Paranormal Experiences Research Articles

Destabilising the home: place making, dark tourism and the spectral

Ghosts, hauntings and the spectral are intrinsically linked to sites of dark tourism. Supernatural stories commonly emerge in places connected with tragedy, death and the macabre, forming spectral geographies in which the past and present intertwine. Visiting places of supernatural significance has long been of interest to tourists (Holmes and Inglis, 2004), however, in the last two decades a considerable ‘ghost-hunting’ subculture has emerged alongside commercial events and tourist attractions dedicated to engaging visitors with spectral possibilities (Eaton, 2020; Ironside, 2018). As a result, places associated with ghost folklore including private homes, hotels, and heritage buildings, have become popular travel destinations due to their supernatural associations. Film and television media are often credited with the popularisation of haunted places (Edwards, 2019; Hill, 2010); however, more recently web-based and social media platforms have become spaces for promoting, reporting, and sharing paranormal experiences. In this paper, we explore the construction of spectral geographies, specifically haunted houses, through online narratives. By drawing upon textual analysis of both marketing and online reviews we analyse two cases, 30 East Drive and The Ancient Ram Inn, and explore how these private homes have been transformed into sites of dark tourism through digital storytelling and discourse. Through our analysis we consider how personal experience, intertextuality, and uncanny signifiers contribute to a form of placemaking through digital media and storytelling (Halegoua & Polson, 2021), experiential consumerism (Pine & Gilmore, 2011) and an evolving spiritual quest culture (Eaton, 2015).

A scoping review about the portrayal of mental illness in commercial video games

Current research is sparse on the relatively new but highly relevant topic of mental disorders in video games. This scoping review aimed to map the existing research on portrayal of mental illness in video games. PubMed, PsychInfo, PsycArticles, Medline, Scopus and the ACM Digital Library were searched, resulting in the final inclusion of seven records. Prevalences for the representation of mental illness ranged from 12 to 24%. Findings indicate that video games’ portrayal of mental illness is predominantly stigmatizing and negatively connoted. Mental illness frequently serves as a reason for violent behavior and is portrayed in line with paranormal experiences. Yet, some games portray mental illness in a more neutral way, using game mechanics to elicit empathy. While this review emphasizes the need for non-stigmatizing depiction, potentially through the inclusion of experts in the development process, future research should examine how much consumers are affected by the negative or positive portrayal of mental illnesses in video games.

Impact of Meditation Versus Exercise on Psychological Characteristics, Paranormal Experiences, and Beliefs: Randomized Trial

Background: Research indicates that meditation increases mindfulness and paranormal experiences of precognition, telepathy, clairvoyance, and synchronicities. There is limited knowledge about the prevalence or impact of these experiences on meditators and the general population. Aims: To compare self-reported well-being, mindfulness, connectedness, personality, paranormal experiences, beliefs, and performance on psi tasks in a meditation group versus an exercise control group. Method: This is a randomized trial that explored changes, including well-being, mindfulness, connectedness, psi, extraordinary experiences, beliefs, and ability to impact a random number generator in the participants, comparing a meditation vs. exercise control group. We collected data at baseline, “Mid” or halfway through the intervention (week 4), post 1, which is at the end of intervention (week 9), and post 2, which is two months post-intervention. Data was collected securely online with IRB approval. Results: Data from 72 participants (N=45 meditation/N=27 exercise) demonstrated improvement in some well-being measures (anxiety and general health). The study examined the effects of meditation versus exercise on various psychosocial measures and paranormal experiences. The meditation group displayed higher scores in openness and extroversion compared to the exercise group, which was unexpected and required further investigation. The meditation cohort also reported more paranormal experiences, with about half of them considering these experiences important or meaningful. However, the experiment exploring psychic abilities did not yield significant results. While the study had limitations, such as a predominantly non-diverse sample, it adds to the existing body of evidence linking meditation and exercise to positive psychosocial outcomes. Conclusions: The randomly selected meditation naïve cohort trained in brief structured meditation demonstrated increases over time in mindfulness, connectedness, extraversion, and paranormal experiences and beliefs compared to an exercise cohort. Performance on the psi tasks did not improve in either group over time, and these tasks may not be sensitive enough to detect significant changes.

