Parapsychology research is largely conducted by private institutions in several countries and funded through private donations, and the subject almost never appears in mainstream science journals. Most papers about parapsychology are published in a small number of niche journals. Parapsychology has been criticised for continuing investigation despite being unable to provide convincing evidence for the existence of any psychic phenomena after more than a century of research.

FAQ

1. What is parapsychology?

Parapsychology is the study of alleged psychic abilities and phenomena, such as telepathy, clairvoyance, and psychokinesis. It is a controversial field that is not widely accepted within the scientific community and is not considered to be a legitimate branch of science.

2. What is the goal of parapsychology?

The goal of parapsychology is to investigate and understand alleged psychic abilities and phenomena. Some parapsychologists believe that these abilities are real and can be studied using scientific methods, while others view them as unexplained mysteries that are worthy of further investigation.

3. Is parapsychology a recognized scientific field?

Parapsychology is not widely recognized as a legitimate scientific field, and it is not considered to be a mainstream branch of science. Many scientists and experts consider parapsychology to be a form of pseudoscience, or a belief or practice that is presented as scientific but is not based on scientific evidence.

4. What methods are used in parapsychology research?

Parapsychologists use a variety of methods to investigate alleged psychic abilities and phenomena, including experiments, surveys, and case studies. These methods are often criticized by mainstream scientists for being poorly designed and lacking in scientific rigor.

5. What are some examples of alleged psychic abilities?

Some examples of alleged psychic abilities that have been studied by parapsychologists include telepathy, clairvoyance, psychokinesis, precognition, and mediumship. 

6. What is the evidence for the existence of psychic abilities?

There is no scientific evidence to support the existence of psychic abilities, and many experts believe that alleged psychic phenomena can be explained by normal, natural causes or as the result of fraud or deception. Despite this, some parapsychologists continue to claim that there is evidence for the existence of psychic abilities, although their claims are not widely accepted.

7. Is it possible to develop psychic abilities?

Some people claim to have developed psychic abilities through training or practice, but these claims are not supported by scientific evidence.

Beginning in the early 1950s, the CIA started extensive research into behavioral engineering.

The term parapsychology was coined in 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir as the German “parapsychologie.”It was adopted by J. B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research in order to indicate a significant shift toward experimental methodology and academic discipline. The term originates from the Greek: παρά para meaning “alongside”, and psychology.

In parapsychology, psi is the unknown factor in extrasensory perception and psychokinesis experiences that is not explained by known physical or biological mechanisms. The term is derived from the Greek ψ psi, 23rd letter of the Greek alphabet and the initial letter of the Greek ψυχή psyche, “mind, soul”. The term was coined by biologist Berthold P. Wiesner, and first used by psychologist Robert Thouless in a 1942 article published in the British Journal of Psychology.

The Parapsychological Association divides psi into two main categories: psi-gamma for extrasensory perception and psi-kappa for psychokinesis. In popular culture, “psi” has become more and more synonymous with special psychic, mental, and “psionic” abilities and powers.

Beginning in the early 1950s, the CIA started extensive research into behavioral engineering. The findings from these experiments led to the formation of the Stargate Project, which handled ESP research for the U.S. federal government. The Stargate Project was terminated in 1995 with the conclusion that it was never useful in any intelligence operation. The information was vague and included a lot of irrelevant and erroneous data. There was also reason to suspect that the research managers had adjusted their project reports to fit the known background cues.

Parapsychologists study a number of paranormal phenomena, including :

Telepathy: Transfer of information of thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five classical senses.

Precognition: Perception of information about future places or events before they occur.

Clairvoyance: Obtaining information about places or events at remote locations, by means unknown to current science.

Psychokinesis: The ability of the mind to influence matter, time, space, or energy by means unknown to current science.

Near-death experiences: An experience reported by a person who nearly died, or who experienced clinical death and then revived.

Reincarnation: The rebirth of a soul or other non-physical aspect of human consciousness in a new physical body after death.

Apparitional experiences: Phenomena often attributed to ghosts and encountered in places a deceased individual is thought to have frequented, or in association with the person’s former belongings.

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