Anomalous Experiences: Essays from Parapsychological and Psychological Perspectives — Occult Philosophy

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Anomalous Experiences: Essays from Parapsychological and Psychological Perspectives

Name: Anomalous Experiences: Essays from Parapsychological and Psychological Perspectives
Price: 29.95 USD
Availability: InStock
ISBN: 9780786443987

✍️ Smith, Matthew D

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4.5

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

A collection of thirteen academic essays examining paranormal phenomena through psychological and parapsychological frameworks.

The text organizes its content into two primary sections to contrast different analytical approaches. Part One addresses parapsychological perspectives with chapters on precognitive emotional arousal, experimenter effects, and the role of altered states in extrasensory perception. Part Two presents psychological viewpoints, including studies on hypnosis, haunting experiences, black dog apparitions, and alien contact. The author draws on his background as a researcher and television consultant to present these varied essays.

Key Themes

precognitive emotional arousal haunting experiences alien contact

Literary Context

Published in November 2009 by McFarland & Company, this paperback volume sits within the academic study of mind, body, and spirit. It reflects a period where parapsychology sought integration with mainstream psychology, featuring contributions from researchers at institutions like Buckinghamshire New University.

Difficulty

●●● Challenging

Recommended For Fans Of

Carl Jung · William James · Dean Radin · Robert Crookall

🕯️

Occult Philosophy

🏛 McFarland & Company 📅 2009 📖 228 pages 📔 Paperback ISBN: 9780786443987

Fun Fact

Matthew Smith's collection masterfully bridges academic rigor with open-minded inquiry into the unexplained. It presents diverse perspectives on anomalous phenomena without sensationalism. While those seeking definitive proof or purely spiritual interpretations might find it too analytical, serious students of the mind and the mystical will find this a thought-provoking, indispensable addition to parapsychology and transpersonal psychology.

📝 Description: Anomalous Experiences: Essays from Parapsychological and Psychological Perspectives

Matthew D. Smith, a senior lecturer in psychology at Buckinghamshire New University and former resident psychologist for the television program Most Haunted, compiles thirteen essays that examine anomalous experiences through both parapsychological and psychological lenses. The volume is divided into two distinct sections to provide a balanced view of these phenomena. The first part focuses on parapsychological perspectives, featuring chapters such as Feeling the Future by Daryl J. Bem, which studies precognitive emotional arousal, and Experimenter Effects in Parapsychology by Caroline Watt. Other contributions include Chris A. Roe’s work on altered states of consciousness and Robin Wooffitt’s sociological approach to the field. The second part shifts to psychological interpretations, offering a different analytical framework for understanding these events. Etzel Cardeña contributes a chapter on anomalous experiences during deep hypnosis, while Ciarán O'Keeffe and Steve Parsons present an integrative approach to haunting experiences. Simon J. Sherwood investigates the specific cultural iconography of black dog apparitions, and Christopher C. French along with his colleagues explores the psychological aspects of alien contact. This collection avoids sensationalism in favor of academic rigor. This book suits readers interested in the intersection of psychology and paranormal research who appreciate structured academic analysis. It may not satisfy those seeking definitive proof of supernatural phenomena or those looking for practical guides on witchcraft and astrology. The text provides a scholarly examination of topics like extrasensory perception, seance room activity, and out-of-body experiences without endorsing their validity. Readers will find concrete studies on how human psychology processes these unusual events rather than mystical explanations.

📑 What's inside

Preface
Part One: Parapsychological Perspectives
1. Feeling the Future: Studies of Precognitive Emotional Arousal
Daryl J. Bem
2. Experimenter Effects in Parapsychology: Three Studies with a Remote Helping Task
Caroline Watt
3. The Role of Altered States of Consciousness in Extrasensory Experiences
Chris A. Roe
4. Are Our Assumptions More Anomalous Than the Phenomena?
Paul Stevens
5. Will We Ever Know Whether Extrasensory Perception Exists?
Jezz Fox
6. Towards a Sociological Parapsychology
Robin Wooffitt
Part Two: Psychological Perspectives
7. Anomalous Experiences During Deep Hypnosis
Etzel Cardeña
8. Haunting Experiences: An Integrative Approach
Ciarán O'Keeffe and
Steve Parsons
9. Apparitions of Black Dogs
Simon J. Sherwood
10. Psychological Aspects of the Alien Contact Experience
Christopher C. French, Julia Santomauro, Victoria Hamilton, Rachel Fox and
Michael Thalbourne
11. Observing the Impossible: Eyewitness Testimony for Darkroom Séances
Richard Wiseman
12. Developing a Dissociational Account of Out-of-Body Experiences
Craig D. Murray
13. Anomalous Experiences and Boundary Thinness in the Mind and Brain
Christine Simmonds-Moore
About the Contributors
Index