Variations in positive well-being as a function of the interaction between paranormal belief and schizotypy.

This study examined variations in positive well-being as a function of paranormal belief and schizotypy. A sample of 2,362 United Kingdom-based respondents completed self-report measures assessing paranormal belief, schizotypy, positive well-being (meaning in life, satisfaction with life, and self-esteem), paranormal experience, and belief in conspiracies. The paranormal belief was most strongly related to the cognitive-perceptual factor of schizotypy. Both paranormal belief and the cognitive-perceptual factor were associated with reporting paranormal experiences and endorsement of conspiracist beliefs. Despite commonality, paranormal belief and schizotypy were differentially related to well-being. Paranormal belief correlated positively with meaning in life (presence and search) and satisfaction with life. Schizotypy correlated negatively with presence, satisfaction with life, and self-esteem and positively with search. Latent profile analysis identified four subgroups: Profile 1, low belief and schizotypy (49% of the sample); Profile 2, low belief and cognitive-perceptual, moderate interpersonal and disorganised (13.6%); Profile 3, high belief, moderate cognitive-perceptual and interpersonal, low disorganised (24.3%); and Profile 4, high belief and schizotypy (13.1%). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) found that low belief with mixed schizotypy was associated with lower presence, and low belief and schizotypy (vs. high) were related to higher presence. Paranormal belief and schizotypy were associated with greater search, higher scores on paranormal experiential factors, and endorsement of generic conspiracist beliefs. Finally, lower belief and schizotypy were concomitant with higher satisfaction with life and self-esteem. Overall, paranormal belief was related to positive well-being, whereas schizotypy was associated with lower positive wellbeing.

Fun or Fear? On-Site Versus On-Screen Experiences in Paranormal Tourism: A Case Study of Hashima Island, Japan

Paranormal tourism has seen increased demand, particularly from those tourists who seek unusual or unique experiences. Various paranormal phenomena offer multidimensional experiences for tourists in different physical contexts. Similarly, the advancement of technology has extended the ability to offer more authentic on-screen paranormal experiences. This study aims to explore and compare tourists’ on-site and on-screen experiences at Hashima Island, Japan, with an interest in identifying paranormal-related emotions. Tourist reviews and comments from Tripadvisor and YouTube were collected, with data analysis conducted using grounded theory and Leximancer. Key findings indicate that besides core paranormal encounters, some inviolate features also contribute to paranormal experiences, with tour guide services impacting the on-site experience and video filming techniques influencing the on-screen experience. Furthermore, this work revealed several emotional dimensions, with “fear” and “surprise” positively related to paranormal experiences. By comparing on-site and on-screen experiences, this study offers marketing and planning suggestions for destinations seeking to develop and promote paranormal tourism encounters.

Psi-entific Approach to Post-Mortem Survival: Employing the Multiple Sources of Psi (MSoP) and Discarnate Psi Hypotheses in the Calculation of a Drake-S Equation

The continued investigations of the paranormal facilitated the development of novel theories and methodologies. Psi functioning of the living and the deceased in survival phenomena suggested the living agent psi (LAP) and discarnate psi hypotheses, but neither has demonstrated sufficient explanatory power to claim superiority in explaining survival data. Mediumship studies cannot determine whether paranormal information is sourced by means of discarnate psi or LAP, presenting the source-of-psi problem. Anomalous information can be obtained from joint sources (LAP, survival, or some other source), which supports the multiple sources of psi (MSoP) hypothesis. The maximized explanatory potential of the MSoP hypothesis makes the inclusion of the LAP and discarnate psi factors in the calculation of a Drake-S equation for post-mortem survival required and appropriate. This paper concludes that 1) the aggregate effect of skeptical explanations for survival was calculated at 65.6%, leaving 35.4% to paranormal explanations, which contradicts skeptical claims and is inconsistent with the existing laws of conventional science; 2) 16% of paranormal experiences reported among the general population appeared genuine; and 3) the calculated purified probability for all paranormal phenomena equaling 40% can be attributed to paranormal causes. This suggests reasonable plausibility of the survival hypothesis. To refine the existing factors and find new empirical factors related to known confounds and anomalous effects, future research should include more robust procedures and methods of data selection, gathering, and analysis.

