Parapsychological Research Research Articles

A Mixed Methods Study of Telepathic Interspecies Communication with Therapeutic Riding Horses and Their Recovering Wounded Veteran Partners

Telepathic parapsychology research is a subject of much debate. This small pilot study explored the proposition that telepathic communication between humans and therapy equines may be possible with a human utilizing contemplative/meditative techniques to shift consciousness. The human participants were 7 military veterans in retired or inactive status diagnosed with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Each veteran was assigned to one therapy horse. The 12 equine participants all had the same guardians. The veterans signed an online consent to participate and submitted questions for their horses on the consent form. Both veterans and guardians were blind as to which of 2 telepathic animal communicators would be randomly assigned to the session by the principal researcher. Both animal communicators were physically located in another town from the horses when the sessions were conducted. The answers to the veteran’s questions, allegedly received telepathically from the horses, were documented and emailed to the principal researcher. The summary document from each session was shared with the veteran for their horse by the guardians, and all summaries were shared with the guardians. During an in-person or telephone interview with the principal researcher, the veterans offered qualitative comments and used Likert scales to rate the usefulness of the information received from 1 (not at all useful) to 6 (extremely useful). The average overall usefulness rating as judged by the veterans was 4.9. The guardians also submitted Likert ratings and qualitative comments on the usefulness of the information received; the guardian ratings average was 5.75. These findings contribute to the body of equine therapy studies as well as the wealth of literature that supports the human-animal bond. Further research is needed to explore additional nuances of this category of consciousness and healing research.

Telepathic Entanglements: Where are we Today? Commentary on Paper by Claudie Massicotte

In this commentary, stemming from Freud’s conflictual interest in psychic phenomena, I examine current views of telepathy as reflected in controversial parapsychological research and theories of nonlocal mind. I hope to inspire readers’ curiosity about the possible existence of telepathic communication by proposing clinical examples and raising the feasibility of the impact of the therapist’s own predisposition and belief system. Finally I speculate about how findings from parapsychology research in combination with findings from neuroscience and quantum theory might influence the evolution of psychoanalytically based practice methods in the future.

Radiant Minds: Scientists Explore the Dimensions of Consciousness

This article is a review of the book, Radiant Minds: Scientists Explore the Dimensions of Consciousness (2010, Millay, Ed.). Radiant Minds is a reissue of the anthology Silver Threads: 25 Years of Parapsychology Research (Kane, Millay, and Brown, 1993), with new data and articles added. It contains findings from experiments over several decades by scientists from the Parapsychology Research Group (PRG), a California-based network of scientists committed to understanding the dimensions of consciousness as well as psi and other anomalous phenomena. The book covers a broad selection of research into remote viewing, shamanic and other intentional healing, psychedelic experiences, anomalous dreams, chemical and physical explanations of psi phenomena, and more. NeuroQuantology | September 2012 | Volume 10 | Issue 3 | Page 591-594

Jimmy’s Out-of-Body Experiences

Michael Bova reviews events that took place in the early 1970s when his cousin Jimmy confidentially reported spontaneous experiences involving unusual sensory awareness and altered states of consciousness which developed into the apparent anomalies of extra sensory perception and out-of-body experiences (OBEs). Bova describes Jimmy’s emotional duress of having spontaneous anomalies and includes Jimmy’s diary notations. In them we see how these events appeared as foreboding or alluding to mental instability as these strong experiences countered his usual ways of knowing himself and his world. Bova’s serendipitous involvement with two parapsychology research settings allowed him to access information that helped Jimmy understand his unusual experiences. As important as content (data from compiled reports of spontaneous OBEs, laboratory research and available books on OBEs) was, the context of a nonjudgmental trusting relationship supported Jimmy’s personal wellbeing and enrichment from these apparent anomalies. The author believes that his early work in parapsychology and exposure to parapsychological phenomena helped him to help Jimmy. This early work was as both a research assistant at Maimonides Medical Center’s Dream Laboratory and as a student healer in the Consciousness Research and Training Project, Inc. Both research groups were focused on the study of psi but they never let the pursuit of phenomenological investigations override humanistic values and transpersonal experiences of their subjects. The author also believes that forty years since that time, Jimmy maintains an appreciation of life and self identity that were enhanced by those early OBEs.