💎 Expert review

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💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This collection offers a compelling, albeit dense, examination of anomalous experiences, blending psychological depth with parapsychological data. While it provides rigorous analysis for those interested in the scientific study of the occult, it may not suit readers seeking immediate spiritual comfort or simple answers. The academic tone and focus on phenomena like apparitions and alien contacts require patience and an openness to complex theoretical frameworks. It is best suited for scholars and serious enthusiasts rather than casual readers looking for light entertainment or definitive proof of the supernatural.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who have encountered inexplicable phenomena and seek a grounded, intellectual framework to understand them will find this book invaluable. It is ideal for those tired of purely spiritual explanations or dismissive skepticism, offering instead a nuanced exploration through psychological insight and parapsychological investigation. If you are fascinated by the mechanics of consciousness, extrasensory perception, or the dynamics of séance rooms, this collection provides rigorous discussions that validate experience without abandoning critical thought. It serves as an essential bridge for seekers wishing to map the uncharted territories of the mind, offering clarity on out-of-body experiences and alien contacts through a scholarly lens that respects both the mystery and the method.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you're a seeker of the uncanny, a student of the mind's deeper mysteries, or simply curious about experiences defying easy categorization, this book is for you. It offers a thoughtful, balanced perspective for exploring the fringes of human perception.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This collection offers a compelling, albeit dense, examination of anomalous experiences, blending psychological depth with parapsychological data. While it provides rigorous analysis for those interested in the scientific study of the occult, it may not suit readers seeking immediate spiritual comfort or simple answers. The academic tone and focus on phenomena like apparitions and alien contacts require patience and an openness to complex theoretical frameworks. It is best suited for scholars and serious enthusiasts rather than casual readers looking for light entertainment or definitive proof of the supernatural.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While it adopts a scholarly tone, drawing from both psychology and parapsychology, it explores phenomena often considered mystical. The approach is analytical and inquisitive, rather than dogmatic or purely spiritual.

Rather than providing definitive answers, this collection encourages a critical and open-minded examination. It presents various perspectives and research findings, inviting readers to engage with the complexities of the unknown.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Psychological Lens on Anomalies

This volume explores how established psychological frameworks can illuminate the nature of extraordinary human perceptions and events. It scrutinizes the cognitive, emotional, and social factors that contribute to, or interpret, experiences often labeled as paranormal, seeking to understand their subjective reality.

Spectrum of Psychic Phenomena

From classic extrasensory perception to unsettling haunting encounters and visions of apparitions, the essays meticulously detail a wide array of phenomena. It also ventures into more unconventional territories like alien encounters, out-of-body sensations, and the peculiar energies of seance room activities.

Parapsychology's Scholarly Pursuit

The book highlights parapsychology as a legitimate field of inquiry, presenting rigorous research into experiences beyond conventional scientific explanation. It grapples with the challenges of studying phenomena like precognition and psychokinesis, advocating for an open-minded yet critical approach to the unknown.

📜 Historical context

This work stands firmly within the tradition of scholarly inquiry into phenomena often relegated to folklore or dismissed outright. It builds upon a long history of psychical research and psychological exploration, seeking to bridge the gap between subjective experience and scientific understanding, much like early parapsychology pioneers.

📚 Glossary

Extrasensory Perception (ESP)
Apparition
Out-of-Body Experience (OBE)

📔 Questions to reflect on

How might a purely psychological explanation both illuminate and limit our understanding of a profound anomalous experience you've heard of or had?
Reflect on the societal implications of validating (or dismissing) phenomena like extrasensory perception or haunting experiences. What changes might occur?
Consider an experience you once dismissed as mere coincidence or imagination. How might applying a parapsychological lens alter your perception of it?