Kumlbúa þáttr, an Eschatological Event: The Traumatic Ontology of Being in Time in Medieval Iceland

<i>Kumlbúa þáttr</i>, an Eschatological Event: The Traumatic Ontology of Being in Time in Medieval Iceland

A Four Element-Themed Self-Selecting Mobile Application for ESP Testing

A new computerized test for ‘extrasensory perception’ (ESP) is designed for use in everyday environments and draws on principles in occultism to promote better results. Results suggest that induction techniques and focus contribute to ESP trial success, but are in need of larger sample replication.&#x0D; Abstract&#x0D; The current study engaged in a pilot data analysis for the purpose of examining a newly developed E (Element)-PSI application which was completed in varying real life environments while reporting information about their location, mood, and focus on the ESP task. In addition, participants completed an ESP induction task, and trait measures of Transliminality, Paranormal Belief, and paranormal experience as measured by the Survey of Strange Events. A total of 44 participants from the United States completed the study as part of an initial registration process for an ongoing experiment. Results indicate small, but non-significant effects due to sample size in terms of the induction process and focus on the ESP task towards positive increases in ESP hit rates. Implications from this research in terms of cultural, trait, and contextual variables contributing to ESP success rates are discussed in terms of using these findings towards formal large sample replication.

Paranormal Interest and Contemporariness of Magical Realism in Macbeth.

Supernatural presence is something that has been widely acknowledged in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. There issupposedly an abundance of paranormal activity and eeriness in this play. In fact, it is not an over statement to say that paranormal events drive the action in this play. However, with increasing discoveries and broader horizons made available by scientific advancement in 21st century, the supernatural still stands relevant? If so, what has rendered it its contemporariness?&#x0D; A study conducted by Shane Rogers and his team from Clarkson University in the United States observed similarities between paranormal experiences and the hallucinogenic effects of fungal spores (Dagnall Neil, The conversation). This might explain why both Macbeth and Banquo sighted the witches, having been exposed to the same weather conditions which were conducive to the growth of fungi, i.e, “thunder, lightning and rain”. And all the remaining sightings were the fragments of Macbeth’s disturbed mind. However, if the dramatist had intended to eliminate the paranormal interest, he had not designed three scenes, solely devoted to the agents of supernatural or evil, which were the witches.

Mattering the Invisible: Technologies, Bodies, and the Realm of the Spectral ed. by Diana Espírito Santo and Jack Hunter