Ensuring Homogeneous Data Collection for Present and Future Research on Possible Psi Phenomena by Detailing Subjective Descriptions, Using the Multi-Axial A to Z SEATTLE Classification

Spontaneous apparently anomalous are often inappropriately bundled together based on brief common descriptions. Yet, they may be phenomenologically and etiologically distinct. Consequently, heterogeneous results lead to mistaken pooling of dissimilar events, incorrect implying single etiologies, though actually reflecting different phenomenological types (e.g., “out-of-body experiences” induced by brain stimulation in epileptic patients compared with spontaneous events in “subjective paranormal experients”). This paper attempts to motivate researchers to apply detailed multi-axial evaluations of spontaneous, experimental and induced anomalous experiences. It presents a new “Subjective Experience of Anomalous Trait Typology Evaluation (SEATTLE)” classification. Modeled on the American Psychiatric Association’s successful multi-axial Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) psychopathology classification, the SEATTLE applies 26 detailed phenomenological descriptive levels (A-Z) (Specific, General and Interpretative subclassifications).The same valuable approach can be successfully applied to consciousness studies, parapsychological research, and to all or objective spontaneous, induced, or experimental biopsychophysical phenomena. This implies a conceptual shift away from the attempted, and at times, impossible objectification of parapsychological phenomena (or psi), to the detailed analysis of specific characteristics and events based on detailed multisystems of ethicobiopsychofamiliosociocultural, anatomicophysiological, and biopsychophysical models that allow for applying detailed criteria and descriptions. This non-prejudicial approach of examining spontaneous and experimental subjective paranormal / psi experiences (SPEs) makes ostensible but unverified psi phenomena and relative non-local consciousness easier to tame and far less threatening. The shift in emphasis is from objectification and verification of paranormal phenomena to commonalities of, e.g., specific cerebral function. Locating a correlative brain area or mechanism or chemical for processing of such becomes a legitimate alternative correlative approach to conceptualize psi. By such means, SPEs, such as those involving hallucinations, delusions, deja vu, and temporal lobs symptomatology can be measured and scientifically phenomenologically subtyped. This detailing of anomalistic psychology research, has allowed the author to extend the discipline of parapsychology from the objective approach into a related discipline, phenomenological parapsychology.

Intuition, Telepathy, and Interspecies Communication: A Multidisciplinary Perspective

For over one hundred years parapsychological and intuition research has supported the existence of cognitive “knowing” beyond the physical senses. Additional quantum physics research over the past decades has indicated a quantum field at the sub‐ atomic level of connectedness that Schrodinger described as “entanglement.” Electrophysiological evidence of intuition has shown that the heart’s and the whole body’s perceptions are constantly receiving, processing, and decoding intuitive information. Perhaps the heart, or the heart’s electromagnetic field, may be a source of intuition. Telepathic interspecies communication may be facilitated by utilizing specific meditation techniques to quiet the mind, slow the brain waves, and shift consciousness to a level outside of time and space.

Spirituality: The Legacy of Parapsychology

Spirituality is a topic of recent interest. Mindfulness, for example, a concept derived from the Buddhist tradition, has captivated the imagination of clinicians who package it in convenient intervention programs for patients. Spirituality and religion have been researched with reference to potential health benefits. Spirituality can be conceptualised as the alignment of the individual with the whole, experientially, motivationally and in action. For spirituality to unfold its true potential it is necessary to align this new movement with the mainstream of science, and vice versa. Hence, both a historical review, and a systematic attempt at integration is called for, which we are trying to give here. It is useful to go back to one of the roots: parapsychology. Parapsychology was founded as a counter movement to the rising materialist paradigm in the 19th century. Adopting the methods of the natural sciences, it tried to prove the direct influence of consciousness on matter. After 125 years this mission must be declared unaccomplished. Surveying the database of parapsychological research it is obvious that it will not convince sceptics: Although there are enough exceptional findings, it has in general not been possible to reproduce them in replication experiments. This is, however, a characteristic signature of a category of effects which we call effects of generalised entanglement, predicted by a theoretical model analogous to quantum theory. Using this perspective, parapsychological effects can be understood, and the original aim of the founding fathers can be recovered, as well as a new, systematic understanding of spirituality be gained. Generalised entanglement is a formal and scientific way of explaining spirituality as alignment of an individual with a whole, which, according to the model, inevitably leads to non-local correlations.

Of two minds: Sceptic‐proponent collaboration within parapsychology

The first author, a proponent of evidence for psychic ability, and the second, a sceptic, have been conducting a systematic programme of collaborative sceptic-proponent research in parapsychology. This has involved carrying out joint experiments in which each investigator individually attempted to mentally influence the electrodermal activity of participants at a distant location. The first two collaborations obtained evidence of 'experimenter effects', that is, experiments conducted by the proponent obtained significant results but those conducted by the sceptic did not. This paper describes a new collaborative study that attempted to replicate our previous findings and explore potential explanations for past results. The new study failed to replicate our previous findings. The paper investigates whether the results obtained in our initial studies may have been caused by a genuine psychic effect, and this third experiment failed to replicate this finding because some aspect of the study disrupted the production of that effect, or whether the results from our first two studies represented chance findings or undetected subtle artifacts, and the results obtained in the present study accurately reflect the absence of a remote detection of staring effect. The implications of this work are discussed, along with the benefits of conducting collaborative work for resolving disagreements in other controversial areas of psychology.

