ESP & Psychokinesis

The term extra-sensory perception (ESP), introduced in the 1930s, comprises telepathy, clairvoyance and precognition, acknowledging that these categories may considerably overlap. Psychokinesis is the direct influence on matter by mind alone, without physical action. All have been successfully tested in the laboratory and studied in real life situations.

Maimonides Dream Telepathy Research

This article describes ESP dreaming experiments carried out in a New York sleep laboratory.

Coover Telepathy Experiments

Early telepathy experiments, once thought a failure, now considered statistically significant.

Psi Research in Brazil

This article traces the development of interest in psi phenomena and parapsychological research in Brazil.

Gifted People

Most people may only experience a psychic event once or twice in their lives, but for a few it’s a natural ability, which some develop as a professional career. Two types feature in the Psi Encyclopedia: those who have demonstrated telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition or psychokinesis in some way, and those who believe themselves to be in communication with the deceased.

Ninel Kulagina

Russian woman (1926–1990) whose apparent ability to move objects by psychokinesis was investigated by parapsychologists.

Christopher Robinson

British psychic said to possess precognitive dream ability of use to UK police and security services.

Emanuel Swedenborg

Swedish engineer, philosopher, seer and psychic (1688–1772), who wrote about his encounters with spirits.

Mind & Body

This category contains articles that treat consciousness in relation to the body. Major topics covered include healing and psychotherapy; dreams and dreaming; and out-of-body experiences, end-of-life experiences, and near-death experiences, all of which suggest that consciousness may have an existence independent of the physical body.

AWARE NDE Studies

AWARE and AWARE II were large-scale studies testing for veridical perceptions recalled by hospital patients during NDEs.

Robert Crookall

English geologist (1890-1981) who promoted out-of-body experiences as evidence of ‘astral projection’ and postmortem survival.

Psychoanalysis and Psi

Psychoanalysts have often reported instances of psi occurring between patient and practitioner.

Survival of Death

Life continued in a spiritual or purely mental form after bodily death is a staple of religious beliefs worldwide, and likely is as old as humanity. The question of evidence for it has been central to the Society for Psychical Research since its founding in 1882. This category includes articles on mediumship as well as general topics related to the survival question. Other survival-related topics appear under other category headings.

Angelique Cottin

French girl who was the centre of psychokinetic disturbances that made an international sensation.

Cideville Poltergeist

Mid-nineteenth century French poltergeist case, with testimonies given in court about the phenomena.

Bindelof Phenomena

Describes séance phenomena experienced by a group of American teenage boys between 1929 and 1933.

Reincarnation

Reincarnation beliefs are widespread in the world and in recent decades researchers have found what they believe is evidence of them through the study of people (mainly children) who claim to have lived before. This category includes case studies and overviews of phenomena that appear regularly in the cases. Some articles deal with past life regression as well.

Toran (Titu) Singh (reincarnation case)

An Indian boy who recalled the life of a violent criminal, a possible intrauterine replacement reincarnation.

Reincarnation Cases with Records Made Before Verifications

There are still fewer than three dozen published examples of these important cases.

Reincarnation International Cases

Cases that have been studied suggest that reincarnating internationally may require intention to do so.

Researchers & Authors

Here can be found more than 300 biographical profiles of key figures who have been involved in psi research and parapsychology as field investigators, experimentalists, theorists and commentators. Many have scientific and academic backgrounds – in psychology, physics, biology, philosophy, engineering and other disciplines.

Harry Price

Harry Price (1881–1948) was a popular British lay investigator of hauntings and mediums, whose work frequently caused controversy.

Callum E Cooper

British psychologist who specializes in the study of spontaneous cases of psi phenomena.

D Scott Rogo

Author, musician and paranormal researcher (1950-1990) who became a public figurehead for parapsychology.

Organizations

The oldest organizations devoted to parapsychology were member organizations like the Society for Psychical Research, established in London in 1882. Since JB Rhine founded the Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University in 1930, there have been university-based units as well. This category comprises both historical and contemporary bodies concerned with research and education in parapsychology.

Rhine Research Center

Successor to the Parapsychology Laboratory at Duke University, dedicated to psi research, education and community activities.

Southern California Society for Psychical Research

Organization founded in 1961 and merged with the International Foundation for Survival Research, now also defunct, in 1983.

Parapsychological Association (PA)

International professional association of parapsychologists, founded in 1957 at Duke University.

Scepticism

Sceptics argue that psychics and mediums achieve their effects by trickery, that psychic experience is an illusory effect caused by a combination of brain misperceptions and confirmation bias, and that evidence of psi in laboratory tests can be attributed to poor methodology. This category includes biographies of leading sceptics as well as general articles discussing their allegations.

Trevor Hall

English chartered surveyor and amateur conjuror (1910–1991), author of books attacking deceased psychics and researchers.

Richard Wiseman

British psychology professor, media personality and bestselling author who is a high-profile critic of parapsychology.

The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge

Prize offered until 2015 by the James Randi Educational Foundation (JREF) but never awarded.

General Topics

This category contains articles on a variety of topics that do not fit well in any of the main categories, from dowsing to crop circles and other anomalistic phenomena.

Cottingley Fairies

1920s hoax by two girl, who persuaded Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that they had photographed themselves playing with fairies.

Orbs (Light Anomalies)

Light anomalies often seen in photographs and video are attributed by some to the presence of ghosts or spirit entities.

Eminent People Interested in Psi (list)

A list of some 200 scientists, thinkers, writers, and artists who took seriously the possibility of psi.