Reviewed by: Mattering the Invisible: Technologies, Bodies, and the Realm of the Spectral ed. by Diana Espírito Santo and Jack Hunter Claire Fanger diana espírito santo and jack hunter, eds. Mattering the Invisible: Technologies, Bodies, and the Realm of the Spectral. New York: Berghahn Books, 2021. Pp. 329. This book focuses on the way matter and material technologies are involved in making paranormal experiences possible. The word "paranormal" is not used in the title but appears in the first sentence and recurs frequently thereafter. The book shares a basic theoretical framework with other work that has been done on material religion, the introduction citing sources starting with Alfred Gell leading to Karen Barad with nods at Bruno Latour in the middle—a familiar theoretical pantheon. The editors argue that in these accounts, we need to think not about "the meanings of messages" (11)—that is, not about what the dead or other discarnate entities may communicate within such experiences, but rather about how these experiences convey presence—they are all at least in part about a sense of contact with a numinous reality. For this reader it was something of a problem that the word "paranormal" was not defined anywhere, not in the introduction, the conclusion, nor in the essays. A large array of very different sorts of materials seems to be subsumed under the heading in this book, which nevertheless offers some very interesting reading. Many if not most of the chapters concern things that might elsewhere be categorized as "anthropology of religion." But how does "religion" intersect with the "paranormal?" What is the advantage of using the word "paranormal" here? I will return to these questions later. One reason I wanted to review this book is that I know Diana Espírito Santo is good at writing about the paranormal. In her work, the idea of what constitutes the "paranormal" is somehow transparent in a way that seems connected with the kinds of stories she tells: she can stun readers with marvels and lure them into the human dimension of stories that challenge credibility and yet escape disproof. Her chapter in this book is no exception. The rest of the book is a bit of a mixed bag inasmuch as not all the chapters constitute stories of clearly paranormal experiences as far as I can see—neither in its ordinary colloquial sense of something that is "above or beyond normal," nor in the storyteller's way that Espírito Santo does (if those are in fact distinct). The book comprises ten chapters, with an introduction and conclusion. I will summarize the chapters before returning to the issues of definition. In Chapter 1, "Organicism and Psychical Research: Where Mediums and Mushrooms Meet," Jack Hunter begins by describing how, in his work with mediums of the Bristol Spirit Lodge, instruments are used to coax the [End Page 459] reluctant spirits into speech—a slow halting process which "does not seem to be so much a case of turning the medium on like a radio receiver and then tuning in with a dial but rather is more like a process of nurturing—a participatory process of encouragement and growth, gradually enabling the spirit to manifest" and "is perhaps better understood using an organic rather than technological metaphor" (38). This is interesting and feels useful, though most of chapter is theoretical, in fact concerned with the superiority of organic to machine metaphors for a general idea of what the world is about, which I found dry and in spots implausible. Chapter 2, by Miguel M. Algranti, "Semantics of the Suffering: Torture Technologies and Mediumship in Buenos Aires," gives a brief history of Esoteric and Spiritist groups in Argentina ending with a group among whom the author conducted fieldwork: the Basilio Scientific School Association (BSSA). He discusses how Martha, his informant in this context, channels a young man who says that his spirit was broken when he was tortured with a cattle prod; he gave away information that he should have kept to himself. The point of Martha's channeling is to offer healing to the spirit of this dead youth through Martha's replication of the physical condition of his...

Occultism as a Resource. The Parapsychologist Fanny Moser (1872–1953)

Fanny Moser was a Swiss natural scientist who devoted the second half of her life to the study of occult phenomena, especially hauntings, and wrote two influential and extensive monographs on the subject. As one of the early female sponsors of the Freiburg Institute for Frontier Areas of Psychology and Mental Health, she also provided the necessary support for the research institute and, in this respect, contributed to the establishment of a parapsychological research scene in Germany. The article first reconstructs Moser’s research biography, which is already remarkable because she was one of the very first female students and doctoral candidates in the German Empire. In a second step, it will be shown at which point and how exactly Moser was confronted with parapsychological topics and what role and function they had in her life. It will be shown that Moser’s engagement with parapsychology was situated in a dynamic field between subjective experiences of evidence, a personal crisis, and scientific self-empowerment, and that gender-specific factors also played a role. In this context it will be asked whether the publication of one’s own paranormal experiences and the introspection as a form of presentation represents a "typical female" aspect, since comparable statements by male parapsychologists are mostly absent in the scientific publications.

