars , blood released packets hidden in surgeon s hands.

psychokinesis

cognitive biases have been found in cases of psychokinesis. in investigation of 380 studies group of psychologists (bösch et al. 2006) have written meta-analysis on subject. in paper wrote statistical significance of overall database provides no directive whether phenomenon genuine or not , came conclusion publication bias appears easiest , encompassing explanation primary findings of meta-analysis.

according richard wiseman there number of ways faking psychokinetic metal bending (pkmb) these include switching straight objects pre-bent duplicates, concealed application of force, , secretly inducing metallic fractures. research has suggested (pkmb) effects can created verbal suggestion. on subject (harris, 1985) wrote:

in experimental study (wiseman , greening, 2005) 2 groups of participants shown videotape in fake psychic placed bent key on table. participants in first group heard fake psychic suggest key continuing bend when had remained stationary, whilst in second group did not. results revealed participants first group reported more movement of key second group. findings replicated in study. experiments had demonstrated testimony pkmb after effects can created verbal suggestion, , therefore testimony individuals have observed allegedly genuine demonstrations of such effects should not seen strong evidence in support of paranormal .

remote viewing

research has suggested in cases participants of remote viewing experiments influenced subjective validation, process through correspondences perceived between stimuli in fact associated purely randomly. sensory cues have occurred in remote viewing experiments.

telepathy

research has discovered in cases telepathy can explained covariation bias. in experiment (schienle et al. 1996) 22 believers , 20 skeptics asked judge covariation between transmitted symbols , corresponding feedback given receiver. according results believers overestimated number of successful transmissions whilst skeptics made accurate hit judgments. results telepathy experiment involving 48 undergraduate college students (rudski, 2002) explained hindsight , confirmation biases.