This paper describes two experiments which investigate the effects of pseudo-psychic demonstrations (i.e. conjuring tricks which could be misinterpreted as genuine paranormal phenomena). In the first study, a demonstration of a supposed medium was presented to 91 subjects individually, in which the playing card selected by a subject was identified ‘‘telepathically’’. It was found that hypnotic ...

The new type of paranormal operators that have been defined in this study on the Hilbert space, is operators. In paper we introduce and discuss some properties concept such as: sum product two paranormal, power paranormal. Further, relationships between other kinds studied.

The study of pseudoscience and the paranormal is an important but neglected aspect of science education. Given the widespread acceptance of pseudoscientific and paranormal beliefs, science educators need to take seriously the problem of how these can be combated. I propose teaching science students to critically evaluate the claims of pseudoscience and the paranormal, something that can be acco...

This research investigated how pseudoscientific, paranormal, and conspiracy beliefs relate to each other. Preliminary research indicates that holding one type of unsubstantiated belief predicts holding other types of belief (Lobato et al., 2014). We administered a survey (n=420) asking about belief in specific pseudoscientific, paranormal, and conspiracy claims. We also examined cognitive predi...

This study investigated the role of reality testing deficits in the formation of belief in the paranormal. In the present context reality testing is taken to entail the person’s inclination to test critically the logical plausibility of his or her beliefs. An earlier study of this relationship by the author (Irwin, in press) was partially compromised by the use of an index of reality testing de...

The goal of this study was to assess the relationship between the Five Factor Model of personality and the belief in the paranormal. Participants (N=307) were students from the University of Zagreb, Croatia. The measures used were the IPIP version of the Five Factor Model questionnaire (Goldberg et al., 2006) along with the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (Tobacyk, 1988). The factor analysis of...

Sensation seeking is the tendency to pursue sensory pleasure and excitement. A body of research indicates that sensation seeking may contribute to paranormal/anomalous experiences. Examination of relations between sensations seeking and paranormal beliefs has resulted in a limited body of research. This paper hypothesizes that both – sensation seeking and paranormal/anomalous experiences – will...

Goulding, A. (2004). Mental Health Aspects of Paranormal and Psi Related Experiences. Department of Psychology, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. This thesis aimed to investigate if paranormal beliefs and experiences represent signs of psychological ill-health or if they are neutral regarding psychological health. A further aim was to validate subjective paranormal experiences. The first p...

This paper seeks to continue a program of research that explores the possible relationship between exposure to media messages and paranormal beliefs. Following the work of Sparks, Nelson and Campbell (1997), who reported the results of a random sample survey taken in 1994, this study reports the findings of a second random sample survey taken in the same geographic area several years later. The...

This study measured the relationship between student’s religion, gender, and propensity for fantasy thinking with the change in belief for paranormal and pseudoscientific subjects following a science and critical thinking course that directly confronted these subjects. Student pre-course endorsement of religious, paranormal, and pseudoscientific beliefs ranged from 21 to 53%, with religion havi...