Implications of postmaterialist theories of consciousness for psychiatry: towards an integral paradigm

Abstract Mental health professionals can help patients understand exceptional and paranormal experiences, integrate them into day-to-day life, and cope with confusion and anxiety that sometimes accompany them. However, a broader clinical perspective and specialized training in clinical parapsychology is needed. In the first part of the paper I argue that psychiatry as currently practiced is limited because it embraces a strictly materialist paradigm, emphasizes treatment over prevention, and relies principally on pharmaceuticals that are often ineffective and/or unsafe. A paradigm shift in psychiatry is taking place that will soon lead to novel concepts of energy and innovations in therapeutic approaches. In the second part of the paper I review the ongoing debate over consciousness, implications of novel understandings of energy for psychiatry, and research findings in physics, neuroscience and parapsychology that are contributing to a postmaterialist paradigm in psychiatry. I comment on an important problem in the philosophy of science called Hempel’s dilemma and argue that future scientific theories of consciousness will probably encounter similar conceptual limits to those faced by current theories. Following Beauregard, Trent and Schwartz (2018) I argue that different categories of theories may be needed to adequately explain the variety of human experiences and I propose an integral paradigm that acknowledges the validity of both conventional scientific explanations and postmaterialist theories of consciousness. Finally, I discuss implications of postmaterialism for research, education and training in psychiatry.

Rethinking Methodologies in Parapsychology Research with Children

In contemporary parapsychology research, children are missing. The wealth of literature with adults highlights children‘s paranormal experiences as an under-researched topic. Through this article, I argue for children‘s inclusion in parapsychology research, but with a caveat – as active agents, rather than passive objects. I consider the convergences between missing children and absent women researchers in parapsychology and argue for a rethinking of traditional research methodologies in the field of parapsychology. Traditional methodologies rooted in a patriarchal system could explain the exclusion of children, and the othering of women researchers in the field. I include a discussion around my own research with children, which produces different kinds of meanings and data in the act of knowledge production around paranormal or unexplained experiences.

Paranormal experiences, sensory-processing sensitivity, and the priming of pareidolia.

This investigation tested the effect of priming on pareidolia (the hearing of illusory words in ambiguous stimuli). Participants (41 women, 20 men, mean age 29.95 years) were assigned to primed (n = 30) or unprimed (n = 31) groups: the former were told the study was of ‘purported ghosts voices’, the latter ‘voices in noisy environments.’ Participants were assessed for perception of human voices within recordings of purported electronic voice phenomena (EVP), degraded human speech, normal human speech, and white noise. The primed group had significantly higher perception of voices within EVPs than in degraded speech, this difference was not found for unprimed participants. In contrast to the previous use of this design, the primed group did not have higher perception of voices in EVPs and degraded speech than did the unprimed group. The Aesthetic Sensitivity dimension of the Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS) was associated with detection of degraded stimuli, but not with accuracy of stimulus identification. HSPS score was related to lifetime reporting of anomalous and paranormal experiences. This study partially replicates a paranormal priming effect and shows relationships between HSPS and detection of ambiguous stimuli and anomalous and paranormal experiences.

Paranormal Experience and Mental Disorders

Paranormal experiences such as superstition, perception of the supernatural and magical thinking have accompanied human history into the so-called modern world and play a major role in developmental psychology. Yet this area has remained unclear in its terminology, in its phenomenal scope, but also in its relation to reality in literature and everyday practice. The attempt is here undertaken clarify the significance of paranormal experience on a theoretical level in the sense of a "unsure experience of reality", but also to present its importance for diagnostics and therapy of psychiatric conditions in the context of e. g., psychotic, dissociative or OCD-related symptomatology.

Review: How Sherlock Pulled the Trick: Spiritualism and the Pseudoscientific Method, by Brian McCuskey

Review: <i>How Sherlock Pulled the Trick: Spiritualism and the Pseudoscientific Method</i>, by Brian McCuskey

