The Psychology of the Paranormal

The Psychology of the Paranormal

Author: David Groome

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2019-04-01

Total Pages: 101

ISBN-13: 1351391127

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Can mediums communicate with the dead? Do people really believe they’ve been abducted by aliens? Why do some people make life decisions based on their horoscope? The Psychology of the Paranormal explores some commonly held beliefs regarding experiences so strange they can defy an obvious scientific explanation. The book explains how psychologists have conducted experiments to provide insight into phenomena such as clairvoyance, astrology, and alien abduction, as well as teaching us fundamental truths about human belief systems. From debunking myths about Extra Sensory Perception, to considering whether our lives can truly be fated by the stars, The Psychology of the Paranormal shows us that however unlikely, belief in the paranormal will continue to be widespread.


Paranormal Media

Paranormal Media

Author: Annette Hill

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2010-11-05

Total Pages: 409

ISBN-13: 1136863176

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The paranormal has gone mainstream.Beliefs are on the rise, with almost half of the British population, and two thirds of Americans, claiming to believe in extra sensory perceptions and hauntings. Psychic magazines like Spirit and Destiny, television shows such as Fringe, Ghost Whisperer and Most Haunted, ghost-cams and e-poltergeists, bestselling books on mind, body and spirit, and magicians like Derren Brown have moved from the outer limits to the centre of popular culture, turning paranormal beliefs and scepticism into revenue streams. Paranormal Media offers a unique, timely exploration of the extraordinary, unexplained and supernatural in popular culture, looking in unusual places in order to understand this phenomenon. Early spirit forms such as magic lantern shows or the spirit photograph are re-imagined as a search for extraordinary experiences in reality TV, ghost tourism, and live shows. Through a popular cultural ethnography, and critical analysis in social and cultural theory, this ground-breaking book by Annette Hill presents an original and rigorous examination of people's experiences of spirits and magic. In popular culture, people are players in an orchestral movement about what happens to us when we die. In a very real sense the audience is the show. This book is the story of audiences and their participation in a show about matters of life and death. Paranormal Media will be a highly interesting read for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as academics, on a wide range of television, media, cultural studies, and sociology courses.


Anomalistic Psychology

Anomalistic Psychology

Author: Christopher C. French

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2017-09-16

Total Pages: 346

ISBN-13: 1137368063

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The science behind claims of alien encounters and visions of ghosts can be even more fascinating than the sensationalist headlines. What leads some people to believe in the paranormal? Why might someone think they have been abducted by aliens? And is there any room for superstition in the modern world of science? Anomalistic Psychology - Provides a lively and thought-provoking introduction to the psychology underlying paranormal belief and experience. - Covers the latest psychological theories and experiments, and examines the science at the heart of the subject. - Uses a unique approach to apply different psychological perspectives – including clinical, developmental and cognitive approaches – to shed new light on the key debates. Whether you are a psychology student or simply curious about the paranormal, Anomalistic Psychology is the essential introduction to this contested and controversial field. Belief in the paranormal has been reported in every known society since the dawn of time – find out why.


The Psychology of Paranormal Belief

The Psychology of Paranormal Belief

Author: Harvey J. Irwin

Publisher: Univ of Hertfordshire Press

Published: 2009-09

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1907396381

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With a thorough and systematic review of investigations into the bases of belief in paranormal phenomena, this discussion explores the four main theoretical approaches relating to the nature of such beliefs. Objective and well-researched, this account addresses different points of view on the topic--while some commentators depict paranormal believers as foolish, others propose that paranormal beliefs must be understood as necessities that serve certain psychodynamic needs. The foundations and shortcomings of each approach are also documented, and a new comprehensive theory attempts to explain the development of scientifically unsubstantiated beliefs.


Researching the Paranormal

Researching the Paranormal

Author: Courtney M. Block

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

Published: 2020-06-28

Total Pages: 343

ISBN-13: 1538131455

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The paranormal has long been a hotly contested topic, especially in academia. Most people are entertained by the paranormal or casually read a few books they come across on the topic, perhaps assuming that these topics are nothing more than campfire fodder. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with being entertained by the paranormal, but how many people know that there is a long history of academic, scientific, and credible research into topics such as extrasensory perception, hauntings, poltergeists, cryptozoological sightings, near-death experiences, and more? In Researching the Paranormal, Courtney M. Block provides an overview of paranormal research and introduces readers to an assortment of resources that seriously examine various paranormal topics. She shows readers how to think critically about paranormal sources and how to apply the components of credibility when conducting their own paranormal investigations. Highlighting the long history of serious, academic inquiry into various paranormal topics, Block provides citations to primary source documents, journal articles, helpful databases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, and books. In addition, she provides a historical overview of various paranormal phenomena such as parapsychology, cryptozoology, ufology, divination, ghosts, hauntings, and more.


Science in the New Age

Science in the New Age

Author: David J. Hess

Publisher: Univ of Wisconsin Press

Published: 1993

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780299138240

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Hess examines the arguments of people who accept the paranormal as part of a spiritual quest, parapsychologists who are seeking scientific explanations for a narrow range of paranormal phenomena, and skeptics who pooh-pooh the very notion. He finds that, despite their disagreements, they are forging a shared culture. Written for the nonspecialist. Paper edition (unseen), $17.95. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


Parapsychology

Parapsychology

Author: Etzel Cardeña

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2015-08-14

Total Pages: 425

ISBN-13: 0786479167

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Many people have experienced such unusual phenomena as dreams that later seem to correspond with unforeseeable events, thinking of a long-lost friend just before he or she unexpectedly calls, or the ability to "feel" the presence of deceased loved ones. What many do not realize is that these types of experiences have been researched for more than a century by eminent scientists, including Nobel laureates. Most of these researchers have concluded that some of these phenomena do occur, although we are far from explaining them to everyone's satisfaction. This book is the first in almost 40 years to provide a comprehensive scientific overview of research in the field of parapsychology, explaining what we know and don't know about so-called psi phenomena, such as "telepathy," "precognition" or "psychokinesis." Contributors evaluate the evidence for these phenomena, accounting for factors such as selective memory, wish fulfillment and incorrect methods or analyses, in some cases offering psychological, physical and biological theories. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.


An Introduction to the Psychology of Paranormal Belief and Experience

An Introduction to the Psychology of Paranormal Belief and Experience

Author: Tony Jinks

Publisher: McFarland

Published: 2011-11-08

Total Pages: 275

ISBN-13: 0786489162

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When someone admits to a strange experience, such as witnessing an unidentified flying object, having telepathic hunches, or seeing angels or ghosts, listeners usually explain it away as mistaken perception, intoxication, ignorance, or even mental illness. Though these unsympathetic psychology-based explanations remain the most popular responses to claims of the supernatural, those who use them often have little understanding of what such dismissive "solutions" actually entail. This study offers a balanced and accessible analysis of various explanations for the paranormal. By providing insight into how these theories are applied, or misapplied, to inquiry into the paranormal, it clarifies the relationship between the field of psychology and the supernatural. Instructors considering this book for use in a course may request an examination copy here.