Geomagnetic Field Effects in Anomalous Dreams and the Akashic Field

Ervin Laszlo has used the ancient concept of the Akashic Records for the basis of his “Akashic Field” (A-field) model, one that has obvious implications for parapsychology, the scientific study of anomalous human–human and human–environment interactions, that is, “psi.” Experiments with “telepathic” and “precognitive” dreams are one example of parapsychological research that may fit the A-field model because of its information-carrying potential. Psi appears to be a complex system, one that may reflect the connective “web” posited by the A-field model. In other words, the “universal knowledge” implicit in the old descriptions of the Akashic Records may have a modern-day counterpart.

Towards a Discursive Parapsychology

In recent years there has been a change in attitudes among psychologists and social scientists towards ostensibly paranormal experiences in general, and parapsychological research in particular. Instead of seeking to endorse or debunk claims of paranormal experience, attention has shifted to the analysis of the broader psychological, social and cultural implications of reports of anomalous phenomena. This paper contributes to this trend by arguing for a discursive psychological study of interaction between experimenter and subject in parapsychology laboratory experiments. Parapsychological experiments rely on mundane interactional practices which invoke the relevance of, or make explicit reference to, psychological and parapsychological states. These laboratory interactions can be investigated by conversation-analytic-informed discursive psychology. Some preliminary observations on data from ganzfeld ESP experiments are offered to illustrate the range of empirical issues which may be explored. These concern the socially organized properties of reports of conscious imagery; the use of a psychological thesaurus as part of the experimenter’s work; and the management of affiliation in experimenter-subject interaction. These observations suggest that discursive psychological research can be undertaken despite the controversial status of evidence for extra-sensorimotor communication. The paper argues that the discursive psychological studies of interaction in parapsychological experiments can yield findings relevant to the concerns of both parapsychology and discursive psychology, and can contribute to methodological issues in the broader study of consciousness.

An introduction to parapsychology

This is a thoroughly updated and revised edition of our highly acclaimed university textbook on the science of parapsychology. The objective of this book is to provide an introductory survey of parapsychologists' efforts to explore the authenticity and bases of anomalous, apparently paranormal phenomena. It outlines the origins of parapsychological research and critically reviews investigations of extrasensory perception, psychokinesis, poltergeist phenomena, near-death and out-of-body experiences, and the evaluation of parapsychology as a scientific enterprise.

Waking Life, Dream Life, and the Construction of Reality

Enigmatic, anomalous dream reports challenge the Western philosophical worldview, hence they are ignored or derided by most mainstream philosophers and scientists. Nevertheless, there is compelling evidence from research in parapsychology that at least some of these reports have consensual validation and waking life consequences. Shamanic models of reality (which reflect shamanic philosophies) provide anecdotal evidence, congruent with parapsychological data, and need to be reconsidered by the dominant Western academies because these model encompass anomalous dreams, and because they furnish provocative data.

Review of Silver Threads: 25 Years of Parapsychology Research.

Review of Silver Threads: 25 Years of Parapsychology Research.

Anomaly or artifact? Comments on Bem and Honorton.

Bern and Honorton imply that the 11 autoganzfeld experiments demonstrate the existence of psi— a communications anomaly. They claim that the autoganzfeld results are consistent with previous parapsychological findings and constitute evidence for a replicable psi effect Although the autoganzfeld experiments are methodologically superior to previous parapsychological experiments, the tests of their randomization procedures were inadequate. The autoganzfeld experiments consistently produced positive hit rates, whose combined effect was highly significant. However, these experiments produced important inconsistencies with the previous ganzfeld experiments. They also showed a unique pattern in the data that may reflect a systematic artifact. Because of these unique features, we have to wait for independent replications of these experiments before we can conclude that a replicable anomaly or psi has been demonstrated. Bern and Honorton (1994) imply that if psychologists were familiar with the most recent parapsychological research, they would be more willing to accept the possibility that a communications anomaly existed. In particular, Bern and Honorton focus on the experiments that are based on the ganzfeld procedure. They believe that the replication rates and effect sizes achieved by one particular experimental method, the ganzfeld procedure, are now sufficient to warrant bringing this body of data to the attention of the wider psychological (Bern & Honorton, 1994, p. 4). They review the debate between Honorton and me over the original ganzfeld experiments. Hyman (1985) found that these studies suffered from statistical, methodological, and documentation problems. Honorton (1985) responded that these flaws were not sufficient to account for the observed hit rates. Bern and Honorton (1994) review this controversy and cite reviewers who apparently agree with Honorton's position. The implication is that despite the deficiencies in the ganzfeld experiments, the results support the existence of psi—a communications anomaly. To Honorton's credit, he initiated a new series of experiments that would be free from the flaws of the earlier ganzfeld database (Honorton et al., 1990). These 11 new experiments, called the autoganzfeld studies yielded consistently positive hit rates and a highly significant overall effect. Because these new experiments showed positive results and allegedly were consistent with the earlier ganzfeld database and other psi research, Bern and Honorton implied that parapsychology had found its previously elusive repeatable experiment. Since the beginnings of psychical research in the mid-nineteenth century, its investigators have believed that they have scientific evidence sufficiently strong to place before the general scientific community. Each generation has tried to get the attention of the scientific community with findings that they claim to be irrefutable. The particular evidence put forth has changed from generation to generation. What a previous generation of