Sleep Paralysis and Extraordinary Experiences

We investigated sleep paralysis (SP) with an online questionnaire. Our sample consisted of 380 participants who experienced at least one SP. In this paper, we present the relation of SP to extraordinary experiences, paranormal beliefs, and absorption. We used a German questionnaire, Fragebogen zur Phänomenologie außergewöhnlicher Erfahrungen (PAGE-R-II), to assess the extent to which people with SP have had other extraordinary experiences, a German translation of the Belief in the Supernatural Scale (BitSS), and a German version of the Tellegen Absorption Scale (TAS). Our hypotheses regarding a positive correlation between the frequency of SP and certain forms of extraordinary experiences, paranomal/ supernatural beliefs, and absorption were only partially confirmed. We found an expected significant correlation between the frequency of SP and the expression on the PAGE dimensions “Dissociation” and “External,” but not between SP frequency and the other scales. The group (55%) reporting paranormal experiences during SP had highly significant higher mean scores on the PAGE, BitSS, and TAS. There were also significant correlations between the applied scales and specific hallucinatory perceptions and emotions, which leads us to believe that two main types of experiencing SP may exist: one mainly connected with typical negative emotions and a more external focus of experience, and another characterized by positive emotions and more internally experienced perceptions. This hypothesis requires further investigations.

Distressing unusual experiences and beliefs in the lives of previously homeless individuals: a narrative analysis of the stories of white British men

ABSTRACT Background Research suggests a correlation between homelessness and the prevalence of distressing unusual experiences and beliefs. This study aimed to explore how previously homeless individuals make sense of distressing unusual experiences and beliefs, by hearing their stories. Method Narrative analysis was used to understand the stories of six previously homeless White British males who reported distressing unusual experiences and beliefs. Results Participants’ stories involved a holistic and whole-life approach when making sense of distressing unusual beliefs and experiences. Plots included interpersonal experiences (trauma and abuse; loss; judgemental attitudes; fitting in and relational coping), and their intrapersonal consequences (physical wellbeing; substance use; spiritual, religious, and paranormal experiences; and safety, security, and stability). Discussion A holistic, psychosocial, and whole-life approach may be helpful to support homeless individuals to make sense of distressing unusual experiences and beliefs and their coping responses. It may also be helpful to consider the changing sense of power, agency and autonomy when hearing their stories.

Self-Ascribed Paranormal Ability: Reflexive Thematic Analysis.

This study investigated personal perceptions (involvements) and comprehensions (interpretations) of self-ascribed paranormal abilities. Twelve participants with supposed supernatural powers took part in semi-structured interviews exploring the origin, phenomenology, and nature of their powers. Interview transcripts were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA), a qualitative method that identifies patterns within data. Four major themes expressed meanings and representations held by participants: Formative Influences (sub-themes: Gifted Family Members and Anomalous Occurrence), (Inter) Subjective Paranormal Experience (sub-themes: Transcendental/Mystic and Extra-Sensory Perception), Embodied Processes (sub-theme: Control), and Perception of Reality (two sub-themes: Self-Awareness and Fantastic/Surreal Perceptions). Consideration of themes identified an inextricable link between perception, interpretation, and belief in ability. Within narratives, interviewees outlined, contextualised, and established the validity of their powers. They drew upon supporting autobiographical evidence from their life histories and obfuscated and/or discounted conventional explanations. Generally, accounts reflected individual attempts to comprehend and justify the nature and experience of professed abilities. The authors discuss these processes and suggest ways to extend and develop ensuing research.

Lived religion and mystical experiences

This article discusses and argues for a ‘new’ and inclusive umbrella concept for varieties of experiences that have been called, inter alia, religious, spiritual, existential, paranormal, extraordinary or inexplicable. The umbrella concept to be explored is seen as a means of capturing one kind of ‘lived religion’ in contemporary society and simultaneously expanding the field of the sociology of religion. The discussion is theoretical and anchored in contemporary theories and traditions in sociology of religion, but it is also of pragmatical, methodological, empirical, and ethical concern. The main concepts that are currently in use and considered as offering a possible umbrella term for this cluster of often overlapping experiences, which are difficult to clearly define and distinguish, are summarized, and the main concepts, such as religious, spiritual and paranormal experiences, are elaborated in more detail. Thereafter follows a definition and in-depth discussion of the suggested concept of mystical experiences. In conclusion, I argue that William James’s concept of mystical experiences, with an upgraded and inclusive understanding considering religious, cultural and societal change, has the potential to work on etic, interdisciplinary and emic levels, without offending the experiencers or violating their interpretations and the meaning-making of their experiences.