Silver threads: 25 years of parapsychology research

Foreword by Willis Harman Foundations Parapsychology, Science, and Intuition by William H. Kautz The Nature of Personal Belief Systems by Beverly Kane Remote Viewing Dream ESP and Geomagnetic Activity by Michael Persinger and Stanley Krippner A Decade of Remote Viewing Research by Russell Targ Longitudinal Comparison of Local and Long Distance Remote Perception Phenomena by Elizabeth Rauscher Exploring the Visionary Experience by Jean Millay Physics Energy by Saul-Paul Sirag Quantum Reality and Consciousness by Nick Herbert Time, Consciousness, and Psi by Jean Burns Mathematical Models A Theoretical Model of the Remote-Perception Phenomena by Elizabeth Rauscher Hyperspace Reflections by Saul-Paul Sirag Bioscience PsychoNeuroImmunology: The Bridge between Science and Spirit by Sondra Barrett Human Volitional Effects on a Model Bacterial System by Beverly Rubik and Elizabeth Rauscher The Evolution of Consciousness Intertwined with the Evolution of the Science of Plants by Dean Brown Consciously Creating Conscious States by Cheri Quincy Psychology Alternate States of Consciousness: Access to Other Realities by Ruth-Inge Heinze Firewalking-A New Look at An Old Enigma by Larissa Vilenskaya PK on the PC-a Macintosh PK Event Generator Based on the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Experiments by William Croft Brainwave Synchronization: Report on a Pilot Study by James R. Johnston Near-Death Experiences: Implications for Human Evolution and Planetary Transformation by Kenneth Ring Channeling by Jon Klimo Implications of Consciousness Research for Psychotherapy and Self-Exploration by Stanislav Grof Reflections The Dilemma of Parapsychology by William H. Kautz Truth and Science: The Ethical Dimensions of PSI Research by Shelley Thomson Panel Discussion on Increasing Psychic Reliability by Russel Targ, William Braud, Marilyn Schlitz, and Charles Honorton Reflections on 25 Years and 25 Chapters by Charles T. Tart Epilogue by Dean Brown Appendix Milestones in the History of the Parapsychology Research Group Index

Parapsychological research with children: an annotated bibliography

For parents, teachers, researchers, parapsychologists, and the curious layperson wanting to find out more about children's paranormal experiences, this comprehensive annotated bibliography, the only one of its kind, will be of great assistance. The volume focuses on paranormal research with children from infancy through high school. It contains 464 entries from 45 journals and proceedings, books, and related articles published between 1881 and 1990. The authors also include an extensive introduction and overview of the subject based on papers presented at the 1989 Parapsychological Association convention. Entries are organized into seven sections for readers' convenience: Clairvoyance, Telepathy, Precognition, Psychokinesis, Poltergeists, Reincarnation, and Miscellaneous (including general information and near-death experiences).

Science and supernature: a critical appraisal of parapsychology

Is there more to our existence than modern science can measure? For more than a hundred years, parapsychology - the scientific study of paranormal phenomena - has tried to find the answer to this question. Psychologist James E Alcock presents a critical evaluation of parapsychological research and reviews the current status of the evidence.

Review of Research in Parapsychology 1987: Abstracts and Papers from the Thirtieth Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, 1987.

Review of Research in Parapsychology 1987: Abstracts and Papers from the Thirtieth Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, 1987.

Terms and Methods in Parapsychological Research

Terms and Methods in Parapsychological Research

Review of Research in Parapsychology 1986: Abstracts and Papers from the Twenty-Ninth Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, 1986.

Review of Research in Parapsychology 1986: Abstracts and Papers from the Twenty-Ninth Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, 1986.